Feynman Teaching Method

The Feynman Learning Method is a powerful technique for deeply understanding concepts by teaching them to others and identifying knowledge gaps in the process.

Core Concept

• Teaching a concept is the best way to truly understand it
• You can't fully grasp something until you can teach it to others
• Forces you to clarify and structure your knowledge

Implementation Methods

• Write blog posts explaining the concept
• Lead study groups or teach others directly
• Create summaries and explanations
• Develop metaphors or one-sentence summaries
• Document and organize your learnings

Benefits vs Traditional Learning

• Requires half the study time compared to passive reading
• Quickly identifies gaps in understanding
• Forces active engagement with material
• More effective than re-reading or note-taking alone
• Helps retain information longer

Why It Works

• Forces articulation of concepts out loud
• Identifies areas where understanding is weak
• Creates active vs passive learning environment
• Requires restructuring information in your own words
• Combines multiple learning modalities (speaking, thinking, organizing)

Real World Example (Shaan's College Experience)

• Would skim material quickly first
• Led study groups to teach concepts
• Started as a "horrible teacher" in first hour
• Identified and filled knowledge gaps through teaching
• Required half the study time of peers who just re-read materials
• Achieved better grades with less total study time

Common Mistakes in Learning

• Just ingesting information passively
• Re-reading without articulation
• Not attempting to explain to others
• Trying to memorize without understanding
• Never testing knowledge through teaching