Category
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LearningTranscript
00:00Wow, you built that?
00:11Huh, maybe give it another shot?
00:17A third time's the charm?
00:24Um, let's take a break to answer a letter.
00:31Dear Rita and Moby,
00:33I'm terrible at math.
00:35Why can't I be good at it like my friends?
00:38From Gabby.
00:39Hey Gabby, I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with math.
00:43That can be tough, especially when it feels like everyone else is having an easier time.
00:49The good news is, you can learn.
00:51Everyone can.
00:53People learn new things all the time.
00:56Instruments, languages, uh, woodworking.
01:01Even a math whiz once had to learn the stuff that seems easy now.
01:06Because our abilities aren't fixed, they change over time.
01:09It's backed by brain science.
01:12Well, your brain is made up of billions of cells called neurons.
01:17They process all kinds of information, like things you see, taste, and hear.
01:23And they help you learn new things, from riding a bike to doing long division.
01:28They do that by forming pathways between things you already know and new information.
01:34You can think of these pathways like a network of trails in the woods.
01:38There are the trails you already know.
01:40You've walked them lots of times.
01:42You don't get lost on them, because you know the way almost automatically.
01:46But if you want to get someplace else, you'll have to forge a new trail.
01:51Now, it's rarely totally new.
01:54Maybe it connects to a bit of an old trail.
01:56Still, it'll probably be hard at first.
01:59You'll have to clear away branches and debris, but it'll get easier over time.
02:05It's like that with the brain.
02:07The more you practice a new skill, the stronger and thicker those neural pathways will grow,
02:13until eventually you know how to do it.
02:16The opposite is true, too.
02:18Neglect a trail, and it'll start to disappear as the forest takes it back.
02:23And stop practicing a new skill, and the neural pathway will thin, too.
02:28It might make sense sometimes to move on.
02:31But keep giving up or avoiding new things, and that's what you'll learn.
02:35It can be tough to get out of that rut.
02:39Well, it helps to adopt the right attitude.
02:42Not just being patient and kind to yourself when you're trying something new,
02:46though that stuff is important,
02:48but adjusting your whole way of thinking.
02:51When you declare that you're bad, or good, or so-so at something, that's a fixed mindset.
02:58It's like saying your abilities can't change because they're a part of who you are.
03:03But the truth is, success at anything is about more than just talent.
03:08It takes effort, too.
03:10A growth mindset boils down to a simple idea.
03:13You can learn.
03:15If you find yourself thinking,
03:17I can't, or I don't,
03:20try adding the word yet.
03:22So, I can't figure this out, or I don't know how to skate,
03:26becomes, I can't figure this out yet.
03:30Or, I don't know how to skate yet.
03:35Oh yeah, you'll definitely make mistakes along the way.
03:39Just like you'd probably get lost sometimes while forging new trails in the woods.
03:44Mistakes are actually a key part of the learning process.
03:48You literally can't improve without them.
03:51So, when you mess up, instead of beating yourself up, or giving up,
03:55go over what happened.
03:57Ask yourself.
03:59What did you do so far?
04:01Where did it go off track?
04:03And how could you try something different next time?
04:06Also, if you need help, ask for it.
04:10No one's expecting you to figure everything out on your own.
04:14That's why schools have teachers.
04:20Well, learning happens over time.
04:23And it's rarely a straight path.
04:25It takes lots and lots of trying and trying and trying again.
04:31So, it isn't always obvious when you are learning.
04:34It can help to pay attention to your progress, however slow or small.
04:39Say you're learning Spanish.
04:41Think back to last month, or the previous one.
04:44Remember how hard it once was to express something in the past tense?
04:49Now it's easier.
04:51That's learning!
04:53You could also try tracking your progress.
04:56Jot down, say, how fast you do your multiplication tables week by week.
05:02Or record yourself playing the same song on the piano day after day.
05:06Even if your improvements are little, you'll notice them and can feel proud.
05:12And you'll be motivated to keep at it.
05:15Here's another motivator.
05:17Now is the perfect time to learn and hone new skills.
05:21When we're young.
05:23Early in life, our brains are especially dense with neurons, primed to learn.
05:28Score for the kids!
05:31Uh, sure.
05:33Now is a good time for robots to learn, too.
05:37Ready to try again?
05:44Whoa, what kind of bird is that for?