The power of teaching others to solidify learning

Have you ever tried explaining a concept to someone else and found that, halfway through, you suddenly understood it better yourself? I’ll never forget the first time this happened to me. I was in my second year of college, cramming for a biology exam on cellular respiration—a topic that felt like trying to untangle a ball of yarn in the dark. My roommate, who wasn’t even taking the class, walked in looking confused about something entirely unrelated. In an attempt to procrastinate, I launched into an explanation of the Krebs cycle. To my surprise, as I stumbled through the steps out loud, the pieces started clicking into place. By the time I finished, I wasn’t just regurgitating facts—I was teaching. And in doing so, I had taught myself.

This experience isn’t unique. In fact, it’s backed by a well-documented psychological phenomenon known as the protégé effect. The simple act of teaching others doesn’t just help them—it transforms and solidifies your own understanding in ways that passive studying never could. Whether you're a student trying to master organic chemistry or an educator designing a lesson plan, there’s incredible power in shifting from being a consumer of knowledge to becoming a curator of it.

Why Teaching Others Works So Well

When we learn something with the intention of teaching it, our brain switches gears. Instead of just memorizing information, we begin to organize it, break it down, and anticipate questions. This process forces us to engage with the material on a deeper level. Think about it: when you’re studying for yourself, you might skip over details you assume you “get.” But when you’re preparing to teach, you can’t afford to leave gaps. You need to be ready for the “why” and the “how,” not just the “what.”

This approach aligns perfectly with some of the most effective studying techniques out there. For instance, retrieval practice—actively recalling information—is one of the best ways to enhance memory. And teaching is essentially retrieval practice on steroids. You’re not just recalling facts; you’re reconstructing concepts, making connections, and verbalizing your thoughts. This kind of mental effort is what leads to true, long-term learning.

I once had a student named Maya who struggled with calculus. She could solve problems in isolation but often froze during exams when questions were framed differently. I suggested she try teaching the concepts to a friend who was also struggling. At first, she was hesitant—“What if I get it wrong?” But within a week, she came back beaming. “I finally get limits,” she said. “I had to explain them three times in three different ways until it made sense to both of us.” That’s the magic of teaching—it reveals the holes in your understanding before a test ever does.

How to Make Teaching Part of Your Learning Strategy

You don’t need a classroom or a formal setting to harness this power. Teaching can be woven into your daily routine in simple, practical ways. For students, this might mean forming study groups where each person takes turns explaining a topic. Or it could be as easy as pretending to teach an imaginary audience. The key is the mindset: approach your material as if you will need to make it clear to someone else.

Educators can design opportunities for peer teaching within their classrooms. Think-pair-share activities, student-led reviews, or even having learners create their own mini-lessons can dramatically boost engagement and retention. I’ve seen high school history teachers ask students to “become the expert” on a specific event and teach it to their peers—resulting not only in better grades but in genuine excitement about the subject.

Technology can also play a role here. Platforms like QuizSmart are fantastic for creating teaching moments. Imagine making a quiz for a friend on a topic you’re learning—crafting questions forces you to think critically about what’s important, and discussing the answers reinforces your knowledge. It turns studying into an active, social process rather than a solitary one.

Real Stories: When Teaching Transformed Learning

Let me share a story about my friend Daniel, a physics teacher. He noticed his students were struggling with abstract concepts like electromagnetic fields. Instead of re-explaining it himself, he paired them up and asked each duo to teach the concept to the other using everyday analogies. One group compared magnetic fields to the influence of social media algorithms—something they understood intuitively. The result? Not only did their grasp of the physics improve, but they also remembered it months later when finals rolled around.

Another powerful example comes from language learning. I once worked with an adult learner who was trying to improve her Spanish. She spent hours with flashcards and apps but plateaued quickly. Then she started tutoring a beginner once a week. In preparing lessons and answering questions, her fluency skyrocketed. She wasn’t just memorizing vocabulary; she was using the language with purpose. That’s the difference between knowing something and owning it.

Bringing It All Together

At its heart, teaching is about empathy. It requires you to step into someone else’s shoes and see the material from their perspective. That shift—from inward-focused learning to outward-focused explaining—is what unlocks deeper understanding and lasting memory improvement. It’s one of the most underrated learning strategies for academic success, yet it’s accessible to everyone.

So, whether you’re a student looking to ace your next exam or an educator aiming to create more impactful lessons, try embracing the role of teacher. Explain that tricky concept to a friend. Host a review session. Use tools like QuizSmart to test your knowledge by testing others. You might just find that the best way to learn isn’t to study harder—but to teach smarter.

After all, the deepest learning doesn’t happen when we’re filling our own cups. It happens when we start pouring into others.