I used Gemini as a personal tutor for things I pretend to understand

There are some topics I nod along to in conversations, even though I’m only grasping about 30% of what’s said.

Not because I’m clueless, but because learning as an adult can sometimes be intimidating.

So, when Gemini became capable enough to act as more than a chatbot, I decided to use it as a personal tutor for the things I’ve been pretending to understand.

That includes concepts such as how inflation works, advanced stock market ideas, or various medical terms. And surprisingly, it worked.

Here’s how using Gemini as a tutor changed my learning process, and the specific strategies that made the most significant difference.

Gemini lets me learn at my own pace

Traditional learning tools tend to come with a fixed pace, but Gemini doesn’t.

When I’m pretending to understand a topic in a real conversation, it’s usually because the explanations I find online move too quickly or assume I already know the fundamentals.

Gemini let me rewind that dynamic.

I could dump a question like “Explain how blockchain works as if I’m a beginner,” and it would match the tone I needed.

If I needed a slower breakdown, I’d say, “Pause after each step, ask me to respond, and check if I understood before you continue.”

But the real magic happened when I started asking Gemini to quiz me. I would ask Gemini to generate questions, ask me to break down a concept in my own words, or to throw scenario-based problems at me.

I use this command: “Teach me this in checkpoints. After each checkpoint, quiz me with one question. Only move on if I get the question right; otherwise, explain again using a different analogy.”

The quiz feedback loop made everything stick faster.

It helped me apply what I learned

I realized early on that passive reading wasn’t enough for topics I wanted to learn more about.

So, after every mini-lesson or quiz, I’d ask Gemini to help me apply the concept to something I’d encounter in conversation or everyday life.

For example, I’d ask Gemini, “Give me a simple blockchain transaction scenario and ask me what happens at each step.”

If I were learning about inflation, I’d have it walk me through how rising prices might affect my grocery budget.

When I tried to understand the basics of machine learning, I asked it to help me build a human-readable analogy using my daily habits.

Finally, the idea of training data and bias clicked because we used my own behavior as an example.

These practical prompts helped me apply the knowledge to everyday scenarios.

I used Gemini to create structured mini-courses

One of the most unexpectedly useful tricks I stumbled into was turning Gemini into a DIY course builder.

Instead of throwing random questions at it, I started feeding it specific topics I wanted to understand better. Then I’d ask it to break the topic into modules, learning objectives, checkpoints, and short practice exercises.

The result was a curated crash course made just for me.

Gemini would map out a logical progression. It would begin with lightweight fundamentals, build toward complex concepts, and then end with applied examples.

I could tell it how much time I had per day by saying, “Give me 10-minute lessons on the gut microbiome.”

The best part was how flexible the structure became.

If I got stuck, I’d ask it to rewrite a section in simpler terms. If a module felt too easy, I’d ask for an advanced version.

This personal syllabus system made learning feel manageable. And because Gemini kept the tone conversational and approachable, I never felt judged for starting with absolute basics.

Tips for learning with Gemini

After using Gemini as my unofficial tutor for weeks, I have figured out a few tricks that make the whole experience far more effective, especially if you are trying to understand subjects you usually nod along to in conversations.

Start with what you think you know

Instead of typing: “Explain macroeconomics,” I begin by telling it what I know: “Here’s my understanding of macroeconomics… what am I missing?”

This forces Gemini to tailor the explanation around my gaps rather than overwhelming me with a textbook-style lecture.

Ask it to teach in progressively deeper layers

One prompt I now use constantly is: “Explain this simply first. Then give me a medium-depth explanation. Then give me the expert version.”

Learning this way makes it more manageable.

Use ‘teach it back to me’ mode.

If I can teach something, I know I understand it. So, after studying a topic, I tell Gemini:

“I’m going to explain this back to you. Tell me where I’m wrong and where I’m oversimplifying.”

Summarize your sessions

I’ve learned it’s better to explicitly summarize what I’ve learned at the end of a study session.

Something like: “Summarize today’s lesson in five bullet points and create a plan for what I should learn next.”

It provides me with a neat learning roadmap for the next day.

Gemini became my personal tutor

Using Gemini as a tutor didn’t magically make me an expert overnight. But it did help me learn better.

Instead of stalling when something felt too tough to follow, I had a space where I could slow down and follow a learning path built for me.

Over the course of this experiment, I have used Gemini to learn at my own pace, create quizzes that helped me understand concepts, build structured courses from scratch, and apply what I learned in conversations.