Forgetting what we read and learn is a common problem. Lack of understanding plays a significant role in this. Often I also face this problem. I study some topic in the morning to teach my kid and by the time he is back from school, half of the content is washed away from my brain. To solve this problem, I decided to Google and believe me what I found was amazing and worth trying.
I came across a Mental Model called Feynman Technique named after Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winning Physicist. He won Nobel Prize in 1965 for his work on Quantum Electrodynamics. Along with Scientist, he was a great teacher, a great explainer. Infact, the nickname given to him was the " Great Explainer". He put incredibly difficult concepts into so easy language which other people could understand.
Feynman says that if you want to understand a concept well, explain it. Most effective way of understanding a concept is to teach someone else what you want to learn. Explaining a concept works to improve your knowledge of concept. This Feynman technique is a specialised technique designed to help us learn anything and study more efficiently with good understanding of the concepts. It works for all the fields be it computer, maths, astronomy, physics, chemistry, psychology etc. The basic idea of this technique is " YOU MUST NOT FOOL YOURSELF AND YOU ARE THE EASIEST PERSON TO FOOL. "
Feynman explained his technique in four easy steps:
1. WRITE DOWN THE CONCEPT AT THE TOP
Take a piece of paper and write down the title at the top. Write down everything you know about the topic on a page and add to that page everything you learn something new about it.
2. EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT
Explain the concept in simple plain english as if you are teaching someone else. Work through examples and see if you are able to explain them relevantly.
3. IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS
Identify problem areas then go back to the source of review or source material and try to understand these areas as solid as you understand the other areas. The gaps in your knowledge should be obvious. Revisit problem areas until you can explain topic fully.
4. PINPOINT COMPLICATED TERMS AND SIMPLIFY
Finally, look at your explaination and pinpoint complicated terms and challenge yourself to simplify them in easy to understand words.
Using this technique is very helpful as:
1. It quickly overviews the concept and tells you where your knowledge is solid.
2. Instantly pinpoint the areas where you are shaky.
Remember, the key here is simplicity. How can i explain to a kid as the kid will ask "why, why does that work?" Explaining to someone who doesnot have the base knowledge as you have is your ultimate test of understanding a concept. If you are unable to explain in simple terms, it simply means that we donot understand it.
After these four steps, you will be able to understand the concept more deeply and retention of knowledge would be much better.
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| Richard Feynman |
I came across a Mental Model called Feynman Technique named after Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winning Physicist. He won Nobel Prize in 1965 for his work on Quantum Electrodynamics. Along with Scientist, he was a great teacher, a great explainer. Infact, the nickname given to him was the " Great Explainer". He put incredibly difficult concepts into so easy language which other people could understand.
Feynman says that if you want to understand a concept well, explain it. Most effective way of understanding a concept is to teach someone else what you want to learn. Explaining a concept works to improve your knowledge of concept. This Feynman technique is a specialised technique designed to help us learn anything and study more efficiently with good understanding of the concepts. It works for all the fields be it computer, maths, astronomy, physics, chemistry, psychology etc. The basic idea of this technique is " YOU MUST NOT FOOL YOURSELF AND YOU ARE THE EASIEST PERSON TO FOOL. "
Feynman explained his technique in four easy steps:
1. WRITE DOWN THE CONCEPT AT THE TOP
Take a piece of paper and write down the title at the top. Write down everything you know about the topic on a page and add to that page everything you learn something new about it.
2. EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT
Explain the concept in simple plain english as if you are teaching someone else. Work through examples and see if you are able to explain them relevantly.
3. IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS
Identify problem areas then go back to the source of review or source material and try to understand these areas as solid as you understand the other areas. The gaps in your knowledge should be obvious. Revisit problem areas until you can explain topic fully.
4. PINPOINT COMPLICATED TERMS AND SIMPLIFY
Finally, look at your explaination and pinpoint complicated terms and challenge yourself to simplify them in easy to understand words.
Using this technique is very helpful as:
1. It quickly overviews the concept and tells you where your knowledge is solid.
2. Instantly pinpoint the areas where you are shaky.
Remember, the key here is simplicity. How can i explain to a kid as the kid will ask "why, why does that work?" Explaining to someone who doesnot have the base knowledge as you have is your ultimate test of understanding a concept. If you are unable to explain in simple terms, it simply means that we donot understand it.
After these four steps, you will be able to understand the concept more deeply and retention of knowledge would be much better.
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