Encoding — Learning How To Learn

Brooklyn

October 14, 2023

I have likely written about this topic previously -- learning how to learn.

Way too late in life it occurred to me that we don't explicitly teach our kids how to learn. I liken it to giving a kid a baseball bat and saying "get out there and hit the ball" without any instruction about stance, how to hold the bat, triggering, swinging from the inside, using your legs and glutes, etc.

Turns out there are several experts on YouTube who offer useful videos on the topic (including ways that are proven not to be useful). They are geared mostly toward high school and the transition to college although some are specific to graduate school. They are a tremendous resource. I still believe that fundamental to this process is Carol Dweck's book "Growth Mindset." Kids to need to understand that learning is not a linear process and it is ok to struggle. We learn much more from our failures and struggles than we do from our easy successes.