On Teaching & Learning
The Analects of Confucius Book 7 chapter 8: The Master said, 'I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out any one who is not anxious to explain himself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to any one, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson.' This makes it sound like Confucius was a strict and stern teacher. But I do feel for him, as sometimes I too have to repeat myself for students who are distracted/don't listen the first time (that can be frustrating). Or I may have to explain something in a different way before some students will understand. I think a good teacher will be willing to explain things again, but in different ways. However, there are some people who just do not have the capacity to understand some things. In such case, the teacher just has to accept that and give up trying. But the second part of the passage sounds like he is giving his potential students a test: To see how n