The only class I've ever failed was a c++ class where the instructor was so terrible at explaining the tasks that I literally could not figure out what he wanted.
I had to retake it with the same instructor but by some luck I was able to take it online, where I would spend the majority of the time trying to decipher what he was asking me to do.
Ultimately I found that the actual ask was being given as a 3 second aside in a 50 minute lecture. Once I figured out his quirk I was able to isolate the ask and code it up, ended with an A+ in the class on the second take.
I would like to say that I learned a lot about programming from that teacher, but what I actually learned is what you're saying.
Smart, educated, capable people are broken when it comes to clearly communicating their needs to other people just slightly outside of their domain. If you can learn the skill of figuring out what the hell they're asking for and delivering that, that one skill will be more valuable to you in your career than competency itself.
I had to retake it with the same instructor but by some luck I was able to take it online, where I would spend the majority of the time trying to decipher what he was asking me to do.
Ultimately I found that the actual ask was being given as a 3 second aside in a 50 minute lecture. Once I figured out his quirk I was able to isolate the ask and code it up, ended with an A+ in the class on the second take.
I would like to say that I learned a lot about programming from that teacher, but what I actually learned is what you're saying.
Smart, educated, capable people are broken when it comes to clearly communicating their needs to other people just slightly outside of their domain. If you can learn the skill of figuring out what the hell they're asking for and delivering that, that one skill will be more valuable to you in your career than competency itself.