Can every Morse code operator teach the "Code"?

[N9LCD]

After reading all the posts discussing if it's possible for everybody to learn the Code and considering all of my attempts, I'd like to ask:

"CAN EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS THE CODE, TEACH IT?"

"HOW MANY HAVE FAILED TO LEARN THE CODE BECAUSE THEIR TEACHER COULDN'T TEACH IT?"

Just because you know something and are proficient in it doesn't mean that you can successfully communicate your knowledge to others. I once had a college instructor with two PHD's who was going for his THIRD!!! He couldn't teach. His class was a waste of time and tuition.

Jerry

N9LCD

[AE6IP]

Morse code is relatively easy to teach, so any teacher that follows a few simple rules and has the respect of their student has a very good chance of being able to teach it.

Probably the relationship between the student and the teacher, which both have to work on, is the most important part of teaching Morse code.

That said, there are some people who, for whatever reasons, just shouldn't try to teach. Impatience, inflexibility, intolerance, and inability to think like a student are all good reasons for not teaching, no matter the subject.

[VE7NOT]

I know morse. Both codes The RR and the International. I can;t copy thr former I just know it.

The later I can do maybe 50% at 10wpm. Which shows what i will be doing this winter http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

To teach someone. I would love that for two reasons:

A: I would help them

B: It would help me.

The likely outcome is that they would get better at copyign then me. I'm hard of hearing. Half taught myself and don't use it on the air much really. Meaning i have the imaginary 'lookup chart'. So i need to relearn it.

But to teach someone else i would throw away that sheet and start at 15wpm! teaching them. Yes 15wpm. And you know what. They would be better then me at copying probably in 2 days.

I think most that have learned code can teach another person. But if all yoyu want is 5wpm forgt it. I would never go through that agin. It's impractical.

Now when i reach my goal of 15-17wpm i will switch to American Morse. Need to preserve a dying art. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[al7n]

Bravo on wanting to keep American Morse alive....

Couple things though...It will help you keep the two "languages" straight to only use "make-break" tones
for International Code, and use only a Morse sounder
for American Morse.

The two receiving systems are completely different,
and you will need all the help you can get in keeping the two codes straight. Trust me.

I was proficient in International code (25WPM+) long before I was able to work a Morse wire at "normal" working speeds..but eventually I got it. Now, I
work either code fluently, but I certainly prefer to take American Morse on a sounder. and radio code with
the tones, and not mix the two if I don't have to.

[VE7NOT]

Quote[/b] (al7n @ Sep. 27 2006,23:10)]I was proficient in International code (25WPM+) long before I was able to work a Morse wire at "normal" working speeds..but eventually I got it. Now, I
work either code fluently, but I certainly prefer to take American Morse on a sounder. and radio code with
the tones, and not mix the two if I don't have to.
This is why I practiced american or railroad morse on a 12v buzzer. The tone is way different. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[W4HAY]

Quote[/b] ]"CAN EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS THE CODE, TEACH IT?"
Definitely not! And that applies to virtually every subject, as our school systems shamefully illustrate!

I had numerous 'professors' in college that would have better served humanity by cleaning out septic tanks.

I often wonder how many potential hams gave up the code quest because the instructor failed to inspire or capture the imagination.

[WA2ZDY]

Quote[/b] (N9LCD @ Sep. 27 2006,23:52)]Just because you know something and are proficient in it doesn't mean that you can successfully communicate your knowledge to others. #I once had a college instructor with two PHD's who was going for his THIRD!!! #He couldn't teach. #His class was a waste of time and tuition.
You are so right. I have found that I cannot teach. Just can't do it. I've tried but folks just don't learn from me.

As for PhD's, right again. I don't think ANY of them can teach. They're just too far removed from their students. My experience in college with more than a few doctorates tells me this.

[KE5FRF]

I think a characteristic of a good teacher is enthusiasm in the subject, being a good motivator, and then of course, being proficient with the subject yourself. The importance of which is in that order. I have tought topics in certain settings where I was only a little more familiar with the subject than my "student", but my enthusiasm spilled over and motivated the fellow to learn.

I have never tought a Morse class per se, but I have helped some friends. Obviously, a certain degree of skill is required to teach the code, but more important than that is knowing the best techniques for learning it and being enthusiastic with it and making it FUN.

[ky5u]

Have taught it to two people, one with mild Parkensons and one with a learning disability. VERY rewarding when they passed the test.!!

[W5HTW]

Before one can teach anything, one should know the subject correctly and with some depth. That applies to fly fishing, hunting, riding a motorcycle, flying an airplane, building a dog house.

In Morse code there has to be an understanding of the rhythm of it. Then there has to be a capability of explaining that rhythm to someone who doesn't yet comprehend it.

Imagine trying to teach someone to play the guitar by ear, not by reading notes. How would you tell them to do that, if you can't do it yourself? A book can teach them to read notes. But to learn to play by listening is a different animal. And that is how Morse MUST be learned. By listening. Listening to the wrong pattern will teach the wrong pattern.

We hams tend to teach each other. But the true professionals in Morse code learn from perfect code sent by machine, not by sloppy code sent by a buddy. We increase our speed by listening to the computer generated code from W1AW, or from other 'perfect' code sources, such as the G4FON software.

To me, that means that we learn code best when it is taught with precision, though not necessarily with total perfection. Believing that, I think it is rather unlikely that just "anyone" can teach the code.

To qualify that statement, though, I do think pretty much anyone can teach the 5 wpm necessary to pass the test. Teaching beyond that, for real use of code on the air, requries more skill.

Add in the necessary qualifications of any teacher (think of the horrible stories of the driving instructor!) and I doubt just anyone can be a teacher of anything.

Ed

[WB2WIK]

I never had a code teacher, a friend and I just learned it together because we wanted to become hams. We used a code practice oscillator at first, but found that inconvenient, so we just used "dit-dah" talk as we walked to school and walked home, stuff like that.

We would limit our conversations exclusively to dit-dahing each other using code and our voices as we walked.

At the end of two weeks, we were going quite fast...way faster than 5 wpm, probably more like 12 or 13.

Then, we had to sit down and learn to really use keys to become reasonably proficient at sending, and not just making code sounds.

When our Novice tickets arrived in the mail about eight weeks later, we both had our stations ready to go on the air. I think my first CW QSO was probably at 15 wpm or so, and that didn't sound fast, since we'd been doing about that just walking to school.

As such, I'm not sure a "teacher" really helps much. The desire to learn is key.

WB2WIK/6

[K7JBQ]

I'm with Steve on this. I think the student is more important than the teacher. The teacher can help if the student's attitude is right, but if it isn't, it's an exercise in frustration on both sides.

I say this from experience in two areas: teaching the code and serving as an instructor at SCCA racing schools.

Two main differences, both of which make teaching code far easier than teaching race driving:

1) You don't have to start a code class by impressing on the student that everything he knows is wrong.

2) When a student doesn't listen, he doesn't put you on your head in Turn Three.

73,
Bill

[KA3TGV]

Quote[/b] (N9LCD @ Sep. 27 2006,20:52)]After reading all the posts discussing if it's possible for everybody to learn the Code and considering all of my attempts, I'd like to ask:

"CAN EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS THE CODE, TEACH IT?"

"HOW MANY HAVE FAILED TO LEARN THE CODE BECAUSE THEIR TEACHER COULDN'T TEACH IT?"

Just because you know something and are proficient in it doesn't mean that you can successfully communicate your knowledge to others.

Jerry, I think you are close to answering your own questions regarding the efficacy of code teachers, especially in light of your multiple attempts to learn the code.

Obtain an A.R.R.L. 5 wpm code cassette, and follow the instructions until you are able to pass the test.

The 5 wpm CW tests you have been taking are to determine if you can 'copy' (mentally decode) Morse Code. The F.C.C. correctly assumes individuals can send Morse faster than they can mentally decode it.

If after passing the 5 wpm CW test you decide you are interested in using CW on the ham bands, practicing your sending will be the next, and I might add, rather enjoyable hurdle you will encounter. The best way to accomplish this is in actual CW QSOs over the air. And a lot of fun also.

And if you decide you really want nothing further to do with CW, you have lot's of company.

73

Doug Burlew
KA3TGV

[KA4DPO]

Quote[/b] (N9LCD @ Sep. 27 2006,20:52)]After reading all the posts discussing if it's possible for everybody to learn the Code and considering all of my attempts, I'd like to ask:

"CAN EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS THE CODE, TEACH IT?"

"HOW MANY HAVE FAILED TO LEARN THE CODE BECAUSE THEIR TEACHER COULDN'T TEACH IT?"

Just because you know something and are proficient in it doesn't mean that you can successfully communicate your knowledge to others. #I once had a college instructor with two PHD's who was going for his THIRD!!! #He couldn't teach. #His class was a waste of time and tuition.

Jerry

N9LCD
Jerry, You simply haven't been trained properly. My instructor beat the code into me. His theory was that pain is a wonderful teacher,like a kid that puts his hand on a hot stove never forgets. Well it worked. After repeated beatings with each letter of the alphabet and all the numbers forwards and backwards I was highly motivated to learn just so the beatings would stop. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif


In answer to your question, not everyone can teach no matter how proficient. When it comes to Morse Code, you are your own best instructor. Everyone I know learned CW by themselves simply by practising relentlesly until they got it.

[ai4ep]

...you also need a PUPIL that wants to learn.

The best teacher in the world can not teach a pupil that does not wish to learn

[AE6IP]

Quote[/b] (WA2ZDY @ Sep. 28 2006,06:07)]As for PhD's, right again. I don't think ANY of them can teach. They're just too far removed from their students. My experience in college with more than a few doctorates tells me this.
I wouldn't go so far as to say "ANY". I've known many PhD holders who are good teachers and have had the good fortune to take classes from them.

[AE6IP]

Quote[/b] (ai4ep @ Sep. 28 2006,10:41)]...you also need a PUPIL that wants to learn.

The best teacher in the world can not teach a pupil that does not wish to learn
Anne Sullivan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Sullivan) would disagree.

[N9FQ]

Just because you know it absolutely doesn't mean you can teach it.

BUT, with regards to how many people gave up because the teacher didn't inspire them? All the people who didn't care or want it enough to see it through.

Code Quick, Koch Method, Miracle CW, blah, blah, blah. If you want to learn code you will pick any one of the infinite number of ways to learn and stick with it. Just like losing weight. Everyone knows what they need to do, they just don't want to face it. Wanna lose weight? don't eat, that simple. Wanna learn code? Practice, that simple.

Once upon a time 100% of hams knew code. How did it get so hard since then?