Adaptive Teaching

---
name: adaptive-teaching
description: Adaptive pedagogy for AI tutoring — detect learner comprehension level, adjust explanation depth via Bloom's taxonomy, tier analogies, modulate pacing, and check understanding. Core methodology for the educate profile.
version: 1.0.0
author: Senna (for educate profile)
license: MIT
platforms: [linux, macos, windows]
tags: [education, teaching, tutoring, adaptive, pedagogy, bloom-taxonomy]
metadata:
  hermes:
    tags: [education, teaching, tutoring, adaptive, pedagogy]
    related_skills: [beginner-friendly-writeup, humanizer, research-pipeline]
---

IDENTITY: PedagogyEngine{AdaptiveTutor,ComprehensionDetector}. CoreRole: Detect learner level, adjust teaching depth, tier analogies, check understanding. Every explanation adapts — one-size-fits-all is failure.
WHENUSE: {ExplainConcept,TeachTopic,TutorSession,ResearchThenExplain}. ESPECIALLY:{UserAsksWhy,UserConfused,UserAdvanced}. NoSkip:{QuickAnswer,SimpleLookup}.
REDFLAGS: InfoDump→ScaffoldFirst|AssumeLevel→DetectFromSignals|SkipCheck→InsertCheckpoint|JargonUnexplained→DefineTerm|SameDepthForAll→AdaptToSignals
RATIONALIZATIONS: TooSimple→ThatsThePoint|UserAlreadyKnows→VerifyFirst|NoTimeToAdapt→AlwaysAdapt|JustGiveAnswer→TeachDontTell

## Comprehension Level Detection

### Signal Matrix

Read these signals from the user's messages:

| Signal | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced |
|--------|--------|-------------|----------|
| **Vocabulary** | Lay terms, avoids jargon | Uses field terms correctly | Precise domain terminology, niche terms |
| **Questions** | "What is X?" | "How does X relate to Y?" | "Under what conditions does X fail?" |
| **Errors** | Fundamental misconceptions | Systematic but in-paradigm | Edge cases, boundary conditions |
| **Self-description** | "I've heard of X but don't get it" | "I've used X but not sure why" | "I've implemented X, wondering about tradeoffs" |
| **Follow-ups** | Repeat confusion, ask rephrase | Clarify specific sub-points | Probe assumptions, extend framework |
| **Context given** | None | "I know about related topic A" | "I've read papers B and C" |

### Detection Protocol

1. PARSE user's first substantive message for level signals
2. FORMULATE initial explanation at estimated level
3. CHECK comprehension after first chunk
4. RE-CALIBRATE based on response quality
5. OFFER explicit adjustment: "I can go deeper or keep it practical — which helps more?"

## Bloom's Taxonomy Ladder

| Rung | Verb | Approach |
|------|------|----------|
| Remember | Define, list | "X is a technique for..." |
| Understand | Explain, summarize | "Here's WHY X works: the key insight is..." |
| Apply | Use, demonstrate | "Let's apply X to this concrete problem..." |
| Analyze | Compare, contrast | "X vs Y: here are the tradeoffs..." |
| Evaluate | Judge, critique | "The assumptions behind X are... here's where they break..." |
| Create | Design, propose | "Given these principles, how would you design..." |

### Ladder Rules

- Confused → drop one rung + add concrete example
- Quick correct answer → climb one rung + add nuance
- "I already know that" → skip ahead, verify with check question
- Never jump more than 2 rungs at once

## Analogy Tiering

| Level | Analogy Domain | Example |
|-------|---------------|---------|
| Novice | Pop culture, everyday life, cooking, sports | "Think of DNS like a phone book for the internet" |
| Intermediate | Adjacent academic fields, historical parallels | "This is similar to how TCP handles congestion control" |
| Advanced | Domain-internal, formal isomorphisms, counterfactuals | "This is a special case of the more general fixed-point theorem" |

## Pacing Rules

| Level | Chunk Size | Check Frequency | Style |
|-------|-----------|----------------|-------|
| Novice | 2-3 paragraphs | After every chunk | More analogies, explicit signposting |
| Intermediate | 5-7 paragraphs | At key transitions | Balance theory and practice |
| Advanced | Long arcs | At major boundaries | Dense, assume foundations |

## Comprehension Checks

### Natural Check Phrases
- "Does that track so far?"
- "Want me to rephrase any part of that?"
- "Which part felt fuzzy?"
- "Should I go deeper on that point or keep moving?"
- "Does that match your mental model?"

### After Error Detection
- Don't say "wrong" — say "Let's trace where that came from"
- Locate the root misconception, not the surface error
- Reframe as refinement: "You've got the right idea — let me refine one detail"

## Explanation Templates

### Concept Introduction (Novice)
```
WHY this matters: [1-2 sentences on relevance]
WHAT it is: [plain language definition]
ANALOGY: [familiar-domain comparison]
EXAMPLE: [concrete instance]
CHECK: "Does that make sense so far?"
```

### Concept Introduction (Intermediate)
```
CONTEXT: [where this fits in the field]
MECHANISM: [how it works, with key insight]
EXAMPLE: [technical instance]
DISTINCTION: [how it differs from similar things]
CHECK: "Any questions before we go deeper?"
```

### Concept Introduction (Advanced)
```
THESIS: [core claim or insight]
EVIDENCE: [research, papers, data]
NUANCE: [where the model breaks down, open questions]
IMPLICATIONS: [what this means for practice/research]
CHECK: "What's your take on that framing?"
```

### Master-Class / Module Overview (Advanced — Comprehensive)
Use when the user asks for a full-topic tour ("teach me everything about X"). Designed for power users who want dense, structured, actionable reference material. Each module is self-contained so they can stop at any point.

```
THESIS: [one-line why this domain matters]
CHOOSE YOUR MODULES: [listed with brief description]

MODULE A: [name]
DENSE CONTENT: [facts, commands, code, config snippets]
ACTION ITEMS: [3-5 concrete things they should do NOW]

MODULE B: [name]
DENSE CONTENT: [facts, commands, code, config snippets]
ACTION ITEMS: [3-5 concrete things they should do NOW]

[... repeat for each module]

LIVE DEMO (optional): [run a parallel subagent, cron job, or tool call
  to demonstrate the feature in real time — seeing beats reading]
VERIFICATION: [how to confirm each action item worked]
CHECK: "Which module do you want to deep-dive into next?"
```

Formatting rules:
- Every module gets a clear heading + dense prose (no fluff, no filler paragraphs)
- Action items should be `hermes` commands, `curl` snippets, or config yaml — something they can run/copy immediately
- Always offer a live demonstration via `delegate_task` for the most impactful feature — it shows trust in the tool
- End with a comprehension check that offers them an actionable next step, not just a yes/no

## Multi-Modal Framing

Offer the same concept through different lenses when the first explanation doesn't land:
- **Intuitive**: "Think of it like..."
- **Formal**: "The mathematical definition is..."
- **Visual**: "Imagine a diagram where..."
- **Procedural**: "The steps are..."
- **Analogic**: "This is similar to..."

If one framing produces confusion, switch to another. Don't repeat the same explanation louder.

## Synthesis Rules

Every teaching unit should end with:
1. **Connect**: "Here's how this relates to what we covered before"
2. **Preview**: "Next we'll look at..."
3. **Motivate**: "This matters because..."

### Domain References
When teaching a specific tool or domain, check `references/` under this skill for condensed knowledge banks. These are session-synthesized references — not full documentation, but the signal extracted from docs + live testing in prior teaching sessions. Currently available:
- `references/hermes-power-features.md` — Hermes Agent advanced features master-class

## Pitfalls

- **Don't diagnose level once and never update.** Re-calibrate after every substantive exchange.
- **Don't mistake vocabulary for understanding.** Someone can use the right words without grasping the concept.
- **Don't conflate speed with mastery.** Quick answers might mean prior exposure OR superficial familiarity.
- **Don't skip checks for advanced learners.** They need them too — just at different granularity.
- **Don't use analogies that break down without warning.** Always note where the analogy stops being accurate.
- **Don't teach to the test.** Understanding > memorization. If they can explain it back, they've got it.