How To Create Creative Learning

My last two posts have suggested, as golf professionals, we should change from teaching to guiding. Great idea huh, but how is this accomplished? The primary key to address when making this change is to refer back to the three stages of learning, cognitive, associative, and autonomic. Then ensure we understand these stages. The first two stages will be our emphasis here, cognitive and associative.

The cognitive stage is for the beginners who do not possess any cues, feelings, or experiences. Teaching is critical in this stage. The golf professional should be focused on the teaching of the fundamentals in short but direct parts. Now is the time that the student is thirsting for new found knowledge. Without knowing which road to travel the student is searching for someone to give them a map and write out the directions to their destination. The cognitive stage takes patience, correction, and several lessons. The information should be thorough but not overbearing. Once the student is repeating these fundamentals without constant correction they are now moving into the associative stage.

This is the point in the process where the creative learning begins. The teaching should lessen and the guiding should increase. According to Mike Hebron individuals learn through creative self discovery and environmental awareness. Golf professionals should strive to create this type of learning environment. Show the student ways to experiment instead prescribing drill after drill. Ask the student to play the ball in different positions in their stance. Have the student provide feedback on the feeling and the resulting ball flight. Have them provide why and how the ball did what it did. Have the student hit it high or low, left or right and learn why on their own cognisance. You have already provided them a map and written out the directions, now are we saying that it is ok to take another route. When the student finds the most efficient route to take they will come back to it, remember it, and repeat it. When the student obtains information through your guidance and their self discovery, repeatability is high and self judgement is low. This provides the firm foundation for ingrained motor skills.

Now the student has moved fully into associative stage and is transitioning into autonomic stage. Remember constructive feedback is still good but should be short and precise. The golf professional is now weaning himself from full blown teaching. Now that the route is mapped out, we are trying to make the route more efficient. Encourage them to tweak the route to avoid traffic lights and school zones.

If you guide them properly and allow their creativity in the process, the student is now ready to move to the autonomic stage. This is the point where they can drive the car on the same route efficiently, over and over without getting lost. Through this method the golf professional is providing a golf swing that the student understands. Why? Because the student discovered it.

Thank you for taking the time out to read my thoughts on how we should improve our coaching of our students. I am humbled by the notion you would take the time out of your day just to see what I had to say. Please provide any and all feedback. It is through good constructive criticism that one can improve.

You may follow me on twitter @golfprorob, on facebook, or visit my website at www.rm4golf.com.
Rob McGill