The more you teach a subject, the better you grasp it. The more you grasp it, the better you become at teaching. What’s less obvious, though, is how to do both effectively.

study, teach, identify gaps and simplify

Step 1: Study the Subject

part of the original Feynman Technique is not just to mindlessly jot down facts. The idea is to break down and categorise what we learn. That’ll help us structure our studying and prioritise some aspects over others.

Limit the initial scope of what you intend to learn (and teach). Prioritise the most important aspects and break down the domains into a curriculum of some sort, with modules and lessons.

Set learning objectives for each module and lesson. After each session, what is the student supposed to know they didn’t know before?

Step 2: Teach the Subject

Consider who you’re teaching. How motivated are they, what do they already know and how much simplification is appropriate?

Step 3: Identify Knowledge Gaps

Distinguish between knowledge gaps in terms of the subjects as well as your teaching.

Don’t underestimate your unconscious incompetence, the unknown unknowns when it comes to knowledge discovery.

Step 4: Simplify Further

overall, your goal is to unclutter your mind and simplify a subject so you can make it as easy to understand as possible.

It forces us to not only take responsibility for our own learning but also for that of others. Having this kind of skin in the game forces us to truly understand a topic in its simplest terms.