TreeMuggs, Author at Educated Climber.com

How To Learn Anything

March 21, 2017 By TreeMuggs 2 Comments

Trivium: Shield of the Trinity, source: Wikipedia

Indoctrination + regurgitation + graduation ≠ education.
– Brett Veinotte

What if I told you that most modern methods of teaching are deeply flawed? That the way most schools teach is misguided at best, and dangerously innefficient at worst?

Government schooling as we know it today didn’t really exist until the mid 19th century. The chief aims of conformity, nationalism, moral relativism, and acceptance of authority were the guiding principles of a system designed to create obedient workers that were so important to the industrial revolution. This system that began in Prussia would eventually spread around the globe, coming to America in 1852 and France and Great Britain by the 1880’s.

Having undergone innumerable changes and “improvements” for well over a century, we find ourselves today with a system of public schooling riddled with problems that seem too big and too complicated to fix. We are graduating kids who cannot read cursive writing, who do not possess basic skills in so many crucial areas including money management, negotiation, intellectual and physical self-defense, communication and rhetoric, social skills with people who are NOT their own age, sales, time management, and perhaps most importantly, skepticism of authority and the capacity for critical thought. We have been trained to hold up graduation as the lofty goal, without really considering what it is and just what the value of it may be.

Classical Education

Now lets look at classical education as it existed for centuries before government-run compulsory school. Classical education was based on interrelated concepts as opposed to the discretely divided “subjects” that we know of in our current educational paradigm. It was divided into 3 main areas of learning, what we refer to as the Trivium. The word Trivium in Latin means “where 3 roads meet.” The Trivium was the basis of all knowledge, it was not learning per se, but a preparation for learning. It consisted of 3 themes – Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric, also referred to as Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. The Trivium forms the basis for all learning and critical thought, and it is this systematic thought process that has all but disappeared from education.

The concepts taught in the Trivium follow a logical 3 step learning process which, when mastered, form the basic structure of thought and analysis which can be applied by the student to any subject they wish to learn. This learning process consists of Input, Processing, and Output. The input is the Grammar, or the Knowledge. This is the underlying background knowledge and definitions as applied to a certain subject. The processing is the Logic, or Understanding. Logic is the science of non-contradictory identification. The output is the Rhetoric, or Wisdom. The rhetoric stage is the application of that knowledge in a useful form.

Grammar – Knowledge

When you hear the word grammar, you probably think about english class in school, where the word grammar referred to the basic rules of the language. But grammar in terms of the Trivium is much broader, encompassing all basic facts and figures of a subject – it is the ‘Who, What, Where, and When’ stage of learning. Grammar in this sense begins with definitions. In order to effectively communicate with another human being, we both must first agree on shared definitions of the terms in use. This, at first glance, seems too basic to even mention, and yet this problem arises constantly in everyday conversation.

I’ll give you an example: the word ‘rabbit’. If I had been brought up to believe that the word ‘rabbit’ referred to a small, flightlesss bird that laid eggs and perched on a roost at night, and I came to you complaining that my rabbits had stopped laying eggs and were molting and losing all their feathers, you would think I was nuts. Now, here’s a more subtle example: there are about as many different informal definitions for ‘capitalism’ vs ‘socialism’ vs ‘fascism’ as there are broke college students waiting to vote for the first politician who will promise them “free” tuition. Ever witnessed a crazy, ranting argument on Facebook? Lack of shared definitions for words almost certainly contributed to the misunderstandings.

Grammar also extends to the basic facts and figures of a subject. For example, when learning to climb, you will see ‘kN’ ratings on carabiners. Without getting into Isaac Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion, you need to know that 1 kN is approximately equal to 225 lb. You also need to know that the Working Load Limit is 10:1 for climbing gear, or, 1/10 of the tensile strength.

Logic – Understanding

Logic takes the knowledge of the Grammar and seeks to arrange and order it, pulling out the relationships and figuring out the rules. This is the ‘Why’ stage of learning. The goal of Logic is the outcome of being able to think without contradiction, striving to arrive at ‘logical consistency’. Through the application of inductive and deductive thought processes, we derive order and meaning from the basic facts and figures, seeking the deeper truths not necessarily evident on the surface.

Knowledge without Understanding is what is referred to as ‘rote learning’. Children in school are forced to memorize all kinds of things without knowing why they need to know them. Likewise, whenever you copy something that you see someone else doing, without knowing why they are doing it, you are engaging in rote learning. Rote learning by itself might come in handy the next time you are in the exact same situation, but change some of the variables and you will see exactly why the understanding or Logic of a subject is so necessary.

(Interesting side note, if you type ‘logic’ into Google, the first 6 links that come up are for a rapper from Maryland who’s stage name is ‘Logic’. Likewise, if you type in ‘trivium’, the entire first page of search results is for a heavy metal band. Has anyone watched ‘Idiocracy’ lately?)

Rhetoric – Wisdom

Again, like grammar, when you hear the word rhetoric you probably think of school, where the word refers to persuasive speaking, or english class, with a ‘rhetorical question’. But Rhetoric in the broader sense of the Trivium simply refers to the output that one is capable of, after absorbing the knowledge in the Grammar stage, and then analyzing that knowledge in the Logic stage. If the basic facts and figures of our Grammar are true, and the rules, relationships, and premises of our Logic have removed all contradictions, then, at least in theory, we should be capable of proper and useful output. And that is why Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric (the Trivium) form the basis of the Classical “Liberal Arts”, along with Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy (the Quadrivium). Because, when we are well versed in the true and proper basics, we are ‘liberated’ from our teachers, capable finally of independent and autonomous thought and action.

This is not to suggest that proper output does not require practice and take years to master. According to the now ubiquitous so-called 10,000 hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell and later shown to be a gross over-simplification, it absolutely takes an enormous amount of practice to become highly competent at any complex and challenging task. But “practice” is insufficient to obtain mastery. The correct approach is “deliberate practice”, or focusing very deliberately on the sub-skills that make up an overall skill. And yet, before we can even begin this deliberate practice, or Rhetoric, we must first be firmly grounded in the Grammar and Logic of the subject area. Then, and only then, can we engage in proper deliberate practice.

Outcome-Based Education

Now, one effective way to explain something is to contrast it with its opposite. The opposite of the Trivium is something called “outcome-based education”. For anyone familiar with the public school system, you will recognize the techniques of this approach even if you are unfamiliar with the name. For a practical example of outcome-based education, lets say you were new to this trade and I wanted to teach you how to fell a tree. Let’s say the tree in question is a fairly small, dead Maple on the edge of a bush. It has very little lower branching and a slight lean in the direction that we want to drop it. I’ll show you how to size up the lean, check the wind, cut a face, and how to make a backcut and set up a hinge to drop the tree under control, which is much sooner than if I had bothered to teach you by the Trivium method. But what if you wanted to drop another tree? This is where the difference in these two methods becomes noticeable.

Under outcome-based education if you want to fell another tree under different circumstances, you’re going to have to come to me and I’m going to have to teach you. You will be dependent upon me for everything that you learn. Now of course there’s going to be a few students who will learn by watching, and catch onto some of the techniques after a few trees, just as there are a few students who figure out some of the English phonetic code and some of the spelling and grammar rules on their own. But most students are not going to figure this out all on their own.

That is outcome-based education. You get good looking results. You get them faster, but they are shallow, they don’t last long, and what’s most important of all, outcome-based education creates students who are dependent upon the teacher for everything that they learn. Now why is that? Because they never master the basics. They only master the outcomes. Creativity is stifled because the student is never given the tools with which to create anything on his own.

Even though you had a successful outcome in that first scenario, you wouldn’t know just how many variables are involved in tree felling. Tree size, species, form, health, lean, terrain, wind: these and many more are all factors that come into play in felling, all of which you would be unable to account for.

Trivium-based Education

Now let’s compare this to the Trivium method of teaching. First, I’m going to teach you about wood fibre and grain, and tension and compression forces in wood. We might look at some basic biology of trees to see how they grow and the different layers that you will encounter in trunk wood. We will look at saw chain and how it works to cut wood. We will explore all of the different hardware and tools of the trade including different types of rope and their uses. We will learn all of our knots and look at all of the terminology, including tensile strength, working load limits, shock loading, barber chair, etc. All of this, and countless other elements, make up the Knowledge, or, Grammar Level.

Next, we are going to explore the concept of a hinge and why it works. We can then explore the basic types of face cuts and back cuts and when to use each. We will look at leverage and mechanical advantage systems, theory of using pull lines, pulling angles and tensions, wedging, etc, etc. We need to understand the ‘why’ of what we do, this is the Understanding or Logic level.

Finally, we can go out into the field and begin sizing up and evaluating trees and drop zones. We will learn how to set pull lines using throwballs and how to design mechanical advantage systems. We will learn how to handle a saw, how to aim a face, the techniques of cutting, how to prevent hang-ups, how to work on steep slopes, deal with strong winds, handle dead and decayed trees, etc. These physical abilities, the proper technique and expression of all that we have learned in the first two stages, this is the Wisdom or Rhetoric level. At this point, I could present to you that same, small dead Maple on the edge of a bush and you would know how to handle it.

Now as you can plainly see, using this Trivium method is going to take you much longer to master than if I had taught you by outcome-based education. But the long-term benefits are signifcantly different. Lets say that you want to fell a different tree. Well, you don’t need me anymore because you understand the basics. In fact, you can begin to work on your own, because you have mastered the fundamentals of tree felling, which liberate you from your teachers and allow you to adapt to a myriad of conditions and circumstances that you might face in the field. Ever wondered why Jerry Beranek’s classic book ‘The Fundamentals of General Tree Work’ is so thick? Or why it took Jeff Jepson over 150 pages to teach us how ‘To Fell A Tree’? It’s because these guys focused on a true, deeper form of education, not just an outcome-based form.

Going Deep

At the end of the day, I am not here to suggest that outcome-based education is completely useless. For myself, the editing and production of this site is an example of just that. To build this site, I did not have to learn about transistors and microprocessors, or delve into the history of HTML, or learn PHP, CSS, or Javascript. I am blessed to be able to use simple tools that allow me to just focus on the content. Could I build a fully customized, one-of-a-kind site from scratch? No, I couldn’t, but I don’t need to. Now, if website development was my career, then yes absolutely, I had better go deep with it. Likewise, if tree work is your career and your passion, then take the time to go deep. Dive in headfirst and don’t look back. Read everything you can get your hands on. Work with as many people as you can. Teach the up and coming climbers. Strive for excellence. But no matter how high you climb, make sure you remain grounded in the basics, the fundamentals. Never skip past the ‘why’ to get to the ‘how’. You remember this and you’ll do alright for yourself.

Climb high, Work smart, Read more.
– TreeMuggs

I am indebted to Harvey Bluedorn for his 1994 essay Outcome-based Education vs. Trivium-based Education

Further Reading on the Trivium:

The Lost Tools of Learning – Dorothy Sayers, 1947

The Trivium – Wikipedia

I would love to hear from you. Please send all comments/questions/hatemail to patrick@educatedclimber.com

To The Employee

June 27, 2016 By TreeMuggs 3 Comments

“It is easier to adjust ourselves to the hardships of a poor living than it is to adjust ourselves to the hardships of making a better one.”

Albert Gray, The Common Denominator of Success

The following is excerpted from Elbert Hubbard’s classic work “A Message To Garcia”, copyright 1914. This little gem helped me immensely during my apprenticeship, when I was at the mercy of an employer that I very frequently disagreed with. At the time I was extremely frustrated and unable to reconcile my present situation with my future goals. This short piece helped to provide some much-needed perspective which was to greatly assist in an attitude change that benefited myself as well as everyone around me. Ultimately, the experience shaped my career in this trade and my viewpoint on production tree work, and for that I am eternally grateful.

I can only hope that this helps others as much as it helped me.

_____________________________________________

Horse Sense

If you work for a man, in Heaven’s name work for him. If he pays wages that supply you your bread and butter, work for him, speak well of him, think well of him, and stand by him, and stand by the institution he represents. I think if I worked for a man, I would work for him. I would not work for him a part of his time, but all of his time. I would give an undivided service or none. If put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness. If you must vilify, condemn, and eternally disparage, why, resign your position, and when you are outside, damn to your heart’s content. But, I pray you, so long as you are a part of an institution, do not condemn it. Not that you will injure the institution – not that – but when you disparage the concern of which you are a part, you disparage yourself.

Elbert Hubbard

_____________________________________________

Climb High, Work Smart, Read More.
– TreeMuggs

I would love to hear from you. Please send all comments/questions/hatemail to patrick@educatedclimber.com

The “Proper” Use of a Clove Hitch

June 13, 2016 By TreeMuggs 66 Comments

source: www.prepare-and-protect.net

World’s Most Versatile Knot? Hmmmm………

At some point in modern history, and this is not just an arboriculture thing, the lowly clove hitch got a bump in notoriety that was, at least in my opinion, unduly deserved. Now, I know that what I am about to say is, at least at first, going to seem quite controversial, but I know if you stick with me, we can work through this together and hopefully come out on the other side of it a little better off. OK, so what am I talking about? Well, despite what we have been told by literally everybody, the fact is, that a clove hitch is NOT an endline knot. It never was. And I will make the argument that we should not be using it or teaching it for rigging purposes.

Heretic!

Now before we go any further, I just need to clarify that this is not a universal condemnation of the clove hitch. I love the clove hitch. I use it all the time. But it is not an endline knot. The clove hitch is a midline knot, and when utilized properly, there is none finer. The clove is meant to have pull from both ends, preferably equal pull. It was never meant to be used in an endline fashion. Anyone doing tree work for long enough has heard stories of a clove hitch rolling out. I myself have seen it multiple times and have heard many tales. So my question is this: why do we continue to use and teach this knot to the younger generation of arborists?

Two Half Hitches?

Now I know what you are thinking. Everyone already knows that the clove hitch can slip, that’s why it is always shown and referred to as a “clove hitch with two half hitches”. See, that is the part to me that is the most interesting and the most problematic: two half hitches. Not just a half hitch…two half hitches. What is that all about? So you are telling me that this supposedly great knot that pretty much everybody recommends for use in critical rigging scenarios, where knot failure could result in catastrophic property damage or grave injury to any member of the ground crew, requires not just one backup, but in fact, two? Really? I have to be honest here folks, if a knot requires two half hitches to secure it, then you are using the wrong knot! If you want a knot that will really hold, why not just tie 2 half hitches with 2 half hitches! That will hold anything! Seriously, why take the time to tie a clove hitch?

If You Don’t Know Knots, Tie Lots!

Tying half hitches should not be the basis of our ropework, especially in critical situations. We need to take more time to select the proper knot instead of using a poorly chosen knot and just throwing half hitches onto it to make sure that it will hold. Let’s be honest here, anybody and their brother can tie half hitches – “if you don’t know knots, tie lots!” We are supposed to be professionals. We are supposed to have a repertoire of highly specialized, bomber knots that just work – period. We shouldn’t be adding half-hitch backups to our knots and praying that they hold.

See, the problem with the clove hitch in an endline usage is that there is no change of direction, the rope just goes around and around again. Yes, this means that the load is spread out over a lot of rope, resulting in a very strong hitch. But who cares how strong it is, if it ends up rolling out? Rolling out occurs when a piece slams into the rigging. The shock load can literally rip the rope right off the piece, sending it hurling towards the ground in freefall and flinging the end of the rope up into the tree. This very thing has happened over and over again to people in this trade and yet we continue to use and teach this knot. Why is that? Again, I will fully admit that the clove is without a doubt the best midline hitch available. Easy to learn, easy and quick to tie, easy to inspect visually, easily adjusted, and the list goes on. It really, truly is a fantastic knot. But that doesn’t change the fact that it is a midline knot.

The fact that modern ropes are fairly slick also encourages rolling out. Old school manila and hemp ropes have so much more friction to help them grab onto posts and such. I believe this is one of the historical reasons for recommending the clove hitch for use in an endline fashion. A couple hundred years ago, all ropes had friction built into them because of their materials. If you tie a manila rope to a tree with an endline clove hitch, it really does hold quite well, even without the backups. Almost every source that you consult today for basic rope and knot skills, whether in print or online, will list the clove hitch as one of the most important and basic knots for beginners to learn, and most of these sources will show it used in an endline fashion. And, outside of tree work, I have no problem with that, honestly.

The truth is, if a beginner is planning a camping trip and they consult a knots book and learn how to tie a rope to a tree with a clove hitch, its going to work. Of course its going to work. But lets not confuse tying a rope to a tree at a campsite with tying a rope to a 150 lb log that we are rigging out of a huge Norway Maple over top of a deck and a carport. These two situations are not comparable. A poorly chosen knot can suffice in a non-critical situation because the consequences of it failing are trivial. The same cannot be said in mission-critical applications. Likewise, there are lots of knots that will hold in a light-duty application that are likely to fail under heavy load, especially when you throw shock-loading into the mix. This is what is meant by a bomber knot – “100% of the time, it works every time”.

Proper Uses for the Clove Hitch

So now that we have established where not to use the clove hitch, where is it appropriate? Remember, as previously stated, I really like the clove hitch and I use it all the time… as a midline knot. Here are some great uses for it:

sending tools aloft by tying midline to a climbing or rigging line
attaching to a carabiner to form the bridge in a traditional, closed climbing system (old-school)
tying on multiple branches to the rigging line (as an alternative to using loop runners, final branch tied on needs an endline knot)
making rope ladders, rope railings along a series of posts, etc.
countless non-critical applications

At the end of the day, I am simply suggesting that you think critically about your use of the clove hitch in rigging. While I never recommend it in my teaching, the clove hitch with two half hitches remains one of our trade’s most loved knots and will (usually) work just fine. I simply want people to put a little more thought into their choice of knots and to consider whether a knot which requires not just one backup but two is really the best choice for the situation. Again, do not use or avoid using something simply because someone else said so. You need to think for yourself, seek out your own understanding, and find your own truths.

Climb High, Work Smart, Read More.
-TreeMuggs

BONUS MATERIAL

Here are some things that others have said about the clove hitch:

“For some applications it is not considered a particularly secure knot, so it must be used with care.”
Jepson, Jeff. The Tree Climber’s Companion, 2nd Edition. Longville: Beaver Tree Publishing, 2000.

“The clove hitch can jam under heavy tension, making it difficult to untie. Worse, is its tendency to untie itself when subjected to repeated strain and release, such as a boat rocking in waves.”
www.atlanticmaritimeacademy.com

“As a hitch it should be used with caution because it can slip or come undone if the object it is tied to rotates or if constant pressure is not maintained on the line.”
www.netknots.com

“The clove hitch is not strong, and its tendency to slip or jam at innoportune moments means that it should never be used in any important or life-threatening applications….To be fair, the only situations in which the clove hitch is of any real use are those in which equal or near-equal loads are applied to either end of the cord in which it is tied – in any other situation, it will almost certainly come loose.”
Adamides, Andrew. Knots. London: Arcturus Publishing, 2008

“One point to note is that it’s best where there is tension on each of the parts. If only one end is under tension, the clove hitch can slip. If you’re using it in that situation, secure the free end with a half hitch or two around the standing part.”
Lee, R.S. All The Knots You Need. Ottawa: Algrove Publishing, 1999

“This is a very important knot of only theoretical value. Without extra support, it is untrustworthy in any situation, except as a crossing knot. You have to learn it for scouting and at sailing schools. If you have to use it, work it up properly; pull length-wise only at both ends before you load the working end.”
www.realknots.com

“It does have two giant faults: it slips and, paradoxically, can also bind. It should be deeply distrusted when used by itself…..It is not a knot to be used alone.”
www.animatedknots.com

Personal Responsibility, in Work as in Life

June 1, 2016 By TreeMuggs 4 Comments

Amateur Tree Trimming

source: www.salenalettera.com

“The confidence of amateurs is the envy of professionals”
G.J. Nathan

Safe and efficient production tree work requires an understanding of absolute personal responsibility for your actions and decisions. This is a maturity that few people in our society today are prepared to accept. When things go wrong it is just so easy to point fingers. Most of us do not like to be held accountable, and many of us purposely steer clear of assuming responsibility, especially in a group setting. One of the marks of a true professional is a willingness to assume responsibility, to make decisions and take action. Ultimately, somebody has to go up in the air and get the work done.

Taking absolute responsibility for your own actions shows everyone around you that you are a person of integrity. The people that you work with will quickly learn that they can trust you to be an asset on the jobsite, helping to keep yourself, and everyone else, safe and productive. As others recognize your trustworthiness, your value to the crew and the organization increases tremendously. Taking absolute responsibility for your actions truly sets you apart from the pack.

The Importance of Pacing

I have been in countless work situations, especially during my own apprenticeship, where the atmosphere was just rush, rush, rush, get this done as quickly as possible so that we can rush to the next job. Whether this is coming from other members of the crew, or the foreman, or the employer, the reality is that safety is usually the first thing to be compromised in the name of speed. Most mistakes and accidents that I have seen over the years have been caused by working too fast for the situation.

When you find yourself in these hurried settings, you need to stop cutting, breathe deeply, and realize that you are 100% responsible for your actions. If someone were to get hurt, it would do you no good to say “well, you know, the boss wanted me to be working that fast. The chipper was running the entire time, I couldn’t communicate with the guys on the ground, it was just a crazy environment. This is not all my fault”. The fact of the matter is, if your actions result in property damage or someone getting hurt, including yourself, then I can assure you, the responsibility rests squarely on your own shoulders. Beyond that, if someone ever did get seriously hurt or killed because of a bad judgement call on your part, how could you ever forgive yourself and move on with your life and your career?

I have no problem with working quickly and efficiently, but I do have a problem with sacrificing safety for production speed. Whether its taking pieces that are too big, raining material down faster than the ground crew can handle it, making decisions too quickly, or cutting and rigging at a frantic speed to keep the boss happy, the reality is that working too fast is more dangerous than working at a good steady pace.

I once heard someone say “Go big or go home” vs. “Go small and go home”. I have used this quote countless times at work, both in talking to other arborists and ground crew as well as in my own self-talk. Ultimately, our goal as professionals is safe and efficient production tree work, day in and day out. One of the keys to sustaining a long career in this trade is pacing. If we are planning on working tomorrow, then why are we killing ourselves today? If a job takes 5 hours instead of 4 because we purposely paced ourselves and worked both smart and safe, then we are all better off. Being pressured by the boss to get every single job done as quickly as possible is unfair and very often leads to poor decision making. There is a fine line between working efficiently and working too fast. The bottom line is this: the job takes as long as it takes.

Take Responsibility

So, how do you differentiate yourself as a professional arborist? Here are some guidelines for personal responsibility in tree work:

Never design a rigging system or make a cut that you are not prepared to take full responsibility for.
Never use any piece of rigging or climbing gear that you don’t trust with your life.
Never climb or rig any tree that you do not have a minimum degree of confidence in. Always listen to that little voice in the back of your mind and learn to trust your gut instincts.
Never work faster than the ground crew can keep up. We are all on the same team, we all have the same objective.

Never blame others when things do not go right, you can always:

Communicate better before cutting
Place your tie-in points, rigging points and redirects in better spots
Plan your sequence better through the tree
Tie your rigging more intelligently
Cut better or take smaller pieces
Avoid rigging big until you have mastered rigging small

Take responsibility for your actions. When you are the one in the air doing the cutting, there will always be factors out of your control, but overall if something goes wrong, 99 times out of 100, it is your fault. Work at a pace that you know is safe, and work as a team with the entire crew on the same page. Personal responsibility is one of the cornerstones of being a true professional, in work as in life.

Climb High, Work Smart, Read More.
– TreeMuggs

Continue Reading: Gear Obsession

I would love to hear from you. Please send all comments/questions/hatemail to patrick@educatedclimber.com