Foundational Learning
The ability to learn anything.
If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. — Einstein.
Recently I gave a presentation on personal finance. Shortly after the presentation the host company asked for feedback from all the speakers. Another speaker sent a reply all with feedback. Her feedback; her subject, credit scores, couldn’t be taught in a one hour session. Which is funny because that is the exact feedback I gave when I first started speaking at the company. However three years later my tune has changed.
Why? I understand the subject better and in turn have become better at teaching it. I have also become more efficient at learning. Think for a second that you are learning a new subject. If you only had a single session to get an understanding of the subject would you want the teacher to jam as many details on the subject into that session as possible? To touch each nuance on the subject to maximize the short time you have? No you wouldn’t, and that is because it would be a waste of time.
Teach the pillars.
Instead to teach or learn a new subject it’s best to use foundational learning as a technique. This is the approach of introducing the main building blocks of knowledge needed to understand the subject. And nothing else.
For example, if I had to give a 60 minute lecture on house flipping I’d break the presentation down into three x twenty minute parts.
- The art of purchasing.
- The art of renovating.
- The art of selling.
Few would argue those aren’t the three essenation blocks of house flipping. Now inside of those three pillars of house flipping are many sub pillars. Sub pillars rarely should make it into a one time learning session. If they are that important to the subject then they are a main pillars. This gives the attendees the opportunity to leave the lecture with a broad understanding of the subject. The most important parts and the ability to dive deeper as needed for themselves.
Drowning in the details.
Nothing will scare off a new swimmer like diving right into a nice dark bed of weeds. A new runner will be tempted to learn about all the gear, gadgets. variable heart rate training, glute activation, and altitude training. But they’d be better off learning basic form and basic training plans. Then just running.
There are two men in the performance industry who teach what they call ‘Peak Performance.’ The basic equation to their teaching is ; STRESS + REST = GROWTH.
Simple, easy to understand, and easy to follow. I’ve read their book and listened to them on a few podcasts and I feel confident reteaching their work. Basically without the stress and rest an individual will be hard pressed to find long term improvement in any field.
Stress being the hard work most people assign to improvement. For a weight lifter this is the bench press reps and other exercising done to achieve muscle strength. Without the act of lifting weight (the stress) the lifter will not see improvement.
Add the rest. The rest is focused time the individual spends away from stress that compliments the stress. Practicing good sleep, nutrition, and healthy relationships one can rest hard and help the stress lead to results.
Combine for growth. Lifting weights 24/7 is impossible and it would never give muscle the time to repair that they need to grow. It’s those who master their personal amount of stress and rest that will achieve the best results. Too much stress? Burn out, physical injury, and sickness are likely. Too much rest? Loss of focus, interest, and fitness. Tip the scale too heavy in either direction and one will not achieve peak performance. Nail the balance and enjoy the results.
Homework
Foundational learning will save the learner from having to listen to the teacher for and save the teacher from having to talk so much! Win win.
By sending a learner home with homework retaining to the main principles you can maximize time spent teaching the foundation. Back to our previous example an eager house flipper may spend a day at the library learning about kitchen renovations. Important to an actual house flip? You bet. Important to learning the fundamentals of flipping? Not at all.
To the credit score teacher I’d encourage her to shorten these types of first timer one timer presentations and simplify. This one could be fun like this:
Debt — Partner or enemy?
Interest — Partner or enemy?
Paying it back — Partner or enemy?
Tell me
— what class are you teaching or taking? What is the subject and what the main pillars? Leave a comment it would be great to see what we’re learning and teaching.
