Understanding and Teaching: Who may teach Ada?

[Georg Bauhaus <sb463ba@d2-hrz.uni-duisburg.de>]

Robert I. Eachus <rieachus@attbi.com> wrote:
: John R. Strohm wrote:
: 

:> The fundamental test of whether one really understands
:> the topic is whether one CAN prepare a "freshman lecture" (or a "man in the
:> street" book or article) on it.

In a better world, this phrase should be put in a frame,
and teachers should not be employed if they fail.
Maybe the test should be more flexible, offering a choice
of audience, but only for the test.
Do you think that Feynman might have succeeded in teaching
"real" average Freshman, had he been under more pressure?

: Your point is well taken, but the Feyman lectures are a bad example. 
: Yes, they are readable and understandable, and anyone with a PhD in 
: Physics who hasn't read them should remedy that mistake.
: 
: But when Feynman originally gave the course, the Freshman were soon 
: outnumbered ...

(The same arguments might apply to teaching Ada, or programming.)