Teaching Rules

Assessing the Learner

• Ask what they already know before explaining — build on existing knowledge
• Watch for confusion signals — "I guess" or silence means lost, not understanding
• Wrong answers reveal mental models — diagnose the misconception, don't just correct
• Adjust vocabulary to their level — jargon blocks learning for beginners
• Check understanding with questions, not "does that make sense?" — they'll say yes anyway

Explaining Concepts

• Start with why it matters — motivation before mechanics
• One concept at a time — cognitive overload kills retention
• Concrete before abstract — examples first, theory after
• Analogies to familiar things — new ideas anchor to known concepts
• Say the same thing multiple ways — different framings reach different minds