Posts Tagged ‘learning’

Monday, September 27, 2010. I am grateful for people who remind us that learning new skills needs to be done in order, generally speaking.

Image from:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1-Fo7uQlrY&feature=related

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.”

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900); scholar, writer, philosopher; quote from: http://www.Values.com

Thank you, Friedrich!

Doc Meek,  Monday, September 27, 2010, at Edmonton, 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

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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

https://docmeek.com

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.

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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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Wednesday, August 4, 2010. My oldest daughter’s birthday today! She’s all grown up, married, has two children, and left home long ago. 😮 Happy birthday, Tanya! And many more!

Tanya and her two daughters; photo from Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/photo.php?pid=1167193&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=583987065&id=711955527&fbid=27865975527

Learning to love learning

Tanya is a good example of the importance of loving learning. If you don’t want to fall in love with learning, that’s OK. Just learn to enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy it now, find a way–somehow–to learn to make it easier for yourself to study more efficiently and to remember longer. You can do it, believe me.

That’s what I teach my students in my private practice at THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE. When you learn to enjoy learning, or at least to enjoy becoming more competent, it will stand you in good stead your whole life through.

Tanya finished high school with good grades and went on to nursing school to pursue and obtain her RN (Registered Nurse) Certificate. Later, she completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing.

When she worked “up north,” as we say in Canada (it’s actually “down north,” in terms of elevation), she was both nurse and “doctor” in the sense that she was the only “medical” person for many miles around. She provided great service in Canada’s north.

Later, in more turbulent times

Later, when she was going through a “rough patch” in her life, she was so grateful to have secured post-secondary qualifications, as she was able to provide sufficient income to more than just survive.

So, pay attention girls. You never know what life will bring. Get all the education and/or training that you can and you will always congratulate yourself for looking after your future self as best you could.

When the going gets tough in your schooling, get help. Fortunately there is usually an abundance of help of all kinds for people who are trying to better themselves through advanced education or training.

To the best that is in you, girls!

Blessings, Doc Meek, Wednesday, August 4, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah ———————————–

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

====================================

“I’ve always loved reading.” – Doc Meek

I found that reading takes me into realms of knowledge about people, places and things . . .  and everything! I can soar to the moon and on to the cosmos, plummet the depths of the sea, and do everything in between.

And I can go backwards and forwards in time, and remain in the moment of now if I want to.

“Paying attention to now is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.” 😮

Who gave me this quotation (I can’t remember right now)?

I can read slow and savor. I can read fast and furious [speed, not affect 😮 ]. Or I can read a mile a minute, if I have to. If I want to. (Using Photoreading, courtesy of my friend Dr. Paul Scheele and The Learning Strategies Corporation).

Fun to read a big book in 10 – 12   minutes, eh?

A guest blog from Sean Stephenson

Just got an email from Sean Stephenson on the topic of reading. I enjoy his blithe spirit.

Here’s Sean’s article from his blog (copy and paste Sean’s URL below into your computer’s browser line to access his website):

http://www.livingatcause.com/blog/563/readers-are-leaders/

Readers Are Leaders

All learning involves change of some sort, and all change involves learning of some sort. As a learning specialist, I have always been intrigued by this mutuality. However I have not seen the following quotation until now.

“If you laugh – you change; and when you change – the world changes.” – Shilpa Shah

Lilly Fluger: <www.lillyarts.com/html/puzzle025.html> ………………………………………………………………………………………..

This quotation reminded me of the famous book entitled Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins. Published years ago now, Norman was the first person of which I am aware that first brought to my attention the healing powers of laughter.

In Anatomy of an Illness, Norman tells us of his chronic disease from which he could not seem to get any relief from pain. Wikipedia reports that he developed a recovery program incorporating megadoses of Vitamin C along with a positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter induced by Marx Brothers films.

Norman reported: “I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter . . . would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep.”

What has laughter got to do with learning?

Laughter not only releases people from physical pain, it also releases people from emotional pain. Many students in classrooms and children in homes may be in emotional pain of which we may not even be aware. A steady hand on the rudder and a sense of humor as we sail on in life in the classroom and in the home (or in the workplace for that matter) can go far to ease the hidden emotional sore spots and pains.

In critical situations in the classroom or in the home, many a day has been saved by the teacher or the parent seeing the humor in the heat of turmoil, threat or anger. Many an explosive situation has been defused by the adult in the case resorting to humor instead of retaliation or force. This is not easy. With kindness aforethought, it is do-able.

Sometimes, even the student or the child can be the leader, can lead the adult  in seeing the humor that can lighten the load of both.

Of course humor and laughter responses in tough scenarios need to be thought about, practiced, and developed in advance. If we are open to humor and have done some thinking about it, and practicing with it in calm seas, it may arise and bail us out when we least expect it–and most need it–in rough seas.

If good humor and laughter are used as everyday things, practiced as part of the ordinary teaching-learning patterns in classrooms and in homes, they can make a huge difference in learning, both for students and teachers alike.

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.”  – Jean Houston

Humor knows no equal when it is used to respond to insults.

Abraham Lincoln [a man with an ugly visage, we are told] was called a “two-faced liar” in a very public forum. He paused a moment, took a deep breath, and responded:

“I submit to you . . .  if I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” The house roared with laughter and the danger was gone.

Blessings,

Doc Meek, May 24, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S.  And finally, for teachers and parents who bear a heavy load, Abraham Lincoln lifts our burdens with these poignant words:

“With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die.”