Everyone has likely heard the children's song "There's a hole in my bucket", the story of Henry and Liza. I heard it first on Sesame Street and I'm still quite partial to that version and that puppet skit. So why am I writing about a children's song? Well, today i went to look up that video on youtube to watch it. The song had come to mind somehow and I thought a little reminiscing was in order. I found it and it was as amazing as I remembered! However I also found a wikipedia article about it and numerous other blog entries about the song. I was shocked to hear people's interpretation of the song. Everyone seems to think that Henry is a dimwit and Liza has to tell him how to do everything. There is no doubt that Liza is most likely getting frustrated with Henry throughout the song but I never thought that Henry was a dimwit. In fact I thought it was the opposite. He already knew the paradox of the problem and was stumped, only then does he approach Liza for help. To me Liza didn't seem the type to put up with lengthy explanations like this one, so the only way Henry could make her see the problem was to walk her through all the steps. In the end Henry is vindicated! He has shown Liza the paradox, she has provided no new insight, but at the very least now understands the magnitude of the issue. Sometimes you just need to walk people through to the answer because they either won't believe you or they won't take the time to listen. So for me Liza was the one with the problem. She was a hothead and perhaps just a little bit bossy. Dear old Henry was a patient and thoughtful fella who just wanted some help with a difficult problem!
I liked it as a kid because it was funny. Once the story ends it starts all over again with the hole in the bucket. Kid's like paradox's, or at least I did and still do. In my mind its also a song of vindication and of education! At the end we realize that Henry's first question was not so dumb after all. We've come full circle in our understanding of the situation, one that Henry had all the time.
How often have you been beset by the same issue? You know the full scope of the issue and the first/common sense approach simply doesn't work, yet the only way to make someone else understand that is to allow them to figure it out for themselves or even guide them along the way with a few "helpful" questions. Being a software developer and an acroyoga teacher I feel like I'm often in that situation. The best way to understand a problem, for most people, is to figure it out themselves. Simply telling them the answer doesn't always work. So just like Henry I take the time to walk them through the process. Allowing them to discover the answer themselves ... with a little guidance.
An answer someone comes to through their own process or through a guided process where they work through the steps always seems to lead to better learning. Everyone learns differently and if you want someone to learn or understand something then you have to accommodate them and the way they learn. Give them the tools and the situations that allow them to figure things out for themselves. Not only will they learn faster but they will remember better. Just like Henry lead Liza to understand the paradox of the hole in the bucket! I bet she won't be so cranky the next time Henry asks her a question!
I liked it as a kid because it was funny. Once the story ends it starts all over again with the hole in the bucket. Kid's like paradox's, or at least I did and still do. In my mind its also a song of vindication and of education! At the end we realize that Henry's first question was not so dumb after all. We've come full circle in our understanding of the situation, one that Henry had all the time.
How often have you been beset by the same issue? You know the full scope of the issue and the first/common sense approach simply doesn't work, yet the only way to make someone else understand that is to allow them to figure it out for themselves or even guide them along the way with a few "helpful" questions. Being a software developer and an acroyoga teacher I feel like I'm often in that situation. The best way to understand a problem, for most people, is to figure it out themselves. Simply telling them the answer doesn't always work. So just like Henry I take the time to walk them through the process. Allowing them to discover the answer themselves ... with a little guidance.
An answer someone comes to through their own process or through a guided process where they work through the steps always seems to lead to better learning. Everyone learns differently and if you want someone to learn or understand something then you have to accommodate them and the way they learn. Give them the tools and the situations that allow them to figure things out for themselves. Not only will they learn faster but they will remember better. Just like Henry lead Liza to understand the paradox of the hole in the bucket! I bet she won't be so cranky the next time Henry asks her a question!
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