Teaching Is More Than Telling

SOMETIMES we are puzzled by the apparent ineffectiveness of some of our teaching. Surely, we may think, we have told our youth often enough what to do and what not to do. But often we make the mistake of supposing that merely telling them is teaching them. And often we forget that their ideas of life are formed by all of the impressions that pass before them_and not merely by our formal instruction. We may tell them what is right, but if they are constantly exposed to impressions that are contrary to what we tell them, much shall have been done to void our verbal teaching. For example, we may earnestly teach them of the sanctity of the home and of the sacredness of marital vows, but if we make light of such things, if we make clever entertainment out of marital infidelity and the breakdown of homes, we shall have done much to offset our earnest instructions. If we make humor out of off-color subjects, if we make brilliant dialogue out of unconventional situations, if we make what shouldn’t be done appear to be socially smart, we confuse the thinking and break down the standards of our youth, and make it difficult for them to know where they stand with respect to life. If in fiction, in drama, in private conversation or public entertainment, or through any medium, we glamorize those who live outside the law, or glorify cynicism, or encourage offensive humor, or create admiration for those who defy the rules of life, we shall have done much to mislead our children, and, indeed, perhaps ourselves as well. We may say, and earnestly mean it, that virtue is its own reward, that crime doesn’t pay, that the way of the transgressor is hard, all of which is profoundly true, but teaching is so much more than mere telling. And formal preachment, however, sincere, may be sorry competition for vividly portrayed adventure. Our youth are taught by exposure to all the influences that make up life, whether fiction or fact; and whenever we make what is wrong seem exciting or desirable or socially smart, we shall have diluted our better teachings, whether or not it was our intention to do so.