How To Learn More Through Teaching — Feynman Learning Technique

Physics Mentoring Project

The Feynman Technique is a powerful learning method named after Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, who was renowned not only for his groundbreaking work in quantum electrodynamics but also for his exceptional ability to explain complex scientific concepts in simple, accessible terms. This earned him the nickname “The Great Explainer.”

Skimming a book or cramming for a test isn’t real learning. You’ve truly learned something when you can explain it clearly and use it in different situations. That’s what makes the Feynman Technique so powerful — it transforms random facts into knowledge you can actually use.

When you genuinely learn something, you give yourself a tool to use for the rest of your life. The more you know, the fewer surprises you will encounter because most new things will connect to something you already understand.

The point of learning is to understand the world. Most of us don’t bother to deliberately learn anything. We memorize what we need to as we move through school, then forget most of it. As we continue through life, we don’t extrapolate from our experiences to broaden the applicability of our knowledge. Life catches us unprepared time and again.

To avoid the pain of being bewildered by the unexpected, the Feynman Technique…