Just out of curiosity. Does this also come from a cultural difference? Please read below.
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If I were to ask to talk (in public) about a topic that I am not familiar with, I would hesitate and decline, or at least ask for someone to be a supervisor. It took so much courage to start teaching what I am in profession – Sashiko – in 2017. “Teaching” itself is precious, but “teaching without proper studying” is quite sad – and can be painful. I simply do not understand the mindset of being public with a very limited (or sided) knowledge of one matter. Picturing myself teaching a foreign topic makes me uneasy. Would it be because of my Japanese culture? Is it normal for you to teach something you just read or heard from someone?
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A video on Youtube about Sashiko made me sad. It wasn’t “wrong”, it was just significantly “insufficient”. Speakers discussing how to pronounce “Sashiko” seemed to be the first main theme. Yes, the word does matter. However, pronouncing the word Sashiko as “Japanese would pronounce” doesn’t qualify one to be a Sashiko teacher. A teacher who says, “well, it is simply…” doesn’t know much. Sashiko is simple, but the teacher should have a detailed explanation when they teach.
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I know some people (comedians) make a parody with respect & irony. I love making people laugh (in love with comedy). Is anyone interested?
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世界中で刺し子を教える先生が増える中で、実際に刺し子の技術や智慧をお持ちの方々は、なかなか「教える」という方向に目を向けません。数冊の本を読んで、一度来日しただけで教える人。40年の刺し子経験があっても、「私はまだまだだから」と謙遜する人。日本人的なのは、なんだかんだで後者な気がします。
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刺し子は日常です。だから、間違いがありません。どんな日常も正解であるように、間違いがありようもないのです。だからこそ、全ての人の言葉（全ての刺し子に関わりがある方言葉）を大切にしたいのです。そんな思いをブログに書きました。詳細は@sashiko_dad よりご確認頂ければと思います。
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2020-08-20 10:12:30
I really appreciate your thoughts about teaching, culture, and understanding. One thought I would share about your post: I have spent my whole life in American capitalist society. I’ve come to realize that in capitalism we believe we can “own” absolutely anything. So for example if I “buy” the correct pronunciation of a word with the time it takes to learn that pronunciation, that knowledge “belongs” to me. I then assume I have the right to “sell” that knowledge or share it in any way I see fit with complete authority. Capitalist culture has no regard for context, history, nuance, soul or tradition. Great for wild innovation, tragic for the invisible threads of deep human connection.
Forgive me for not knowing, do you have videos that go into greater depth? I have been trying to teach myself Sashiko and the videos I have found on youtube or written sources are, as you said, insufficient. I cannot find guidance on my current pattern, only a couple pictures on what it “should” and “shouldn’t” look like which does not work with the pattern I am following. I ask again because I would still like guidance rather than being discouraged and dismissed by someone I am seeking supervision from.
I have encountered the same thing—I’ve been doing weaving/textile-related things for decades, and it makes me squirm when I see “I’ve been weaving for over a year, cone take a class with me!” Maybe so many Americans grew up so separated from genuine hand craft that they don’t even recognize how superficial their knowledge is? I sometimes see things listed for sale that if I made them, I would have considered a worthwhile practice experiment, not a finished product. I am really glad people are making things, but I do wish there were more seeking of knowledge.
I feel the same! I’ve been a “professional” artist for 30+ years, and I still don’t feel I understand enough to have any authority to teach. @beth_lorio, your comment hits the mark. I also think that in keeping with that, the advent of youtube and social media allows people with little experience or qualifications “brand” themselves as “experts”. I am regularly horrified by people who, for example, have followed a radical health regime for one month and then call themselves “nutritional consultants”. Before these platforms, it was harder for unqualified people to get very far.
there is a possible explanation in the dunning kruger effect. if you don’t already know it – i think it might be able to explain a part of this phenomenon. and also i really like @beth_lorio ‘s thoughts how capitalims plays into what you have observed. i also know from a recruitment background that statistically men are more likely to overestimate their expertise, so an additional take on that could be patriarchic mindsets. just thinking, as capitalism and patriarchy are traditionally quite good buddies 😬
Muchas gracias por compartir tu cultura…..Tienes mucha razón, que hay gente que enseña ( mientras va aprendiendo); zno tengo una explicación; porqué me gusta Sashico; pero compre un libro Descubre el Sashico de Kumiko Yoshida.; por ahora Gracias ♥️♥️♥️
Sooo 👌 cool👏👏👍
It’s all about detail ! ✊🏽
It takes a long time to understand that you are still at the beginning – the first steps go fast but then…
I would 100% decline to teach a subject if I was not my specialty even if it was then I would properly worry someone better should do it .
Unfortunately anyone with a camera can make teaching videos if they can be bothered.
amo as mensagens que trás em suas publicações, são muito significativas ❤️
everyone deserves a voice … wether you find that voice insufficient or not really isn’t the point ….if these voices trigger you then work out why quietly by yourself until you have the answer… in the mean time thank all those people that love sashiko , they may not be as accomplished as you in your opinion however they have showed you something in yourself you need to learn about … that’s a valuable lesson coming to you in a way you didn’t expect…. the universe is infinite and there’s room for us all…I say this with the greatest of respect 🙏 stay sovereign
Hi @sashi.co I thought very hard about my perspective to your post because it is a position I have been in myself. I always feel uncomfortable when someone asks me to hold sewing/upcycling workshops because I am far from being an expert. However as I have been a teacher in other fields I have also discovered the joy of sharing what little knowledge I have and encouraging others to explore. I would much prefer to view my role as a facilitator that encourages people who might never have picked up sewing or computing to realise that they can start and be interested. And if these participants one day surpass me that would be my great honour. I think there is a difference between the teaching that comes from an established expert and the sharing that comes from an amateur facilitator. If one pretends to be the other it will only serve to confuse students and participants. Yet both achieve different objectives and I would say are vital to the community.
I have a Japanese partner, and I am Canadian. From what I have learnt thus far about Japanese culture, this opinion is extremely cultural. In Canada and America, this concept does not exist.
Would you sashiko a pair of my cowboy boots? I think they’d look nice when I’m riding my horse in New Mexico.