Getting held back in school

Yesterday the gentleman in charge of training for the local Canadian Power and Sail Squadron kindly offered to let Rebecca and I go “back” from the Seamanship Course that we are taking to the basic Boating Course. I assume this is because I have on several occasions asked for clarification during the class on the subject being discussed. As a long time teacher, and student, one thing I have learned is that if there is one person in the room who doesn’t understand the material, quite likely there are others. Most people are just too afraid to raise their hands and ask the question, thinking that it will make them look stupid. This doesn’t concern me at all (I am quite used to making myself look stupid, in much more inventive ways than that), and I will occasionally ask for clarification even if I do understand.

Now, in fairness to him, we have not done the basic course, and it is a recommended prerequisite for the one that we are currently enrolled in. He obviously doesn’t know us though. I have now taken his comments as a challenge to get 100% on the Seamanship exam! 🙂