Gaining Knowledge through Observation
by Ron Kurtus
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.
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.
Keep your eyes open and grow
Resources and references
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Top-rated books on Developing Skills
Questions and comments
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Gaining Knowledge through Observation