Myths about learning

There are a lot of myths about learning that I would like to talk about it in this blog.  The first one that really has spread like wildfire is that people have different learning styles.  This year when I was learning about a new curriculum one of the writers of the curriculum stated that this is written for students with different learning styles.  There was a reading passage, youtube video and audio version of the information that the students could choose.

There is plenty of research out there to show that students do not learn better if it is auditory, visual, kinesthetic etc.  What really happens is that different material is learned better with different styles.  It is more effective to teach geography with the visual aid of a map but that does not make a person a visual learner.  Also if I am teaching the impact of high interest rates on Aggregate demand, it is good for me to discuss it while also showing a visual with a graph.  Using both of these often improves the learning of the student.

There is also a lot of discussion about how to study for tests.  Research has shown that highlighting your text, is one of the least effective methods of studying.  The research also shows that re-reading the text leads to overconfidence and does not help prepare you for the exam.  The tendency is for students to read the text for the second time , while saying I know that already.  So they skim the text and it is not an effective method.

The best way to study for an exam is to take a test.  I give all my students a practice assessment to prepare themselves for the real assessment.  To maximize the use of the practice assessment, students should not only look at getting the answers correct, but making sure that they know what each distractor in a multiple choice test means.  This allows the student to review not only the correct answers but other concepts as well.

When you are done reading a text it is a great exercise to write down everything you remembered from the text you read.  Forcing your memory to recall information gives you a better chance to remember that information at a later date.  So I would recommend making a list of concepts that you remember, then checking your notes to see what you left out.  This is also a good method prior to taking a test is to list all the concepts that you know, then check out what concepts you are missing.

Talking about notes, your notes should be personal to you.  They should have examples that you can relate to and if possible requires you to give personal meaning to the concept you are trying to learn.  Anytime you can connect personal meaning and emotion to the concept you have a better chance of remembering it and applying it. 

The last myth it that of have you should feel prior to taking a test.  Many teachers will tell you to calm down as you are about to take the test which is not helpful.  The truth is if you are feeling some stress/anxiety that is good for you.  You should take that as a signal from your body telling you that you are getting ready for the exam.  Your body is sending more oxygen to your brain so that you can be most effective.  Research has shown the students who feel that stress will help them be successful on exams outscore participants who are told to calm down.

As always comments are always appreciated.

four agreement

I finished reading a book Four Agreements which I totally recommend.  It is a great book about bringing happiness into your life.  Here is my interpretation of those agreements.

1.  Do your best.  It is funny when I ask people do they do their best each day they often start off with an excuse.  When I think about doing my best,  it is my best under the circumstances.  So if I am sick,  I will probably not perform to my optimal level but I can still do my best under those circumstances.  At the end of the day I ask myself,  Did I do my best today?  I try to phrase the question so that doing my best is up to me.  I have been struggling with this one but am improving each day.

2.  Do not assume.  Whenever I mention this you get the assume joke.  What I have realized however since I have taken the agreement not to assume is how often I did assume.  That someone sends you an e-mail I wonder how can they think that.  Or if someone does not return an e-mail are they mad at me?   Now instead of assuming I will seek the person out or just not make any judgement at all.  One of my friends is deciding on taking a position and they were being influenced by what their friends would think about it.  My advice was do not assume what they will think just do what you think is best for you and your company.  While I will sometimes assume things I am getting good at catching myself and then stopping.

3.  Do not take things personally.  This is something that has really helped me.  When I catch myself taking something personally and I let it go, I feel the tension leaving my body.  It is an awesome feeling and also make me realize how many things I have taken personally in the past.  I see criticism now as trying to be helpful, their are no such things as personal attacks because I just do not see them that way.  I will not let someone who does not really know me or care about me decide how I feel. 

4.  Impeccable with your word.  This is about not spreading gossip about people.  It amazes me how fast bad things get around and how often that leads into problems of people assuming or taking things personally.  I know recently I was very upset with what I viewed as wasted paperwork.  I probably told twenty people about it twenty times.  How did that help?  All it does is spread bad will.  Now I just mumble to myself to be impeccable with my word.  If someone or something bothers me go right to the source and straighten it out.

So far these four agreements have worked for me.  If you get a chance pick up the book and as always would love to hear your thoughts.