Love Study

Before I begin I need to disclose that I do not have a degree in this area or a qualification of any sort. My notes on this post come from my experience in a Student Support Role at Napier Girls’ High School from 2010-2013; and before that from the observations of my own children and then from my own experiences as a student. I might put it to you that it is indeed possible to cultivate a love of study and I think the discipline or practice associated with any such thing you wish to improve upon and then come to love, is first established in the way you best learn, comprehend and retain information. That is to say as some of us are predisposed to the love of the colour green while others may find purple, yellow or blue there go to colour— and therefore in my opinion there is indeed a style of studying that may suit you the very best.

Let’s break these down in to my own terms, not those of the more academic vernacular. To me it is simply: 1) those whose brains retains information audibly and orally. Those who hear and remember. Thus listening and then repeating in speech the information they have heard. 2) Those who make the brain a literal filing cabinet. When the hand allows the writing and printing to flow, those unique images that we scratch upon paper make imprints and landmarks in our brain— those who read and highlightin; make understandable notes in their own hand thus compiling a hard copy document. 3) Then there are those who remember while their body is moving. For example this student might have notes on the wall in a very visible way and then throw a soft ball against the wall and repeat the notes; almost like learning poetry. 4) Those whose skill of reading and comprehension is so finely tuned that retention and understanding of information is done on the fly so to speak. An efficient and very powerful skill to have been born with or those where reading, and comprehension is second nature.

I add in a fifth dimension here as we are now in the digital age. All of the above methods can then be followed up by really discovering how much we have comprehended the material needed to be successful in our studies in two really useful ways. Both an act of repetition and we all know repetition leads to familiarity, confidence and expertise. So firstly to make digital files and notes. Making fun heading and using great fonts and other formatting styles, adding in pictures and making almost a wee book out of the material. Secondly giving a speech as though you are an authority on this special subject.

To my mind the key to successful study is that it needs to be a daily practice. The year planned and the information that needs to be learned and retained ascertained. Sometimes this is the most difficult of all. It requires only one question put to your educator. “What do I need to focus on primarily to pass this class. Then another question what information and skills do I need to pass this paper well.” And I think most teachers or tutors like to hear this of their students. They might say it is all written down there for you in your notes but do press them and I believe they will respond favourably. Don’t be shy. Much of our frustration in learning comes from our hesitancy and timidness to ask these things of those who are in charge of our learning.

The answer to the above needs to headline and to be the index to all your recorded learnings.