Muddy Waters
A couple of people asked me recently …
How come I can watch one of your videos for 20 minutes and comprehend everything you teach us, but in the two years at college I’ve never understood even a fraction of what they have tried to teach me?
That set me thinking. I know I’d watched other contributor’s videos, read other people’s blogs and numerous articles on my trade. What was I doing some of the time that was different to some of the other teacher’s methods. I’ve taught hundreds of electrical students over the years and pride myself on the fact that more than 95% of them have passed their exams first time with exceptional marks.
Then my arty background came to mind.
Muddy Waters
When I’m painting in watercolours I use a rinsing glass, the same as any artist. If I keep rinsing my brushes without changing the water, the glass becomes murky and dark. I need to rinse the glass out and start again. And so, I’ve learnt to change the water at frequent intervals. I also don’t paint for hours on end without taking a break and doing something else.
The Eureka moment was realising that this was also how I taught, and how I made training videos.
I teach just one topic at a time, without being distracted and sidelined. So, I might have a one-hour lesson on how to convert one way lighting into two-way. I will not be pushed into talking about power sockets or electric showers. Some of the students have enough trouble keeping up with just lighting, so to start discussing other subjects halfway through a lesson would simply cause them to switch off – the result is a wasted lesson for them, and after all, the lesson is really for their benefit.
Secondly, I don’t talk about the same thing in contiguous lessons. I change the subject, so the next lesson might be about earth rods or lightning protection. It keeps the student’s interest levels up.
And I always tell the students at the beginning of a lesson what we are going to (hopefully) learn. Then I teach them the lesson and lastly, I tell them what they have just learnt. That is three times that they are told the same thing in that one-hour lesson. That repetition is key to understanding.
And I realised that I apply the same methods to my twenty-minute videos. This is what we will talk about. Here is the talky bit, and now I tell them what they have just learnt. One topic, one lesson.
So why not apply the same logic when writing blogs and posts for your websites.
Just one topic. Don’t go off along several paths that might or might not be relevant. Tell your target audience what the blog is about, tell them the blog and keep to the subject; and then tell them in a few lines, what you have just told them.
Don’t muddy the waters by drifting off into different topics.
Sometimes, less is more.
Just my thoughts – how about you.
Bux
Recent Comments
66
This is an excellent article, Bux. When I took some college courses a couple of years ago, my biggest complaint was the jumping around. Several topics were always covered in each class instead of concentrating on one. The Web Development course contained mostly Graphic Arts. I enjoyed the arts, but I wanted to learn coding, and it became confusing with so much information in one class.
Nancy
Exactly Nancy. The tutors should make a lesson plan and stick to it. Unfortunately, many of them are easily distracted. I hope you learnt coding in the end.
I heard a group of plumbers apprentices talking at their tea-break. They were laughing at how easy it was to distract their tutor by talking about football. When I mentioned it to the tutor, he was totally unconcerned. He said he would rather talk about football than plumbing.
What about the students that want to learn.
Thanks for responding, an interesting contribution.
Bux
I did learn some coding. Not as much as I wanted to, but it was helpful. I had one instructor that talked about her granddaughter almost non-stop. So much that I didn't learn anything in her class. Even her assignments were based around the grandchild. We had to rate each class at the end, and even though I hated to do it, I counted down for her talking so much about the little girl. I love kids too, but I am paying to learn something in her class but I wasn't. Last I heard she had stopped talking so much about the grandchild, making it easier for her students to learn.
Nancy
That is exactly what you should do Nancy.
I was always conscious that many of my mature students had paid for the training out of their own pockets, and as for apprentices, they had been paid for too and their bosses expected results.
I set my own lesson plans and was always objective focused. It was appreciated, some of the guys still keep in touch after all these years.
There is a time and place to talk about family and a classroom is not it.
Take care.
Bux
A great example of just keeping things as simple as possible Bux!
Great read as always my friend! :-)
As do I Bux! Simple, easy and straight to the point always works best for me!
Enjoy the rest of your day my friend, I am going to retire to my sleeping quarters with the PP very soon!
Catch you tomorrow!
👍😴
Me too Nick. Finished the editing as planned. Not much sleep yesterday so that big Z button is looking very appealing right now.
Catch you Thursday
Bux
A brilliant day. All day on my own and got the video finished - all done, which was my target.
Looks like the evening is a loner too.
Never mind, I have a good book to read.
How are things with you and PP. I bet your looking forward to loved one coming home on Saturday.
Bux
Great to hear Bux, I got my minimal target for the day completed here so no complaints!
Myself and my PP are doing great...
As long as she doesn't bring a guest back with her then all should be well!! :-)
I think I know who you mean. Let me work the acronym out … PSIL by any chance.
I’m ahead of myself now. Finished all my tasks Thursday so at a loose end on Friday. I’m sure it will be filled up with something.
Its gone ok. Happy enough and loads of R&R. I think I fell asleep reading a book at one stage. My coffee had gone cold and I had to go up to the counter and get a fresh one.
Happy you got some good R&R time in Bux and it's better to let a coffee go cold than a beer get warm!!
About to hit the bed here for the last of my R&R before the wife gets back tomorrow....
Enjoy the rest of your Friday my friend!! :-)
If I was asleep in the Full Moon, someone would have drunk it and ordered a round on my behalf.
Hope loved one get's back to Lyon ok.
Bux
Haha! And someone probably would have nicked your wallet as well Bux!
She made it back ok, thanks buddy! :-)
Yep, exactly. That’s how they would have paid for “”my”” round.
You don’t go for a pee without emptying your glass first.
Very pleased that Mrs White arrived back safe and sound.
Bux
Sounds like you need to take care down the old "Full Moon" Bux!
Mrs White is snoring away happily right now along with my PP!
I have a couple of things to finish first, but will join them shortly!
Enjoy the rest of your Saturday buddy!!
👍👍🍻
Its an ok pub. All done in good humour. So long as someone else is paying.
An early night for me too Nick. One of those busy days where I haven't stopped, but I can't think of anything I've actually done.
We must all get those days.
Catch you Sunday.
Bux
Sounds like most pubs I have frequented in my time Bux!
I have certainly had one of those days as well...
Catch up again soon my friend!! :-)
Thanks Myra, it's funny how my mind works at times.
Hope you enjoyed the post.
And ... I hope you are well.
Bux
See more comments
Good morning Bux,
That's great that you have a good teaching ability, Bux and the fact that your students passed with exceptional marks! I don't know what it is, but some people have the ability to be able to hold our attention.
Before I joined Wealthy Affiliate I was on a much smaller Internet marketing training platform. The teacher produced short but very interesting videos, which worked! He was so easy to listen to, he had such a good gift.
It's brilliant that you are able to make YouTube videos on the subjects that you know and share your knowledge. I actually enjoy making YouTube videos when I have a knowledge and a passion for the subject.
However, I think it's very important to stay on topic and get straight into the topic. I don't think people particularly want to know what film we watched last night or where we walked the dog. I just think it's good to get straight in.
Some videos I watch more often than not listen on YouTube from people that I really like. They have a 10 to 12 minutes introduction with things that have been going on. I always just fast forward the video until the real stuff starts!
Have a great Sunday.
Roy
I do the same Roy. If its waffle I either FForward or hit the stop button.
I watched another electrician's video a while back. In a twenty minute video he repeated himself 18 times. he kept saying he would show us what he had done to the earth rod, then talk about his van or his torque wrench or something else unrelated. The actual earth rod part was just over a minute.
I watched it a second time to count how many times he repeated himself (I know, I'm sad)
Keep those inspiration levels up my friend. A new week of opportunities is upon us, Take care.
Bux
Great minds think alike, Bux!
I do know exactly where you are coming from, Bux; maybe he was new to creating videos! I'm trying to be kind! I think we have to be very careful when we are creating content, especially when it comes to videos, as people just need an answer to their problem. We almost need to get straight in there; barely an intro, just straight in.
We may be two saddo's together, Bux! I use a few Google alerts and I have an alert set for the term "Wealthy Affiliate". I have been looking at some of the content that's being written in preparation for a blog post. It's just AI waffle and nothing more! A blog post on the subject will follow!
That is so true, a week of opportunities!
Have a great week.
Roy
I've got that way that I can now spot an AI generated post just by looking at the layout. A turn off for me.
We all do research on articles that we write before putting them into our own words. Not blatant copy and paste. And do these people really know what they are talking about.
I like the one's that say they had a particular situation, that they experienced themselves and tell it as a story. Funny that, because I read a very similar story last week written by somebody else.
I think it is wrong to pass off some AI created content as your own.
Hey ho.
Monday is here, let's go.
Bux
I agree with you, Bux, AI content is a massive turnoff.
Exactly, it's important to do our own research before we write, etc. I believe the people who copy and paste do not know what they are talking about or they are being very lazy.
AI also loves words like delve and ecosystem, etc, it just doesn't make sense!
This is only a guess, but I would imagine that this flood of content has caused Google massive problems, hence their massive updates. I also believe that this has probably hit genuine people's websites, but who knows?
Have a fantastic day.
Roy
I agree with you Roy, its bound to have had ripples on the different sites.
I always write from memory with just an occasional look at a book or web-site, because I know my niche subject.
I could talk about it unaided for hours. I don't need to copy and paste.
Bux
That's good, Bux, I know that we never stop learning, but it's good if we know our niche subject! This is where we have a passion for a niche, it makes the whole job so much easier and better.
I hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Roy
Thank you Roy. Yes, a great weekend so far. Exhausted now, I've been out all day enjoying myself. We had a civil war reenactment at the Bishops Palace today. Lots of noisy guns and things - super.
I'm making dinner for two tonight, nothing special as I wasn't expecting it. Just sausage and mash, but I can tart it up a little bit. A glass of wine always makes a meal look good.
I hope your weekend goes well too. I bet you are missing loved one on this fantastically sunny day. What a super start to May.
It was my mother's birthday anniversary on the first of May, she died on the second of May. My two sisters are away on holiday somewhere so it was up to me to go to church and light the candles, again.
Are you taking any time off over the weekend. Have a rest, have a beer.
Bux
I'm glad you have been enjoying yourself, Bux, that's good news! It sounds like you had good fun!
Good for you for making dinner. I don't think it particularly matters what you have to eat as long as the company is good and a glass of wine can do wonders! Or beer, come to that!
I must admit that it does seem a bit quiet here, although I have the dog! The good thing is that we can communicate through WhatsApp or Skype using a camera, which we often do several times a day. It also enables me to spend a bit more time working on my online business, which I really appreciate. I'm trying to spend as much time as possible to try and build it up more.
It's good that you remember your mother, Bux, that sounds like a good thing to do. We lost our mother just over a year ago, but it seems like a lot longer as we almost lost her when she was first diagnosed with dementia. It's good to focus on the good times.
I will probably watch a service online from my old church and then may meet some friends in the local alehouse. And then speak to the Greek goddess in the evening, we said we may watch something together through screen sharing on Skype.
I hope you are able to do something relaxing today, Bux.
All the best.
Roy
Relaxing, today ... no chance Roy.
The festival season is upon us and it will be all go most weekends now until November.
Beer night is Sunday night for me, I'm not driving anywhere on Monday.
I always make a point of remembering our parents, they were the only one's we had.
My ex-wife died from cancer last year, I just hope my son respects her memory, we shall see. He's a secular person and its no good trying to "make" him.
Happy talking to the Greek Goddess tonight.
Enjoy your beers.
Bux