I was reminded today how important the "doing" is in teaching something new.  I had an opportunity to teach some children a valuable lesson.  We began with some reading and listening, discussion followed and then, then came the fun part, the doing.  The children actually got to put into practice the skills, concepts, and values that we had just discussed.  Now, this wasn't just safe role-playing, this was the real deal.  The children learned the importance, significance, and the how-to of the lesson.  Not only were they excited but they were determined to do it again. 

This concept is transferable to any age.  Learning in a vacuum just isn't going to cut it.  There must be real, authentic opportunities to use the skill in question.  Otherwise, the learning is wasted if it is even achieved at all.  Granted, there are some situation where simulated practice is the close you can get to the real deal until a certain level of mastery is reach, surgery for example.  It is important that the simulated environment closely mirrors the reality if the learning is to be internalized. 

As the instructor, trainer, or teacher it is equally important that you provide these opportunities for your own benefit.  A teacher who only talks about their discipline but never practices it is soon to become out of touch with the changing reality.  Again, some situation prove to be more difficult in this area than others so educators must be aggressive in finding or making opportunities for their own "doing".  Teaching is not a discussion of theory it is a transfer of applicable knowledge.  In other words, teaching is doing.