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I agree completely that you have to learn how to learn aikido, my first few months were that much more confusing because I didn't do that. I'm not a teacher but if I was going to pass on tips to anyone else I'd mention these things that I've learned, which help me to learn how to do the techniques properly.
The most important and the most basic is to really listen to sensei partly because if I hadn't listened to sensei then I would never have learnt any of these things which help me. Also when he demonstrates a technique he will often explain how and why we do certain things eg.'cut in front of you because...' or 'keep their elbow up so that...'. I would be lost if I didn't listen to his verbal explanations. I've had to learn to not just imitate sensei's movements but to use those movements to unbalance uke and take their centre.I'm learning how to feel uke's center, to know when I have taken it and to know if I've kept it for the duration of the technique. I need to feel a connection between us, to feel if uke is going down because of what I've done or because sensei has shown us how and when uke is supposed to fall. To feel if I've lost that connection and then to understand why.
I've also learned to pay very close attention when sensei demonstrates a technique on me, in understanding what uke should feel I can more easily make them feel it. Anyways just some things that have helped me immeasurably.
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