Those who can't, teach!

I must have heard that phrase over a thousand times. There is something snotty about it that resonates with you. But more than anything, I can't stop thinking about how incorrect this is.

At some point you had to learn something. It doesn't matter what the subject is, you had to learn it from someone.

Some role model or figure at some point showed you how to ride your bike. Does this mean that they didn't know how to ride a bike?

Of course, I understand the what the phrase really means. It is trying to say, those that are really good at something, are doing that something instead of teaching it. Well, I think this is wrong.

This week I started my last semester in college. It's been a long ride with changing majors and the Computer Science program at my school being impacted and not getting all of the classes I needed.

Through the years, I've had an amazing opportunity to learn from schoolmates and professors that have specialties in many areas, one of which being one my area of focus, Cyber Security. 

 Oh Cyber Security. I love the field and hate the name because its so overloaded.

I love it because it allows me to re-live my childhood and break things -- in the name of science, of course. Doesn't that sound fun? I'm referring to blue teaming and red teaming, the ultimate puzzle for any Computer Science major. You can always learn something in these Capture The Flag Competitions, and you don't even have to specialize in Security.

I've decided to take it on my own to teach a Red-Blue teaming class. I've found a group of students who are interested in the subject and want to continue.

Well, doesn't your school have a cyber course?

Of course it does. A pretty good one at that. They've been vetted by both NSA and DHS.

The Center received National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Information Assurance Education designation that is jointly sponsored by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2007.

But it's all theory. This is not to talk down the professors or the curriculum . It does not make sense to teach tools as they always change while the core concept is always static.

In my one day per week 1 hour discussion/lab with these students, I will cover tools and methods that I utilize in my everyday pen-testing.

So, I would like to strongly disagree with the phrase, "Those who can't, teach" and say, "Those who want to learn more, teach!"

It hasn't even been full week yet and I've learned so much that I had to write this short post. All this new information was in research to present to these students. Not to mention all the things I'm looking forward to learn from them.

I will eventually open source my material so others can benefit.

Til then

- Joubin February 3, 2014


January 10 2014