Posts Tagged ‘best learning’
“We can learn from all cultures.” ~ Doc Meek
January 13th, 2011 | 
Author: “I think over again all my small adventures
My fears
Those small ones that seemed so big
[Of] all the vital things I had to get and to reach
And yet there is only one great thing
The only thing
To live and see the great day that dawns
And the light that fills the world.”
~ From an old Inuit song: http://www.indigenouspeople.net/inuit.htm
Image from: http://www.widescreenwallpapers.in/wallpaper/Arctic-sunrise/
I have huge respect for the Inuit, for reminding us of the greatest truths of all (to live to love another dawning, and to really see the great light that fills the world)!
Doc Meek, Thursday, January 13, 2011, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA
P.S. Hear “Amazing Grace” in pure-voice Inuit, and see the great aurora borealis, in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtNuELl5he0
J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com
For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026
THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095
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Posted in learning, learning differences, Learning Difficulties | 
Tags: active learning, best learning, brain rules, change, changing your behavior, changing your mind, Doc Meek, docmeek, fear of failure, fears, grateful, gratitude, great day that dawns, happiness, head heart hands hope, hope, humility, Inuit, old Inuit song, self-involvement in learning, teacher training, the light that fills the world | 
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“Gratitude Begets Best Learning.” – Doc Meek
Wednesday, December 22, 2010. Today I am grateful for Paul Taubman.
Paul Taubman, The Gratitude Guru, who operates this website: http://www.AllAboutGratitude.com, from which I got the following Melody Beattie quote:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what
we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into
acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can
turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger
into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings
peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~ Melody Beattie
Whether you are a student or a teacher, gratitude will change the way you learn and teach (students and teachers are both learners and teachers, I think).
Explore gratitude, build up your personal awareness of gratitude, practice gratitude daily, hourly, minutely, and you will both learn better and teach better. Much better.
I promise you!
Thank you, Paul Taubman, for helping us lift up our hearts and minds to gratitude daily!
Doc Meek, Wednesday, December 22, 2010, on my daughter Charlene’s computer, at South Jordan, Utah, USA.
J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com
For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026
THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095
=======================================
Posted in learning, learning differences, Learning Difficulties, learning solutions, overcoming learning problems |
Tags: active learning, best learning, brain rules, changing your behavior, changing your mind, Doc Meek, docmeek, grateful, gratitude, happiness, head heart hands hope, hope, humility, Paul Taubman, self-involvement in learning, success, teacher training |
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“Ask me anything.” – Doc Meek
Thursday, August 12, 2010. Today I am grateful that I have had more than thirty (30) years of great experience with almost all aspects of education and learning. They call me the “the brain guy.” – Doc Meek
People are always asking me questions about teaching, learning, and how the brain operates. And how the school systems operate.
I am delighted to answer any and all questions! 😮
So this is an open invitation to all of you who are parents, teachers, students, or educational administrators:
“Ask me anything”
I learned that phrase from my internet mentor, Connie Ragen Green. She teaches people how to be a business success on the internet, like she is. She is a great teacher/learner. Kind, considerate, and patiently able to explain answers to all questions, including the “dumb questions” people are almost afraid to ask. That’s Connie.
“There are no dumb questions, ” Connie says, and she practices what she preaches. And she keeps learning. She never stops learning. I think that is one reason she is such a good teacher. She is a good student as well. Thank you Connie! I am grateful for your example.
Same invitation from Doc: “Ask me anything.”
“Ask me anything about education, training, the brain, the mind, behavior, emotion, teaching, teacher training, student learning problems, and so on.”
I have had extensive training and experience with almost all aspects of education and learning, including the administrative and financial aspects. (See my Qualifications Brief by clicking on the date of July 15, 2010, on the calendar on the right-hand side of the screen when you first visit THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE blog at
There is almost nothing about education, learning or the brain that you can ask me, about which I have not had some degree of familiarity.
You can ask me with confidence and I will respond with both knowlege and compassion. If I don’t know the answer I will find it for you.
And even a little humor may go a long way, eh?
Years ago, a Calgary magazine reported:
“Dr. Meek brings a unique blend of warmth, intelligence and humor to everything he does.” Thank you, Calgary!
If you have any questions or comments, just click on the little blue word “comments” at the bottom right-hand side of this article, and a form will appear that you can use to ask any question you wish.
Doc Meek, Thursday, August 12, 2010, at Nose Hill Public Library in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA.
—————-
J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com
For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026
THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095
====================================
Posted in Learning Difficulties, learning solutions, overcoming learning problems |
Tags: "ask me anything", "dumb questions", "the brain guy", active learning, ADD, ADHD, anger management, Autism, best learning, brain, brain rules, changing your behavior, changing your mind, depression, Doc Meek, docmeek, education, fear of failure, gratitude, happiness, head heart hands hope, hope, learning, learning specialist, memory problems, reading comprehension, school problems, self-involvement in learning, success, teacher training |
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Expeditionary Learning (Video & Design Principles)
Give Me Shelter video; to view video click on link: Expeditionary Learning ………………………………………………………………………………………………
In February 2009, President Barack Obama visited Capital City Public Charter School, an Expeditionary Learning School in Washington, DC, and said the school “is an example of how all our schools should be.” – From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expeditionary_learning_schools
Design Principles of Expeditionary Learning Schools (ELS)
The following design principles serve as a moral and cultural foundation for each Expeditionary Learning School. They express the core values and educational philosophy of Expeditionary Learning.4
The Primacy of Self-Discovery states that learning happens best with emotion, challenge and the requisite support. People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. The primary task of the teacher is to help students overcome their fears and discover they can do more than they thought they could.
The Having of Wonderful Ideas places emphasis on fostering curiosity about the world by creating learning situations that provide something important to think about, time to experiment, and time to make sense of what is observed.
The Responsibility for Learning argues that learning is both a personal process of discovery and a social activity. Therefore, every aspect of an Expeditionary Learning school encourages both children and adults to become increasingly responsible for directing their own personal and collective learning.
Empathy and Caring believes that learning is fostered best in communities where students’ and teachers’ ideas are respected and where there is mutual trust. Older students often mentor younger ones, and students feel physically and emotionally safe.
Success and Failure states the fact that all students need to be successful if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important for students to learn from their failures, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities.
Collaboration and Competition positions Expeditionary Learning schools as integrating individual development and group development, so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Students are encouraged to compete not against each other, but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.
Diversity and Inclusion believes that both diversity and inclusion increase the richness of ideas, creative power, problem-solving ability, and respect for others. Schools and learning groups are heterogeneous.
The Natural World helps create a direct and respectful relationship with the natural world, which refreshes the human spirit and teaches the important ideas of recurring cycles and cause and effect. Students learn to become stewards of the earth and of future generations.
Solitude and Reflection argues that students and teachers need time alone to explore their own thoughts, make their own connections, and create their own ideas. They also need time to exchange their reflections with other students and with adults.
Service and Compassion places emphasis on strengthening students and teachers through acts of consequential service to others. One of an Expeditionary Learning school’s primary functions is to prepare students with the attitudes and skills to learn from and be of service. [1]
See also
The Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kurt_Hahn_Expeditionary_Learning_School#cite_ref-0
Outward Bound USA, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outward_Bound_USA#Expeditionary_Learning_Outward_Bound
Notes
1 ELS Website 2 Kearns, David T 3 Berends, Mark (2002) 4 ELS Website 5 Murphy, Josheph F. and Amanda Datnow (2002) 6 ELS Website 7 The Kauffman Foundation Website 8 Borman, Geoffrey, et al. 9 Capital City PCS Website
References
Berends, Mark (2002), Facing the Challenges of Whole School Reform: New American Schools After a Decade. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation.
Murphy, Joseph F., and Amanda Datnow (2002), Leadership Lessons from Comprehensive School Reform. Corwin Press.
Kearns, David T, Toward a New Generation of American Schools. The Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 74, No. 10 (Jun., 1993), pp. 773-776.
Borman, Geoffrey D., Gina M. Hewes, Laura T. Overman, Shelly Brown (2002), Comprehensive School Reform and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis. Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk, Report # 59.
Bodilly, Susan (1998), Lessons From New American Schools’ Scale-Up Phase: Prospects for Bringing Designs to Multiple Schools. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation.
The Kauffman Foundation, http://www.kauffman.org/education/expeditionary-learning-schools-outward-bound.aspx
Expeditionary Learning Schools Outward Bound, http://www.elschools.org/index.html
Capital City Public Charter School, http://ccpcs.org/news/54
Mosle, Sara, May 28, 1995. “A City School Experiment that Actually Works”. The New York Times.
Herszenhorn, David M., March 20, 2006. “A New York School That Teaches Teamwork by Camping”. The New York Times. …………………………………………………………………………………………………
The Pacific Heritage Academy (PHA), a proposed charter school for Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, is using the ELS (Expeditionary Learning Schools) model for its guide. For more information on the Pacific Heritage Academy (PHA), see their Facebook website: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=290162105890&topic=12898&post=59598#!/pages/Pacific-Heritage-Schools/290162105890
To the improvement of all schools in all nations!
Doc Meek, Saturday, July 31, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA —————————–
J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com
For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026
THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095
====================================
Posted in Learning Difficulties, learning solutions, overcoming learning problems |
Tags: active learning, applied learning, best learning, brain rules, changing your behavior, changing your mind, community of learners, Doc Meek, docmeek, effective field trips, Expeditionary Learning, group learning, head heart hands hope, hope, PHA (Pacific Heritage Academy), self-involvement in learning, teacher training |
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Pat Wyman is a learning specialist par excellence
I am very grateful to Pat Wyman for her guest article below. – Doc Meek
America’s Most Trusted Learning Expert
Instant Learning Strategies®: The Top Five Secrets You Need to Learn Anything Fast
In your ever-busy, “on demand” life, have you ever wondered how it would feel to be able to learn twice as much in half the time? Life changes in an instant, so here is a proven, Instant Learning® formula that will give you the learning edge you need.
Whether you are a CEO, an employee in job training, a student, or a parent, did you know that a baby learning to walk uses the same techniques that are key to your Instant Learning® ability? The baby practices but really learns to walk in an “instant” once he unlocks the code I share in my Instant Learning® seminars—”learning is not about being smart; it’s about strategy!”
Curious? Read on, put your eyebrows on relax, and you will remember everything you read in this chapter. Here are five proven strategies that neuroscientists, psychologists, and learning experts say anyone can use to confidently learn anything new. I call this Instant Learning® formula BBAPI.
1. Belief
You already believe that you can learn in an instant because you’ve been doing it your whole life. When you were younger, you learned thousands of new things, firm in the belief that you would succeed. You simply tried new strategies until you mastered the task. As Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing, or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
Right now, give yourself permission to believe that you can learn anything based solely on the information you receive from your actions. Adjust your learning strategies as you read this chapter, and do things differently until you get the result you want. Remember, your belief and strategies together are so strong that they inspire the highest vision of what is possible.
2. Body
Your body movements are a reflection of what is going on in your brain. If you lie on the couch in a dimly lit room and say self-defeating things to yourself while deciding that you’re going to learn something new, you will simply end up on the couch. This is information that you’re not highly motivated to learn anything new.
Do this: change your body position as if you are perfectly successful and record how you feel. When you are ready to learn something new, put yourself into your “success position.” Next, do what experts do with their bodies: I call it “Brain Smart, Body Smart™.” Make sure you get any “body or brain” roadblocks to learning out of the way. Have your eyes checked by a developmental optometrist to make sure that you see the printed page the same way others do; make sure you are hearing properly; exercise, love your body enough to put nourishing foods into it, and explore why supplements like omega 3s, which are proven to help you think faster and remember longer, are the very best strategies to enhance your body and brain.
3. Association
Have you ever met someone and liked them right away, even though you did not actually know the person? The reason is called association, which neuroscientists say is created from connections in your brain that remind you of someone else you already know and like.
To make learning faster, connect it with something you already know because your brain craves patterns. To cement the learning, add more connections like humor, uniqueness, emotion, and visual, auditory, and tactile modalities. Psychologists report that you can learn something new the very first time, if the associations you make along with it are strong enough. When I teach medical students how to recall complicated medical terms, we use humorous letters, pictures, and words connected with things they already know. Their learning is stress-free and virtually “instant”!
4. Pictures
Have you ever read sections of a book and then forgot what you just read? After you see a movie, do you notice that it seems easier to remember the pictures?
Picture recall has much more meaning across many parts of the brain, so the saying “one picture is worth a thousand words” really is true. Whenever you are reading something new, put your body into success position and become a filmmaker in your mind. Read something, look up, and make a movie from the words. Then, add your own, personalized version of something familiar in your picture. Connect the two images, and when you look up at your images again, you’ll easily be able to learn and remember whatever you want. This is called the eye-brain connection.
5. Input, Storage, and Output Need to be Matched
If you wanted to find out whether a baseball player had the skills to make the team, would you give the person a written test? Sounds silly, but the mismatch between learning and testing styles is a major reason people wonder about whether they can learn new things.
One of the best-kept learning secrets that you’ll never hear in school is how to match learning styles with testing styles for effortless learning. Discover your preferred learning style (visual, auditory, or tactile), and ask yourself what style will be used to test your knowledge. Match your learning style (input), memory style (storage), and testing style (output), and learning becomes a breeze.
Remember, learning is not about being smart. It is only about strategy, and once you know the strategies, you can choose to learn anything at any time. Learning how to learn is your key to Instant Learning® for a lifetime of learning success.
For your FREE Personal Learning Styles Inventory, and your 4 FREE chapters of my immediately downloadable eBook, Instant Learning® for Amazing Grades, go to: www.howtolearn.com/amazinggrades.html
– Pat Wyman ………………………………………………………………………………………..
Thank you, Pat!
Doc Meek, Thursday, July 29, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA ——————————-
J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com
For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026
THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095
.
(4a) Working with your brain: Easy examples
Tuesday, June 29, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA
The brain can be likened to a multiple-drawer steel filing cabinet
– PICTURES in the top drawer of the brain
– SOUNDS in the middle drawer of the brain
– FEELINGS (tactile) in the bottom drawers
– FEELINGS (emotions) in the bottom drawers
This is part (4a) article in a series of 7 articles, designed to help us work with our very own brain more easily, and to encourage our children or our students to learn how to work with their very own brains more easily.
If you missed the Introduction to this series of 7 articles, or the first 3 articles , simply click on the titles below:
(Intro) Learning to run our brain: 10 minutes daily
(1) Learning to run our own brain: Fear of failure
(2) Learning to run our brain: Vital need for HOPE . . . always
(3) Learning to run our brain: What are qualifications for the daily “brain coach?”
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The brain can be likened to a vertical multiple-drawer filing cabinet
If we want to easily retrieve a specific file folder from the filing cabinet, we have to make sure we put that specific file folder securely in the filing cabinet in the first place. 😮
OK, if my brain is a “filing cabinet,” how do I get the needed stuff . . . in and out of it . . . easily . . . every day?
Well, for one thing, we might prefer a “softer,” simpler image of the brain-as-filing-cabinet analogy. How about this approach . . . this gentler image?
Our brain can be likened to a vertical 4-drawer wooden filing cabinet; photo at: hayneedle.com
To get stuff in and out of our filing cabinet (brain) easily, we need to remember two major things:
A. Our brain is immensely complex, with extensive storage capacity
B. Our brain–despite enormous complexity–mainly does four (4) things
So what are the four (4) simple things my brain does?
(1) Our brain brings in information
(2) Our brain moves information around, organizes it
(3) Our brain stores information
(4) Our brain brings information back out, brings information to our attention
Can be more complicated in my private practice
The problem is that each of our brains is unique, and each of us does these four (4) things in thousands, perhaps millions, of different ways. 😮
However, that is my problem really, when I am working with a particular client in my private practice. Or, more accurately, it is a joint effort, a partnership between myself and my client.
As a learning specialist, when I am working with clients to help them overcome learning problems, we need to figure out, jointly and specifically, some of those thousands of ways in which their brain is working uniquely for them.
Less complicated in regular daily life
For our everyday purposes, knowing those four (4) simple things, and learning how to manage them more easily, is straightforward. Let’s check on some simple and easy things we can do with each of these four (4) processes our brain uses all the time.
(1) Our brain brings in information
Some people call this “registration.” In other words, how do we “put in” information when we first encounter it? Sometimes this is “done for us,” by the brain’s various subsystems, if the input is dramatic enough. Most of the time, however, this registration process is very much up to each of us, individually. Our personal choice entirely. All we have to do, really, is consciously think about what we want to input securely on the “first pass,” so to speak.
The classic example of remembering names will be presented in part (b) of this fourth (4th) article.
For a colorful review of ways to improve this process of “registration,” see my previous article. Just click on the title:
The learning brain needs “uprightness” for greatest efficiency
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So, now that we’ve looked at brain “registration” or brain “inputs,” let’s move on to the second (2nd) of the four (4) macro processes the brain uses.
(2) Our brain moves information around, organizes it
The brain is doing this all the time, especially at night, while you are sleeping. This is one of the most important functions of our brain. And this is why it is imperative that you get a decent night’s rest. A “sleep-deprived” brain is not just going to have problems with registration and memory, it will produce all manner of dysfunctions: mental, emotional, social, physical, spiritual, etc.
Get enough sleep deprivation, and your brain is sure to find dis-ease, and follow up with disease. Not funny.
More about this aspect of our brains in future articles.
(3) Our brain stores information
Again, our brains are doing this all the time, especially when we sleep. Get a good night’s rest, eh? 😮
More on this in future articles.
(4) Our brain brings information back out, brings information to our attention
Ah . . . retrieval of the information we need . . . the bane of our existence . . . especially as we grow older, eh?
This is the “relax . . . and it will come out a lot easier” game. You know this. When you are tense, anxious, depressed or stressed, information is not as readily available to the “surface,” as when you relax . . . take it easy . . . and let the brain’s subsystems dive deeply and easily for important things. More on this in future articles.
To having a fun run at managing our brain more easily!
Doc Meek, Tues, June 29, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA
P.S. Hey, my writer friend, Richard Paul Evans, just told me:
“Today is GratiTuesday!” This is the day we can express gratitude for all those things for which we are grateful. The thing for which I am most grateful — besides my wife Jeannette of course 😮 — is that I am able to feel gratitude. This has not always been so, so I am doubly grateful. 😮
—
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: Dr. Meek (587) 400-4707, Edmonton, AB
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 81, Nuku’alofa
USA: Dr. Meek (801) 738-3763, South Jordan, Utah
For optimum brain health, get optimum heart health:
More on heart health: http://www.themeekteam.info
USA: Jeannette (801) 971-1812; South Jordan, Utah
CANADA: Jeannette (587) 333-6923, Calgary, Alberta
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
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Posted in Learning Difficulties, learning solutions, overcoming learning problems |
Tags: active learning, ADD, ADHD, best learning, brain rules, changing your behavior, changing your mind, Doc Meek, docmeek, happiness, hope, learning disabilities, learning problems, memory, memory problems, success, teacher training |
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(3) Learning to run our brain: What are qualifications for the daily “brain coach?”
Photo from: http://www.workshopway.org/workshop-way.htm
Monday, June 28, 2010: This is the third (3rd) article in a series of seven (7) articles designed to help you or your child or your student run their own brain, and have fun doing it. If you missed the Introduction or the first two articles, just click on the title below:
(Intro) Learning to run our brain: 10 minutes daily
(1) Learning to run our own brain: Fear of failure
(2) Learning to run our brain: Vital need for HOPE . . . always
What are the qualifications for the daily “brain coach?”
If you are going to be effective, you need to have a “brain coach” who will work with your child or your student (or yourself, if you are the one having fun learning how to run your very own brain). 😮
There are only 2 qualification for the “brain coach,” both crucial (not just “nice to have”):
(1) Essential: That the “brain coach” likes your child/student (or you, If you are being coached)
(2) Essential: That your child/student (or you) likes the “brain coach”
Formal credentials, training, degrees, age, gender, etc., are not relevant for purposes of being a “brain coach.” Of course it goes without saying that the “brain coach” should be responsible and trustworthy. And the logistics of being available every day are important. No one is going to drive 20 miles every day for 10 minutes of coaching. It is usually necessary to have someone close at hand.
Who can I get to help for 10 minutes each day?
A no-cost, or low-cost person is best. A neighbor? Someone from your church or club who lives nearby? An older student who is in the same school (or a school on the same block), as the student being coached? Use your imagination. 😮
Retired people are excellent, if they have patience. Sometimes babysitters work out, if they have a good relationship with the younger one being coached, and the younger one likes them.
NRA (No Relatives Allowed) is the general rule, especially near-relatives
“Why can’t I be the brain coach? I’m here all the time,” say the mothers.
True. You are there all the time. Very handy.
“You care too much,” I tell the mothers.
Here’s the problem. Here’s why the NRA (No Relatives Allowed) rule is important for the child or student. The relative’s “very loving and overly-concerned feelings” usually run too high, and can get seriously in the way of learning.
Usually the relative “cares too much” about the child’s or student’s responses. In sessions where the child or student is not “getting” SSS (Something So Simple) for the brain coach, the brain coach (the overly-concerned relative, remember) will often end up saying SALT (Something About Like This):
“Now, Harold, this is the tenth [or fiftieth] time we have gone over this; let’s do it again, and see if you can get it right this time, OK?” This is often said through gritted teeth hidden behind a “Hollywood” smile. Regardless of how it is said, the dire implications are crystal clear.
The translation [for the child or student] is: “I must be dumb.”
Kids have good “radar.”
A long-range radar antenna; photo from Wikepedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Brain coach broadcasting “tight tummy”=”beaten brain” for the child
The mother can easily teach the neighbor’s child. How about switching places with the mother next door for coaching/learning purposes?
What a relief! 😮
Bright brains can still need much time to “get it”
Even the brightest of brains can take extended time to “get” some concepts. Einstein was called a “dolt” in school.
Why does it take so long to “get” some things? We do not know.
What we do know, is that every one of us has areas that we don’t “get” . . . yet . . . even far into adulthood. “Smarts” and “wisdom” don’t come easily in some areas of our lives, regardless of how intelligent and wise we are in other areas, eh?
The “brain coach” position requires high trust and easy learning strategies:
– “Chunk it down” (break everything–everything–down into small easy-to-learn segments)
– Make all the steps easier than necessary (this is easy to say, and may not be easy to do; this challenges the “brain coach.” eh?)
– Make it humorous, foolish or ridiculous if you have to, to solve the “easiness” criteria; in fact this is a good idea anytime, since the brain loves “oddball” and “far out” as some of its best learning tools)
– Smile 😮
– Smile:o
– Smile 😮
It’s not a contest to see how much you can change the child/student (you can’t change anybody anyway, in case you haven’t noticed . . . yet). 😮
It’s just a simple sharing of brain strategies that are fun and easy to learn. Doc Meek can teach the “brain coach” in person, over the phone, by email, or by website blogging.
Simple example of how the brain learns best . . . easy . . . hopeful
Let’s say you are teaching a child/student how to use their brain to remember the spelling of a word. In this simple example, you would teach them how to spell such words as these:
Easy, rapid, quick, bright, smart, fast, hope, intelligent, and so on. 😮
You do NOT teach words such as:
Stupid, dumb, slow, etc. (If they never learn to spell these words properly, so much the better!).
To running our own brains better! 😮
Doc Meek, Mon, June 28, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA
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“What if you are smarter than you think?”
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Posted in Learning Difficulties, learning solutions, overcoming learning problems |
Tags: active learning, ADD, best learning, brain coach, brain rules, changing your behavior, changing your mind, daily brain coach, Doc Meek, docmeek, fear of failure, happiness, hope, memory, success, teacher training |
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“What can one teacher do?” – “Many A. Teacher” :o)
What can one teacher do?
I asked this previously here on THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE blog, posted on April 28, 2010.
That article detailed what an ordinary teacher, Miss “A,” did in a poor elementary school in a ravaged neighborhood in the city of Montreal, province of Quebec, Canada.
She simply defied the immediate evidence in the Grade One class in front of her, and made sure each child knew she personally cared about them, regardless of their academic performance or personal deportment. What an achievement!
The students carried that remarkable Grade One experience with them all through school and into life. What an achievement!
If you wish to review that article, simply click on the colored title below:
What can one teacher do?
Someone thought, “Maybe that was just a “one-off” Canadian example
Image from: http://www.profile-comments.com/images/teacher/
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What about this example?
It was reliably reported to me that John Hopkins University did a retrospective study as well.
A class of grad students had been sent into a slum neighborhood to pick out 200 slum boys, aged 12 to 16. The grad students had been trained to do personal “workups” on each of these selected 200 boys and to predict which of them would end up in prison.
The result?
The prediction was that 180 of these boys would end up in prison (90%).
Twenty-five years later, more grad students were sent out to locate these boys. Apparently some tracking had been done in the meantime so that this task proved not impossible. Most of the 180 boys were located.
Big surprise!
Only 4 of the 180 boys had served time (about 2%), not anywhere near the high prediction.
Why? Why had most of the boys stayed out of prison?
The prediction instrument used had validity. What “messed” things up so beautifully!?
Turns out that about 75% of these 180 boys had had a certain teacher.
So the researchers looked up the teacher, found her in a nursing home. When asked if she could think of what she might have done that would have so influenced these boys that they had avoided prison, she replied, “No . . . I really couldn’t say . . . ”
She looked off into the distance, and then–more to herself than to the researchers–she said under her breath:
“I sure loved those boys.”
Doc Meek, Tuesday, June 15, 2010 (2nd posting, evening)
At Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA; not at South Jordan, Utah, USA
Brains love movement and “take-a-break” music (plus sitting exercises & maybe even a “power” nap?)
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Photo from: www.lumosity.com/blog/benefits-of-power-napping/ …………………………………………………………………………………..
When was the last time we gave our brain a break?
We are not just talking about a weekend or a holiday here.
We are wondering if we have learned (yet) to give our brain a break, whether sitting at school or sitting in the workplace. Or sitting studying, or sitting working at mental tasks at home? How about working on the computer?
[ Or even just “potato couching” in front of the TV? 😮 ]
All that is needed is to stop our brain task momentarily, stand up, take several deep breaths, and “shake, rattle and roll,” using our best singing (or non-singing) voice if possible. 😮
If it’s a public place and elaborate physical displays are not appropriate, simply stand, take three deep breaths, stretch our arms to the ceiling, and sing silently to ourselves, eh? 😮
Or we might just have to stay sitting, take three deep breaths, wiggle our feet and hands under the desk, smile . . . lean back . . . smile deeply . . . and everybody will wonder what we’ve been up to. 😮
Add some “take-a-break” music (earphones if in a public place) and hey, we’re “up, up and away” with our brain! Like Superman or Superwoman eh!
What’s a “power” nap?
It’s a short nap taken during the day (right after lunch?), perhaps 10 to 20 minutes in length (not too long or you’ll wake up groggy). It’s purpose is to refresh our body and brain for the ongoing daily tasks.
You would think that if you are chronically sleep-deprived, this would be just the ticket. And it might be, dependent upon how sleep deprived you actually are. Sadly, if you are seriously sleep deprived the “power” nap may “backfire,” leaving you more groggy than you were before you took the nap. In this case, do something about your ongoing sleep deprivation overnight before your body or mind stop you with symptoms and illnesses of various kinds (physical and mental). Does this motivate you? Or not?
How about some simple “right-at-the-desk” stretches?
Exercises below from this website address (copy and paste into your web browser):
http://www.womensheart.org/content/Exercise/stretching_exercise.asp
Stretches for side of neck:
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Stretches side of neck
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Stretches back of neck
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Stretches side of shoulder and back of upper arm
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Posted in Learning Difficulties, learning solutions |
Tags: active learning, best learning, brain rules, changing your behavior, changing your mind, color, Doc Meek, docmeek, memory, movement, music, success |
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Want your brain sharp? Give it a rest
Today is Sunday and it made me think about reminding all of us to give our brains a period of rest, a sabbath (lower case).
Many religions observe a weekly day of rest, a Sabbath (upper case), a day to turn their work-a-day thinking/feelings in another direction. To look upward and notice loftier things. Or softer and gentler things. Things of the heart, things of the spirit. Many Muslims observe Friday as their Sabbath; many Jews observe Saturday as their Sabbath; and many Christians observe Sunday as their Sabbath.
Many people relate to nature as their sabbath.Walking in nature can sometimes provide an uplift found nowhere else.
Universities may provide a sabbatical year for professors, a year in which they can relax and refresh and renew their research interests.
“Believers” and “Non-believers” Alike
Whether we are “believers” or “non-believers,” our brains still need a “time out,” a sabbath. It improves our ability to learn, to remember, to be sharp. Sharp and awake. Mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, spiritually.
As Stephen R. Covey (1989, 2004) reminded us in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, if we just keep on sawing with the same old saw, over and over again, it will get dull.
He told us that it is essential to stop, to “sharpen the saw.” If we just keep sawing on, hoping to finish the pile of lumber today, we just become less and less efficient. Finally, we are still working very hard indeed and not much lumber is getting cut. The saw is simply too dull to do its work properly.
Stop. “Sharpen the saw.”
How Often Do Our Brains Need R and R?
How often should we stop to sharpen the saw, to give our brain a time of rest and renewal?
Every 7 years?
Annually?
Monthly?
Weekly?
Daily?
Hourly?
Every 10-20 minutes?
All of the above? Yes, and I’ll tell you why.
Our brain, somewhat analogous to our muscles, needs work to develop and be strong, and needs rest to recuperate and renew. Such renewal periods, whether taken after 20 minutes of homework, or a hard week’s work at the office or factory, improve memory, focus, attention, interest, and all manner of cognitive abilities that delight and bless us.
Now . . . today . . . and on to infinity.
Doc Meek, May 2, 2010
Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA
