Gaining Knowledge through Observation
Children–especially–learn by observation. Watching what others do is an important way to gain knowledge. Adults also need to use this technique.
Questions you may have include:
- What do children observe?
- What problems are there with observations by children?
- What should adults do?
This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.
Children observe
Children learn from watching and imitating their parents and other adults. The same is true for young animals. Observation is a strong force in gaining knowledge.
Use care with children
Parents will often tell their children, “Do what I say. Don’t do what I do.” The problem is that children learn much of what they do and what they believe by watching others. Often, it isn’t the obvious.
A man told me how he taught his son how to drive. But then the boy failed the driving test, because he rolled through a stop sign.
His father told him, “How could you do that? You knew that was illegal.”
The son replied, “But you always do that.”
He learned from watching his dad.
Parents should be careful about what their children observe. This includes TV shows and movies.
Adults should observe
The power of observation should not stop when you become an adult. You can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge by observing what other people do.
Summary
Observation is a powerful way to gain knowledge. It is also very subtle, as you pick things up you may not even think about.
Answers to Readers’ Questions
Keep your eyes open and grow
Resources
The following are some resources on this topic.
Websites
Mini-quiz to check your understanding
Self-check your understanding
How do young children gain much of their knowledge?
Why should parents be careful in what they do or say around children?
Why should adults observe?
Pick an answer to see instant feedback. Re-read the lesson if you miss one.
If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in gaining Knowledge. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.
What do you think?
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