I have hunting dogs. I want them to hunt. But I don't want them to hunt everything in sight from the squirrel up the tree to the tennis ball stuck under the couch. I want them to hunt birds, and I want them to do it by "pointing". So how do I get them there? The very first thing they must understand is that birds, but specifically game birds are the target. Once they understand what there target is they then need to see many, many birds until they truly understand what they must. At least with students we speak the same language. Students must first understand what I am asking of them, I must articulate what I want them to "hunt." They need to understand how close or how far off they are from their target so their practice becomes meaningful. The practice allows student's new knowledge or skill to be truly learned because it is being used. Without that use, it can't be learned for that is when it becomes a skill. Without practice, without use my dogs find birds but they would not be able to do everything else involved with the hunt; point, wait, flush, fetch!