• Author Jay Papasan suggests teaching what you want to learn to improve retention.
• Papasan’s book, “The ONE Thing,” delves into the concept of learning through teaching.
• He uses an amusing metaphor of teaching an orangutan for emphasis.
• Research supports Papasan’s theory, indicating that teaching others aids in personal learning.
The One Thing: Unconventional Guru Advice or Pure Genius?
Learning by Teaching, As Suggested by Jay Papasan
Papasan turns the traditional learning model on its head by suggesting that to truly get a grip on a new concept, one should aim to teach it. Papasan, possibly while swinging from a metaphorical tree, suggests teaching an orangutan, primarily because of their lack of prior knowledge and their impressive capacity for distraction (eat your heart out, millennials).
Tapping into the Primate Brain
In an attempt to provide a gripping visual (and possibly a touch of comedic relief), Papasan uses the orangutan as a stand-in for any learning novice. Just think about it, if you can explain complex real estate terms to a furry creature who’d rather be peeling bananas, you’re probably on the right path to become a real estate guru yourself.
Brilliance Buried in Bananas
It looks like Papasan might be onto something. According to a research, when you prepare to teach, you might approach learning differently and recall the information more effectively later. So, get that whiteboard and marker ready to explain just what APR and ROI means to your furry friend.
And now, my “hot take”: I must say, it’s not every day you see an author incorporating primates into a learning model. But, Papasan’s orangutan analogy really swings home the simplest of truths – learning is best done when you have to explain it to someone (or something) else. Despite the jest-filled casing, this lasting insight from “The ONE Thing” proves incredibly vital. If we’re real about teaching a furry primate (or just our fellow humanoid friends), we’ll undoubtedly end up absorbing more than just the banana-scented ambiance of the room. So, give me a marker, a whiteboard, and a patient orangutan… I’ve got some real estate jargon to teach! Just remember, folks, teaching and learning – they’re just two sides of the same banana.
Original article: https://www.inman.com/2024/02/07/teach-to-learn-and-take-advantage-of-the-orangutan-effect/
