People usually think that in order to learn well, one needs a good or great teacher. That may be true in some cases, but there is a real difference in what people think they need and what they actually need. Generally, what is thought of as a good or great teacher is the ability to communicate well with the student. But for me, that is only a secondary or tertiary matter of concern. The fundamental quality of a good teacher is the way in which they get you to practice.
In all fields, practice is important in understanding how to apply the theory. Things may appear simple when looking from a top-end approach, but when you get into the nitty, gritty, hands-on stuff, you will find that the theory simply does not compute. Even if it does compute for the majority of the time, there will come instances where it does not fit or flow well, then you become stuck!
The reason why I say the practice is more important than good teaching is that practice allows you to grow and develop creatively. You have to find a way to enhance, refine and make small changes or tweaks to modify the training exercises. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach, in that whatever led your instructor or teacher to proficiency will work for you in the same way. It may, or it may now – it is not definite. However, constant practice will allow you to see the shortcomings of your training and adjust accordingly.
Good teaching is a big help because it saves a lot of time in the long run. But when compared to practice and training, the latter prevails because it gives concrete results from the onset. If you want to measure your progress, then look at 1) the instruction you are receiving and 2) the amount of practice that is being put into building that training. Usually, you will find that practice is quite a bit lower than the instruction you receive.
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