The more I think about it, the more I wonder: How can a class where a teacher teaches from a textbook to students who have the ability to read and figure out can be considered as teaching?
The more I reflect on how teachers explain and demonstrate concepts to children born with figure-it-out brains, the more I see and smell cobwebs gathering in the corners of outdated teaching methods.
Why are teachers still 'telling 'transfering' information that students ould naturally discover themselves if only we guided to think, explore, and compare?
And then I ask myself: How on earth can universities train future teachers to teach isolated themes in rigid ways , when the real world doesn’t workin that way?
The "Rote Trap" versus Brain-based Learning
| Brain-based Learning 🧠 | The Rote Trap 🚫 |
| Works with the brain’s natural learning process | Works against how the brain actually learns |
| Encourages thinking, comparing, and problem-solving | Encourages memorizing, drilling, and regurgitating |
| Helps students connect ideas across themes | Keeps subjects in isolated silos |
| Deepens understanding and long-term retention | Leads to forgetting after the test |
| Prepares students for real-world complexity | Prepares students for… more school? |
"Rote Trap" learning relies on repetition, memorization, and one-size-fits-all instruction. It’s like trying to force-feed knowledge instead of letting learning happen naturally.
Real learning doesn’t happen through rote drills. It happens through thinking, comparison, problem-solving, and connection and practical experiences. That’s why brain-based learning is the way forward.
Unlocking the Diamonds in Education
It makes me think: A lump of coal and a diamond are both made of carbon. One remains rough and unrefined, while the other transformed under pressure into something valuable.
My view is that education system is populated with potential diamonds—students with untapped abilities aligned with teachers with the passion to innovate—but lacks the processes to bring out their brilliance.
If we replace rote instruction with brain-based learning, if we stop assuming students need everything explained and instead of challenging them to uncover meaning for themselves
With this approach we start processing coal into diamonds which we need to keep on polishing for ever and ever in the same way that medical docters and scientist keep on investing in themselves.
The biggest shift needed in education is not a new curriculum, it is a mindset:
"Rote is Rust. Thinking is Gold."
It is time to start the refining process.
