It seems like the kind of thing that someone could learn, but I don't know if it could be taught; that is, perhaps one can learn if they have a capacity for it. I don't know. Have you ever had a student that you felt was unteachable?
I've had guests to my class to teach "improv comedy" -- with the goal of helping students learn to think on their feet. Can they be taught to be funny? Maybe, yes, with time and practice and exposure to elements of humour, and their own motivation, it might be possible to teach an unfunny person to be funny. Regarding an unteachable student: yes, of course. They are unteachable if they do not want what you are giving them. If there is no trust and no respect and no interest, it would be very very hard to "teach" anything. Even so, I'd like to think that maybe I taught something to the kids in the young offenders prison where I once worked. Nah, probably not.
For me, there is a difference between teaching and learning. Namely, one is in control of what they teach, but not what is learned. So, it's likely that the young offenders learned something from you, even if they did not learn from what was taught, you know? I know that some will accuse me of splitting hairs, but I think the difference is actually quite pronounced.Even so, I'd like to think that maybe I taught something to the kids in the young offenders prison where I once worked. Nah, probably not.
I absolutely agree. In fact, I often put this question on the writing part of a final exam: What are three things you learned from this course? Note: what you learned does not need to be on the curriculum. (There is more to the question in which they can explain how their previous training or experience resulted in them learning nothing.) The things they learned that were not on the curriculum have been very interesting.