Teaching someone else is the best way to learn deeply and expand your personal growth. Discover the benefits of "Learning by Teaching" and how to start.
We know that there are benefits to growth and development when we have a coach or mentor to share their expertise and guidance with us. But did you know that being a coach, mentor or teacher can help you learn and expand more than your mentees or students?
You don't have to be an expert to share your knowledge and experience. Ultimately, we are all in different stages of learning in life, so there will always be someone who will benefit from our current level of knowledge and experience.
Finding opportunities for "learning by teaching" is a powerful way to expand your personal learning and development.
Yet the idea of taking time to coach, mentor and teach others is often met with resistance. Many people feel that they already have enough on their plate and don't have time to share with others.
Then there are those who feel that sharing their expertise would be a disadvantage to them as they are giving away their hard-earned knowledge and secrets to success.
The truth is, the more we teach and share, the more we grow and develop our skills across many areas of our lives from cognitive acuity to communication skills, leadership skills and even our sense of self-worth and fulfillment.
What is "Learning by Teaching"?
"Learning by Teaching" or the protégé effect is a teaching method that Jean-Pol Martin defined in the early 1980s and was made popular by German education systems in the late 1980s. The method became widely used in Germany in secondary education, and in the 1990s it was further formalized and used in universities.
The Learning by Teaching method suggests that we can enhance our understanding of a subject by explaining and teaching it to others. The process of teaching requires a deep understanding of the material, as the teacher must be able to answer questions, clarify concepts, and explain ideas.
Benefits of Learning by Teaching
When we engage in teaching others, we gain a deeper understanding and broaden our personal development in the process.
There is a psychological chain effect when we learn with the intent to teach others.
Activates metacognition which is intentional thinking about how you think and learn.
Increases motivation to learn and to make a greater effort to learn.
Increases critical thinking and organizational skills in order to plan and execute the transfer of information effectively.
Increases a sense of competence and autonomy by taking the active role of teaching others.
Additional benefits from the "Learning by Teaching" process include the following.
1. Enhanced communication skills.
Teaching requires effective communication skills, including articulation, active listening, and adaptability. By continuously practicing these skills, we improve our ability to express ideas clearly, respond to questions, and adapt our explanations to different audiences. These enhanced communication skills can benefit various areas of life.
2. Enhances leadership skills.
When we teach we take on a leadership role. We learn how to guide, motivate, and inspire others toward their goals. This experience develops our leadership skills, including effective communication, active listening, empathy, and the ability to provide constructive feedback. These skills are valuable not only in coaching or mentoring relationships but also in various professional and personal contexts.
3. Identifying misconceptions.
Teaching can reveal misconceptions or gaps in our own understanding. When someone asks questions or challenges our explanations, it prompts us to critically evaluate our knowledge and clarify any misconceptions.
4. Promotes self-reflection and growth.
Teaching involves reflecting on your own experiences, challenges, and successes. By sharing our insights and lessons learned, we gain a deeper understanding of our own journey. This self-reflection allows you to identify personal strengths and areas for improvement, fostering personal growth and self-awareness.
5. Expands networks and connections.
Teaching, coaching or mentoring connects us with individuals who seek our guidance. This expands our network and allows us to build meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals, professionals, or aspiring learners. These connections can provide opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and future professional or personal growth.
Finding Learning by Teaching Opportunities
There are daily opportunities for us to teach, coach and mentor. We often miss these opportunities opting to busily complete our daily tasks. Moreover, we often assume that people already know what we know and don't want help or advice.
Even if we teach and share with one other person, we can benefit from the Learning by Teaching method. We just need to reach out to possible "students" who can help us practice teaching, coaching and mentoring.
The act of teaching can take various forms, such as tutoring, leading project groups, presenting information to a class, writing instructional materials, or even explaining concepts to a friend or colleague. Regardless of the format, the key is to actively engage in the process of sharing knowledge.
Here are some ways to implement Learning by Teaching as a part of our growth and development.
1. Learn with the intent to teach.
We can learn with the intent of presenting and teaching. Framing our own learning perspective impacts how we go about learning information and skills. When we learn with the intent to teach someone else, we learn more broadly and deeply in order to be able to teach.
2. Role-play and practice teaching.
The act of teaching information or skills physically gives us the mental experience regardless of having a real audience or not. Speaking the content out loud and going through the physical motions creates pathways in our brain of actually having done it. The more we teach in role-play and practice, the more natural it will feel when we are ready to do it in real life.
3. As for volunteer students.
There are likely many people in our network who would welcome the opportunity to learn from us. We don't know if we don't ask. Asking people for their time and attention needs to come from a place of humility and gratitude. When we ask for help to improve our ability to help others, chances are people will say yes.
Making a Contribution Through Our Growth and Development
"The heart of education is education of the heart."
- Dalai Lama
Teaching, coaching or mentoring allows us to leave a positive impact by sharing our knowledge, experiences, and wisdom to help others. The positive impact we can make in others' lives can be a powerful motivator, boosting your sense of purpose and accomplishment.
When sharing and teaching is done with generosity and kindness, it empowers both the teacher and the learner. With so many benefits to the Learning by Teaching method, how will you start to share the knowledge in your heart?
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