One of my favorites teachers is Milton Erickson, the grandfather of hypnosis. Erickson said you can pretend a thing and master it. Really? Let's talk about it. Take PhotoReading for example. It's is a new paradigm of processing information using your whole brain, meaning left and right hemispheres as well as the conscious and non-conscious parts of the mind, and that's definitely a new approach. Now, the old traditional methods teach us to read word by word, line by line - which is fine when we are just starting out as children. But when do we get to graduate and take our skills to the next level? PhotoReading is the answer. And … [Read more...]

Did you know that as a unique, one-of-a-kind, learner, you have your own learning style? There is no such thing as a one-size-fits all way to learn, and knowing your learning style and adjusting your routine can help you learn more effectively. Educators like Howard Gardner, at Harvard School of Psychology are leading the way in the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  The thing is, you need to understand your own information processing style to get the most out of your study time as well as your communications. From the brief definition of the three basic types of learners, try to determine which one might be you. Auditory learners … [Read more...]

Great halls of learning shouldn’t be places to sleep! When I notice people sleeping in libraries, I often wonder, “Are our libraries becoming giant public bedrooms?”  I know what the problem is – people are passive in their reading, which bores the brain to death. The goal is to learn to be active in the reading process. Yes! This means sitting up! No slouching or chillin’. There’s plenty of time for that later. Take in a couple of deep breaths, and establishing a strong purpose for the activity. A beginning purpose might be stated as, “My purpose for going through this material is to find the most relevant points to help me … [Read more...]

Knowing something about Accelerated Learning helps students improve their study skills. Simply stated, Accelerated Learning or ‘whole brain’ learning methods are designed to relax students, and open them up to learning using a holistic approach. Yes, it’s a little different from traditional classroom learning, but it works. The process starts with introducing students to real concepts about themselves and how their body/brain works. Once identified, AL emphasizes methods to activate our hidden human abilities and improve our results – not only for greater academic success, but for greater success in EVERYTHING. A well-run, AL-based … [Read more...]

Can you really concentrate, study and learn well if it's too hot, too cold, or if you're hungry? How about if you have a headache, or gotta go the toilet? NO WAY!  Effective learning means being in the right state. Ideally, you want to be in a comfortable environment. Addressing all physical concerns, like an empty belly or thirsty mouth really helps. Otherwise the brain will switch off and focus on those more immediate needs. How about if you just had an argument with your significant other? NOPE. In that case, the brain is concerned with safety and security and learning is at the bottom of the list. So, emotional self-control … [Read more...]

You want to really learn something? Teach someone else! That's right teaching someone else - tutoring - will help you learn the subject more thoroughly. Tutoring another requires time, energy, patience but is a lasting gift. It is a gift to the one being tutored as well as to the tutor themselves. When you tutor someone and give of your time and knowledge and share with them how to learn the material that they are struggling with, not only do you pass along valuable knowledge, you reinforce that information inside of yourself. An old Chinese Proverb states, "If you teach something once, you've learned it twice." Imagine teaching it … [Read more...]

Are you claiming a bad memory? Well the truth is - the #1 one reason you forget is because you aren't pay attention in the first place! True or true? How many times has someone been talking to you and you were in another world, not paying attention to anything being said? Then you faked it and acted like you understood? That happens in class too, doesn't it? I know, because it used to happen to me too. How can you expect to get the benefit of what your teacher is sharing if your mind is on the other side of town? This is why you must know how to be APQ - Active. Purposeful and Questioning in your learning process. You must also get … [Read more...]

A very simple way to think about reading is that its just a conversation with the Author. When you are reading their writing, they are speaking into your listening. If you are really active in your listening, you can learn a lot! Think about these four aspects : Reading - Writing - Speaking - and Listening. They are the cornerstones of communication! To be really successful in life, you've got to be effective in these areas to receive information and to get your message across. Check it out: READING - Reading is Fundamental. Yet how many times do we neglect this all important step? Like when reading the instructions for a new device or … [Read more...]

Did you know that the most important skill for learning is reading? Think about it – you have to read in every subject, including math! The whole of our existence is about communication – and words are king in that they convey lots of detail, ideas, information and valuable genius insights. You must read in order to prepare for tests and even write your papers. Sometimes reading can see seem like a daunting task. Not to worry. The first thing to consider is that reading is simply a conversation with the author. If you can get yourself relaxed and in the right state of mind, you’ll find that you may be able to actually hear the author … [Read more...]

When you study, you can’t afford to entertain distractions. To get the most of your study time, turn off the TV, PlayStation, Xbox, Gameboy, and whatever else! Now, the only exception is music! The key to effective learning is to be in the right state and the right kind of music can facilitate learning in an incredible way. And this doesn’t include rap and hip hop with a bunch of lyrics that all go together and a funky beat that makes you want to shake your groove thang. Studies by the renown Dr. Alfred Tomatis have shown that classical baroque music is by far the best music to study to. Dr. Tomatis has authored 14 books on music … [Read more...]