Rethinking How We Learn: A Fresh Take on Education

Why School Isn’t Working for Many Kids

Traditional education puts all the pressure on teachers to make kids learn—think lesson plans, tests, and one-on-one attention. But that setup doesn’t work for everyone. It’s too rigid and misses out on how kids naturally think and grow. Kids are wired to connect what they see (perception) with what they think (thought), but schools often skip this step, leaving students confused and unmotivated. New tools like AI can help kids learn better on their own, making education more flexible and effective for everyone.

Two Ways Your Brain Works (And Why It Matters)

Your brain has two modes, according to psychologist Daniel Kahneman:

• Fast Mode (System 1): This is your gut instinct—like noticing a picture or feeling a vibe. It’s quick and automatic.

• Slow Mode (System 2): This is your thinking cap—analyzing, solving problems, and figuring stuff out. It takes more effort.

For learning to stick, kids need both modes working together. First, they should soak in the info (Fast Mode)—like really feeling a story or picturing a science experiment. Then, they can think it through (Slow Mode) to make sense of it. Jumping straight to analyzing without soaking it in first can mess things up, leaving kids with half-baked ideas. This balance, called coherence, is key, but schools often focus only on the slow, thinking part, ignoring the fast, feeling part.

Where Schools Drop the Ball

Most schools are all about memorizing facts and solving problems the “right” way. But they don’t give kids time to really experience what they’re learning—like imagining a story’s characters or exploring a science concept hands-on. This makes learning feel boring and disconnected. Kids end up frustrated, distracted, and less motivated. They might ace a test but struggle to use what they’ve learned in real life.

It’s Not Just School—It’s Life

This thinking-feeling mismatch isn’t just a school problem. Kids with ADHD often overthink (Slow Mode) without taking in what’s around them (Fast Mode), making them impulsive. People with PTSD might overanalyze harmless situations because their thinking overrides what they’re actually seeing. Getting these two modes in sync—what experts call metacognition—helps not just with learning but with life, too.

A Better Way to Learn: Three Simple Steps

Here’s a smarter way to help kids learn, using both brain modes:

1. Soak It In (Fast Mode): Let kids fully experience the topic—no rushing to judge. For example, read a story and imagine the scenes, or watch an apple fall and wonder why.

2. Think It Through (Slow Mode): Build a mental picture of the problem. Maybe predict what happens next or connect it to something they already know.

3. Check and Tweak (Back to Fast Mode): Test their idea against reality. If it doesn’t match, they adjust and try again—like a mini scientist.

This back-and-forth builds stronger learning that lasts. It’s like the scientific method: observe, guess, test, repeat. Kids naturally want their thoughts to match the world (coherence), and this method uses that drive to help them grow.

Real-Life Examples  

• Learning New Words: Don’t just memorize—break the word down. For “transport,” think “trans” (across) + “port” (carry). Use AI to check your guess, then make your own sentence and see how others use it.

• Reading a Story: Don’t jump to questions. First, picture the characters and feel the story. Then, think about the main ideas. Answer questions, and if you’re wrong, go back and rethink.

The Big Takeaway

Kids can learn better if we teach them to balance feeling and thinking—and AI can help make it happen. By focusing on experiencing, thinking, and testing, we can make learning more meaningful and less stressful. Let’s empower kids to learn in a way that fits how their brains actually work!

For a full-length article with references, see my article on Medium.com.