Observatory Learning

I was thinking today about how people learn new things. So much of what we learn, we learn by observing or learning with others. This is how we learn how to function in our culture. This is also how we learn so many of the skills that we need in life - everything from talking to cooking to laundry to driving a car. Can you imagine trying to drive a car, having never seen anyone else drive, by reading a book? Possible maybe, but much harder.

This is why I am trying to do away with private piano lessons. We learn better in groups. We have more fun in groups. We get more ideas in groups. And in groups we get to watch other people learn, and teach others. Not long ago I heard someone say, "if you want to learn it - teach it!" Helping or explaining to others what we have just learned helps deepen our understanding and solidify the learning process.