Overheard: Ruby on Rails demystified

“Ruby on Rails” is catchy but confusing. Is Rails some type of magical drug that Ruby is on? (Depending on who you ask, yes.)” Kalid Azad, Starting Ruby on Rails: What I Wish I Knew

Kalid writes: There’s always a better way to explain a topic. Insights are fluid, mutable, and work for different people. I’m sharing the insights that helped me, hoping they’ll help you too.

Here’s my take on learning:

Ideas start hard and finish simple.

Complicated ideas get easier. Multiplication, reading and even tying your shoes seemed tough at first and are trivial now. Likewise, I believe (I know!) that math, science, business, technology or any topic can be understood at an intuitive level – after overcoming the initial complexity.

The best teacher is you – after you’ve learned the subject.

You are your own perfect tutor. Think about it – you overcame the problems and can explain the solution in language that makes sense. Unfortunately, we can’t go back in time. But I can share the “Ah-ha!” moments that I’ve found.

And maybe you think like me, so the explanation works for you too. Or maybe you think a little differently, and a helpful comment gives an insight that works better. Our “ah-ha!” moments are different, and that’s ok. There’s no single way to explain an idea, yet we all have a single textbook.