How to Kill Impostor Syndrome. Finally.
Knowing just enough is an advantage. As long as you continue to keep learning.
No one doubted he was a genius but he couldn’t teach. His first class on thermodynamics had only three students. They were his friends. They didn’t make it. His class the next year had only one student sign up. The class was cancelled rather than subject the poor soul through weeks of meandering theory barely related to the class subject matter.
He was turned down for a professorship because the Dean was concerned about his poor teaching skills. His friend stepped in and vouched for him but admitted he didn’t talk too well or explain himself.
These are not the qualities you need for a good teacher. But no worries, Einstein went on to a stellar career. He just never won any teacher of the year awards.
Studies show that the best teachers - especially for beginners - are those teachers that are a ‘lesson ahead’ of the students. The best teachers will put you - the student - on the path to knowledge. We learn the basics. An expert hasn’t seen the beginner’s path in years. The basics may have changed. An expert has ingrained the simple, basic principles, and tasks, and isn’t consciously aware of them.
You want to learn? Learn from the teaching assistant.
Why?
The curse of knowledge: Experts can be like the grumpy old man sitting on the front porch remembering how things were in ‘his day’. In likelihood, ‘his day’ was nothing like his memory. Memories have a way of changing and shifting to fit how we wish things were instead of how they actually were. Experts trying to teach may be too far removed from their beginner days to recall or relate the basics effectively. It’s a generational gap of knowledge but instead of a separation of years it’s a separation of books read, papers written, lectures attended. I can easily explain one concept. It’s harder to explain a lifetime of knowledge. Peers who have recently gone through the training are much more effective at teaching than experts.
Peers can be excellent teachers: Peers make excellent teachers because they have firsthand knowledge and experience that they can share. It’s fresh in their minds. They can relate to beginning struggles because they just went through the same struggles themselves. This makes them more patient. Their knowledge is on-topic and pertinent. It makes them more understandable. They are willing to share what they know and also to learn themselves in the process. An expert rarely believes they have anything to learn from their students. It’s not a two-way street.
Learn with the understanding you’re going to teach: The best way to learn is to teach. But first you have to learn. Students that approach a subject with the understanding that they will pass on their knowledge in class, or to friends, or to family learn more thoroughly.
Experts think differently: Experts analyze from their ‘data set’. They have years of study and experience and knowledge that can be called upon to solve a problem. Beginners are limited in their learning and experience. Think of it as the whole of the internet of knowledge vs. a single web site. The expert has a vast store of knowledge to call upon but may not be able to communicate it simply because it’s too much. The beginner has one set of specific facts that can be applied. It’s easier to explain. It’s one skill set to pass on.
Impostor Syndrome is a feeling of unworthiness or incompetence despite having put in the work and study to get better. We don’t believe we have enough experience to pass on to others. It often plagues ‘content creators’. But we know enough.
You may not be an expert but you know enough. In fact, you are better suited to teach than the experts. The trick is to teach or communicate as you learn. Stay one lesson ahead of your students.
Keep educating yourself and as your knowledge grows your classes will become more advanced. It’s the natural progress.
Take heart in the fact that students learning from ‘peers’ learn and comprehend the material better. They exhibit better understanding of the lessons and score higher on tests. They also continue their education farther when the basics were taught to them by ‘peers’ and not experts.
To learn more of these principles and how to reach your max potential, check out the new Adam Grant book; Hidden Potential. You can find it here in my Books to Make You Smarter List. Support your independent bookstores.
Think About It…
Heard of the ‘Golden 13’?
February 16, 1944, the U.S. Navy sent 16 African-American men to a training school in the Great Lakes. They had been selected to become the first African-American officers in the U.S. Navy. It was war time but that didn’t lessen the built-in racism and expectations of the Navy. These 16 men were being asked to complete the full training course in half the normal time. Most of the traditional Navy brass didn’t think it could be done.
Normal officer candidate classes had a 25% drop out rate.
The men were being asked to learn and pass courses in navigation, seamanship, gunnery, law, naval regulations, aircraft recognition, flag signaling, Morse code, and survival school. And they still had advanced physical training on a daily basis.
Over the next ten weeks the men thrived. All 16 passed. Their average GPA was 3.89 out of 4. The Navy didn’t believe it. Said they cheated. Made them take the tests again.
They scored higher.
All 16 men passed and graduated from the school. Thirteen of them went on to become the first African-American officer to serve in the U.S. Navy. The Golden 13.
How? Well, the men had a secret weapon. They worked together, as a team. Each man took a course to learn and to instruct the others. Each night, each man studied, and learned a new course and then taught the others. It was peer learning. They knew the others relied upon them to teach the skills and knowledge needed to pass the classes and excel.
They learned with the understanding that they would be teaching.
Each night in their barracks, they covered their windows with blankets blocking the lights and studied, and learned, and taught. None were experts on any of the courses when they began. They all learned. It was beginner teaching beginner.
They all aced their courses.
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.
- Benjamin Franklin
Do It…
I’m watching: Murder at the End of the World. It’s a little Lisbeth Salander and a little Agatha Christie. Also can’t wait for the Philly/Chiefs Monday night football game.
I’m reading: Win. This is just a fun book. Quick weekend read. Gotta have some down time.
I’m making: Chatbots. Or should I say chat bundles. It’s easy and they’re fun. It’s PKM at it’s most innovative.
Have a great weekend.
If you want to check out some great reading list and see which books have influenced, surprised, educated, and entertained me check out my book shop here. The lists grow monthly and I don’t recommend any books I haven’t personally read. Thanks for the read.