So, I'm learning about learning today. Of course, my goal is to be a college professor someday, but unfortunately in graduate school, they don't really teach you how to be a teacher. So, I've started to learn a bit on my own by reading a book called "How People Learn" put out by the NRC (National Research Council) back in 1999.
I'll just share something quick I learned today. Everyone has preconceived notions about a wide range of topics: some of them are correct and some of them are incorrect. But they are all based on previous knowledge and experience. There was a children's book written in 1970 by Leo Lionni called "Fish is Fish", which illustrates this principle clearly as a small tadpole becomes a frog and reports back to his friend, the fish, what life on land is like. If you have the time, watch this short 5-minute video which reads the story with some animations taken from the illustrations from the book itself.
When you teach, you need to realize not everyone has the same background, upbringing, and personal experience. Providing an atmosphere that allows the student to discover the truth from themselves is one of the keys to successful teaching. Hopefully, when I have my own classes someday, I can provide a wonderful atmosphere for learning and students can internalize and remember what is taught (not just for the test at the end of the semester, but for life).
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