Teach What You Learn - Study Tip #9
Explaining concepts to others forces you to organize your thoughts, spot gaps in your knowledge, and reinforce understanding.
One of the most underrated ways to study is teaching. Not because you need to stand in front of a class, but because the act of explaining something forces your brain to engage with the material differently.
Suddenly, it’s not just about remembering facts. It’s about organizing your thoughts, identifying gaps, and creating clarity.
One of my reasons for writing online was to learn how to explain some actuarial concepts. Also, writing about them made them stick in my head, and I can remember them more easily.
Let’s break down why teaching works and how you can do it!
👨🏫 Why Teaching Works?
When you try to teach something, you quickly notice where your understanding is solid… and where it falls apart. Maybe you realize, “Wait, I don’t know why this formula works — I’ve just been memorizing it.” That’s the moment real learning begins.
Teaching transforms you from a passive consumer of information into an active processor. It forces you to simplify complex ideas and break them into steps. And the more clearly you can explain something, the more deeply you understand it.
🧠 You Don’t Need an Audience
You don’t need a study group or a classroom to use this method. Try one of these instead:
Teach an imaginary student
Talk out loud as if someone’s listening. It might feel weird at first, but it works.
Write a short blog post
Summarize a concept in your own words and publish it (or just keep it private).
Use the Feynman Technique
Choose a topic, explain it simply, find gaps, and refine.
If you’re studying for exams, teaching can even feel like a test rehearsal — but without the stress.
✍️ Keep It Short and Frequent
Don't aim to teach everything at once. Pick one idea, one concept, one formula.
Explain it in 2–3 minutes.
You’ll be amazed how much this habit can boost your confidence and clarity.
Why Teaching Just Might Be The Best Tool For Learning - https://www.leonardoenglish.com/blog/why-teaching-is-the-best-tool-for-learning
Learning by teaching others is extremely effective - https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/learning-teaching-others-extremely-effective