₿HS012: Teaching The Art of Learning

SHOW TOPIC:

Josh Waitzkin brings the proof-of-work when it comes to deep learning and flow.  His techniques about learning to learn can be applied anything.  In this episode, Tali and Scott apply them to homeschooling.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why “life history” resources, namely biographies and autobiographies, make such great learning tools
• Josh Waitzkin, the author of “The Art of Learning” describes concepts that can make us as parents better teachers
• The techniques he describes can be used by anyone, any age
• Because humans relate to things emotionally, reading a living book is the best to get kids interested 
• Waitzkin strategically thinks about the long term goal (although he does not use the word’s “low time preference”)
• Waitzkin epitomizes anit-fragile
• He also goes into great depth about reaching “flow”
• Immediate feedback is key to flow and key to learning
• These learning lessons can be applied to anything
• You can never out success the strength of your character
• Waitzkin is a master of seeing the world from his opponents’ point of view
• Constant feedback = adaptive learning
• Being able to stay in flow when bad things happen is more than understanding your opponents, you really have to understand yourself
• “Staying soft” emphasizes the importance of finding a state of relaxed concentration, where one can perform at their best in the face of stress
• “Investing in loss” = seeking out learning from all setbacks and other forms of feedback
• Teachers, like coaches, need to understand the natural inclinations of their students
• Balance of encouragement and correction is a fine line to walk
• Importance of always keeping a beginner’s mind
• That sense of anti-fragility cannot happen if kids are always winning and not dealing with adversity (back to investment in loss)
• Visualization is powerful skill to teach kids
• Another ant-fragile habit to teach kids is to keep a learning journal
• Don’t trust.  Verify.  Listen to the audible book and pick just one thing that helps you and/or your kids.
• Effort trumps talent:  Tali challenges the cultural tendency to focus on talent and/or lack of talent, e.g., message to oneself “I’m not good at math”
• Waitzkin goes deep on everything he does
• You can use leverage technology to get all types of feedback
• Train kids to be able to focus in the middle of chaos because conditions are never going to be perfect
• Face your losses.  Don’t shy away from them.
• To succeed fast, fail faster
• Use living books.  Have discussions about them with your kids.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

• Josh Waitzkin’s “The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance”  Amazon

Other Mentions

• "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin Amazon
• The movie ”Searching for Bobby Fischer”
• Daniel Coyle’s “The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.”