Fishing. Fishing has many educational applications and parallels. The following Chinese proverb has profound educational implications. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for one day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” The application is that we need to teach our students how to learn, not simply to provide them with facts and details to memorize. Catching a fish can be comparable with hooking a student into learning. If one type of bait, lure, leader, or cast is unsuccessful, another one is tried. To support student learning, if one type of instructional strategy, learning activity, textbook, or resource is unsuccessful, another one is tried. Fishing and learning, at times, require patience and perseverance. Positive results are not always immediate.
But there is another side to the educational application of fishing. As a hobby or part of a vacation, there is still much to learn. Being still is a challenge that I face along with many others. Sitting quietly provides time to rest both the body and the mind. It provides time for reflection.
Fishing also provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy and respect nature. Replacing buildings, streets, and congestion with open air, open space, and nature is good for the soul.
There is much more that can be written about the importance and relevance of fishing, but I don’t have the time or desire at this point. You see, I’ve gone fishing.
Be the first to comment