get mick with it
 

ok, so I once had a college physics teacher say something to me like, Do you think anyone has to tell Mick Jagger what to do? You think theres someone who kinda coaches him everytime he goes up on stage? Hell no, he just gets up there and he does his thing, becuause its his thing and to even think that he would'nt know how to do his thing is ludicrous.

so I said this today to my "helper" and kinda told him what I thougt it meant and how it pertained to him, baically, I want him to know how to do what we're doing, not a tall order, but in order to do that, he has to pay attention to what other people do (others in the shop) and know how we've handled these problems before.

Now, the question part of the post, heres a question for you, which do you think would work better, if I just let him kinda bullshit his way around at the beginning of projects while he tries to figure out what we're gonna do, (will him mulling this stuff over help him even though he isn't ablt to mull-out the answer?) or should I just set him down and show him the first second I think he's not getting it. and FYI, I answer his questions whenever I am asked (which isnt often :()


also, does mick jagger himself know what he's gonna do? or does HE just do it? does it matter?

I would say give him direction... Not exactly how to solve everything, but give him the direction he needs for say each piece of the project, and then let him figure out how to get there. If he gets thrown at the thing as a whole, well, that can be overwhelming. But it's important that he learns how to think for himself, and troubleshoot. He'll feel a lot better about himselt at the end as well.

Direct instruction is the single most effective method of initial instruction for a new skill. Teach him how to do it right in the manner expected in the shop. It will save him and you time in the long run.

Gilda

A little of both. People learn best if they try to solve their own problems, but _with guidance. Let him figure out a little bit on his own. Then sit down with him and discuss what he's figured out and what he hasn't. Correct him where he's on the wrong track, give him information that'll help him with the _immediate_ problems that have cropped up. But don't lay it _all_ out for him, just what he needs to know right now. Then let him loose again. Repeat this process until he's up to speed.

Thing is, you can lay it all out for somebody in one fell swoop, and half of it's going to run right out their ears, because they can't assimilate it fast enough. People most easily pick up the knowledge they need _right now,_ for problems that they're dealing with _right now._

So you let him go aways himself until he hangs up or gets on the wrong track, then tell him how to cope. He's ready to hear it, has a context to fit the solution into (his experience so far) and will assimilate it. After a while, he'll be asking more questions more than you'll be lecturing him, because he'll know what questions he needs to ask.

If you've got the time to do it this way, this really works.