During our 3 day 10/10 weekend, I read a couple of relevant articles on learning. Both were in the New York Times. The first article was a book review of, " How We Learn, the Surprising Truth About When, Where and Why It Happens" by Benedict Carey. It shows the most efficient and effective ways to learn and study for different tests. Its a must read for every parent or educator.
For example, studying for a test on a foreign language, its best to go to bed early the night before the test, and wake up in the morning to review, while for a math test, its better to review right before sleep. He also questions the whole "cramming for tests" as students don't learn or retain anything and he criticizes sitting for long periods of time studying as its an inefficient way to absorb and retain information. He recommends short periods of study in different environments as, "the brain likes variety." To read the full review click here.
I'm all for more time efficient studying and relevant testing so kids have more time with their families and more time to exercise. To support my previous blog on exercise promoting academic excellence (see The Case for More P.E.) the Times had another article called, "How Exercise Can Boost Young Brains" which reiterates old and new studies that if children take a walk before a math or reading test, their scores improve. The latest tests prove exercise (in this case 70 minutes of moderate to intense playing after school) improved the part of the brain that controls executive functioning, as well as their ability to pay attention and block out unwanted distractions (everything a teachers wants from students).
Maybe instead of private tutoring with a teacher after school, it would be holistically beneficial to have them run, kick a soccer ball or swim laps with their teacher.
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