Thursday 28 June 2018

10 Things Quick Learners Do Differently To Pick Up Anything

Wet stone flag.

10 Things Quick Learners Do Differently To Pick Up Anything
Jon Brooks

Never before has there been so much information readily available at our fingertips.
Never before has there been so many free resources to learn new skills and expand our minds.
But with this unprecedented access to knowledge,
never before has there been so much confusion about what advice one ought to follow.
More often than not, what separates the people who seem to pick things up fast and excel
at everything they try isn’t that they’ve stumbled on the best insights out there.
Rather, it’s that they’ve learned how to learn well.
Here are 10 things quick learners do differently to pick up anything.

1. Use the 80/20 rule
In 1906 an Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, observed that 80% of the land in Italy was owned
by 20% of the population. Taking the observation further he noticed that 80% of the peas
in his garden were produced from 20% of the pods. Y
ears later, economist Joseph M. Juran called this 80/20 rule the Pareto principle.
Productivity experts like NYT bestselling author Tim Ferriss have popularised this approach
as a means to learning quickly. For instance, when it comes to learning a language
a good question to begin with is: what are the 20% of the words that are used 80% of the time?
Find the 80/20 rule in the subject of your studies. What are the main ideas? What are the most important elements that yield the biggest return on investment? Start with these questions.

2. View failure as feedback
We often try to avoid failure at all costs. We typically engage in pastimes we feel competent in
and try not to venture out of our comfort pits for fear of looking like a dork. We play it safe.
This isn’t the way we’ve always been. When learning how to talk, we would mumble and sing
and talk gobbledegook for hours on end to anyone who would listen. When first learning to walk,
we would crawl and stand and fall hundreds of times, sometimes hurting ourselves,
and try again a few minutes later.
Think about all of the hobbies you had growing up–yo-yo, skateboarding, drawing, instruments, sports–every month there was a new fad every kid had to try.
We were excited to learn, to improve, whether that meant failing along the way or not.
The greatest minds in history keep this childlike curiosity their entire lives.
Thomas Edison, arguably the greatest creative scientist of all time,
was racing to invent the light bulb before anyone else. He failed over 10,000 times.
When asked in an interview how he felt about his failures, without a missing a beat he replied:
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
There can be no learning without failure. Embrace it.

3. Simplify
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo da Vinci
The idea of the superhuman learner who reads 15 books on different subjects at once,
 while learning 10 different languages and writing 3 novels, is a myth.
Multitasking leads to poor performance.
A study conducted by the University of London found that people who had their email on
while doing work that required concentration lost 10 IQ points.
If you haven’t slept for 36 hours, you lose 10 IQ points.
If you smoke marijuana, you lose four IQ points. Too many distractions make us dumb.⁠
Super learners, like Leonardo da Vinci, went through periods of intense immersion.
Although he is famous for being a scientist and an artist, da Vinci didn’t take an interest in maths until he was 40. Then he spent five years learning everything he could about it.
With learning, we must simplify. We must give all of our attention to one topic at a time.
Taking on too many tasks at once weakens our ability to learn.

4. Ask “why” five times to dig deeper
When we see someone perform a magic trick, we’re usually presented with three acts:
the pledge, the turn and the prestige. An ABC if you like.
To the magician, however, there are rarely just three acts, but dozens.
In between A and B there is a further A1, A2 and A3 which the audience never sees.
Good learners look deeper than what is merely presented on the surface.
Quick learners ask why multiple times, even when they think they know the answer.
They probe further. Knowing is not enough, we must understand.
The next time you are presented with a subject you want to learn,
ask “why” five times to dig deeper.

5. Keep a positive attitude
Positive psychologist Martin Seligman has done lots of research on learned optimism.
While everyone has a range, everyone can improve their level of optimism.
If you want to be a quick learner, optimism should be one of the first things you learn.
Optimists don’t feel happy all the time. Optimists feel the same amount of negative emotions
as pessimists. The difference is that optimists bounce back quicker. If you’re faced with a setback,
a rejection, or a failure–all of which are inevitable in the learning process
–the more likely you’ll be to interpret it as helpful feedback.
We can learn to become more optimistic by simply challenging our instinctive thought processes. The next time we get an F on an exam instead of instinctively thinking, “I’m terrible,
and will never improve,” we should challenge this assertion: “Did I study as hard as I could have?
I’ll never ever improve? Not even if I spend 1000 hours more practicing?”

6. Practice what has been learned
Daniel Coyle, in his book The Talent Code, explains the three essential components
of skill acquisition as: passion, deep practice and master coaching.
Theory without application is a huge waste of time. Benny Lewis, author of a popular language learning blog, said that he lived in Spain for six months and attended Spanish courses,
yet still had terrible Spanish. He made the simple decision to start speaking it every day 
even if he looked like an idiot. In less than three months he was fluent.
We are physical beings. In order to internalize lessons we have to physically go through the motions. Imagine trying to learn how to play piano by reading about musical notation,
or entering a boxing match after reading up on how to throw a punch. It will never work.
There’s a reason there’s the saying, “practice makes perfect.”
Nobody ever says, “Reading theory makes perfect.”

7. Ask experts for advice
Most of the greatest learners in their field had mentors. In Robert Greene’s book, Mastery, which is all about quick learners, he dedicates a third of the book to what he calls “The Ideal Apprenticeship.” Greene believes that having experts and mentors is invaluable when it comes to learning:
“In the stories of the greatest Masters, past and present, we can inevitably detect a phase
in their lives in which all of their future powers were in development, like the chrysalis of a butterfly. This part of their lives–a largely self-directed apprenticeship that lasts some five to ten years –receives little attention because it does not contain stories of great achievement or discovery.
Often in their Apprenticeship Phase, these types are not yet much different from anyone else.
Under the surface, however, their minds are transforming in ways we cannot see
but contain all of the seeds of their future success.”
The great thing about living in the information age is that there are plenty of experts to learn from. While having one-to-one tuition from a master is useful, it’s not essential.
We can find mentors on YouTube, or in books that we can learn from by imitation.
As an aspiring artist I often copy the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
Green sums up the apprenticeship phase as follows:
The principle is simple and must be engraved deeply in your mind: the goal of an apprenticeship i
s not money, a good position, a title, or a diploma, but rather the transformation of your mind
and character — the first transformation on the way to mastery.

8. Do not pretend to understand when you don’t
I made this mistake when I went scuba diving in Cyprus. I daydreamed throughout the seminar expecting to learn while I was in the water. That was a big mistake.
When you have heavy equipment on your back, being just a few feet underwater feels like
you’re on the bottom of the ocean. It was terrifying.
On a ship, when an order is given it’s always repeated back to the captain.
The captain needs to know that you understood his instruction.
This rule came about because people were nodding along compliantly without really understanding what the captain wanted them to do. How many accidents happened because of this?
We learn so well as children because we have no self-image. We’re not trying to be seen as clever.
If a young child doesn’t understand something, he will usually ask a million questions until he does. By pretending to understand something, you’re falling prey to an egotistic need to appear smart. Quick learners appreciate how little they know, then go about learning it.

9. Balance scepticism with open mindedness
Leonardo da Vinci said:
“Study the science of art and the art of science.”
Einstein said:
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.
It is the source of all true art and science.”
Both of these masters were scientific and creative in equal doses. They knew how to be scientific, but they also knew the limits of logic when compared to imagination.
To be a quick learner you have to treat every past idea, no matter how it first appears,
with a pinch of salt, while at the same time respecting it enough to test it out.
If you dismiss an idea too quickly, you are being too skeptical. If you get sucked into an idea
too quickly and let it start dominating your life, you’re being too suggestible and open-minded.
A quick learner takes what works, discards what doesn’t, and moves on.

10. Small rewards
From the outside video games seem illogical. We choose to spend hundreds of hours carrying out tasks that don’t need to be done, don’t improve our lives outside of the game, and we pay to do it. The secret video games have is the balance between reward and challenge. When you’re playing a video game you don’t need to wait until the end of the month to get your reward.
You get it immediately. There’s an ongoing feedback loop throughout the task,
sort of like having a mentor offering their feedback as you go.
We need to balance our learning with rewards if we’re going to stay motivated long enough
to learn what we need to learn. Everyone’s reward may be slightly different.
For some it will be having a cup of coffee after an hour of practice.
For others it will be showing off what they’ve learnt in a performance of some kind.
Find out what your reward might be and implement it into your learning schedule.
All work and no play…
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-things-quick-learners-differently-pick-anything.html


Turbo Charged Reading: Readmore>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR music, poetry or self development material for internal knowing.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube 
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others.  

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.” 

Monday 25 June 2018

10 Ways to Increase Your Reading Speed

Red sails at Felixstowe

10 Ways to Increase Your Reading Speed
Alexia Bullard

Do you have a lot of paperwork to get through with a deadline that continues to stalk you
around every corner? Do you have a lot of reading to do before class tomorrow?
 Do you simply just want to read at a faster rate, whether it be for your own personal reasons,
or for work? Here are ten proven ways to help increase your reading speed.

1. Stop the Inner Monologue
One’s inner monologue, also known as subvocalization, is an extremely common trait
among readers. It is the process of speaking the words in your head as you read,
and it is the biggest obstacle that gets in the way of you being able to increase your reading speed.
If you’re hearing voices in your head when you’re reading, don’t fret. As long as it is your own voice, reading along with you, you’re fine. In fact, this is how teachers teach kids to read – say the words silently in your head as you read. Do you recall the instructions, “Read in your head,
as I read the passage aloud”, that were said fairly often in the classrooms? That is one of the ways
in which this habit of having an inner monologue was ingrained into you as a young reader.
When you were initially taught to read, you were taught to sound out everything and read aloud. Once you were proficient enough at that, your teacher had you start saying the words in your head. This is how the habit originated, and most people continue reading this way. It does not adversely affect them in any way, until they start wanting to read at a faster pace. If you are seeking
to increase your reading speed, this is the first thing you must learn to overcome.
Why does this slow you down? The average reading speed is pretty much the same as the average talking speed. According to Forbes, the average adult reading speed is 300 words per minute.
The average talking speed is the same. Since most people are in the habit of saying the words aloud in their head as they read, they tend to read around the same pace as they talk. This means,
your reading speed will only increase so much if you continue to keep up that inner monologue.
If you want to continue to increase your reading speed, you need to eliminate it.
To do this, you need to understand one thing: It’s unnecessary. You do not need to say every word
in your head in order to understand the material you are reading. It was when you are younger,
but now you are able to input the meaning from just seeing the words. Your brain still processes
 the information. For example, when you see a “YIELD” sign, do you actually stop to speak the word in your head? Of course not. You just look at it and process it automatically.
This is what you need to be doing when you read your print material, such as books or paperwork.
If you have a hard time attempting this, try reading with instrumental music playing in headphones or chew on some gum. A distraction will keep your brain less focused on subvocalization,
though you will still look at the words and process them.

2. Word–Chunking
Word-chunking closely parallels with the idea of eliminating the inner monologue.
This is the act of reading multiple words at once, and is the key to reading faster.
All of these reading tips tie together, yet word-chunking is probably the most active tool to use when you work to increase your reading speed.
A person can take in several words at a time, even though we are trained –
as mentioned with the inner monologue – to read each word at a time and not miss a single article.
Using your peripheral vision is one way to make this step easier, but we will get to that
in the next section. For now, focus on trying to read three words with one glance.
Continue on down the page like that, taking note of how much faster you complete the entire page of text. You are still able to process and comprehend what you read, but spend far less time doing it.
Now, take that concept one step further. Take a pencil and lightly draw two vertical, parallel lines down your page, separating the text into three sections. Start at the top left of the page as usual, and cover up everything below that line with your hand or a piece of paper.
Focus on reading the text in each section as one thing. Chunk the words together, and read them at a glance as you would a road sign. Keep doing this down the page, moving the paper accordingly. You will notice that your speed was faster than before.
Continue with this method until you feel comfortable enough to challenge yourself a bit more.

3. Do Not Reread the Words on the Page
Before we move on to the peripheral vision part – that’s the real kicker – you’re going to want
to make sure you break the habit of rereading the words on the page. If you watch the average person’s eyes as they read, you will notice they jump and flit about. They do not just flow evenly back and forth, as they should. This is because the average person – you do this, too –
tends to backtrack over words they have already read.
This is one thing that prevents you from being able to increase your reading speed.
You most likely do this without even realizing that you are doing it, which makes it a bit of a tricky habit to break out of. The easiest way, even though you may feel a bit childish, is to use your finger or bookmark to guide you along. Keep your finger running back and forth across the page,
without stopping or going back. Keep tracking the words as your finger continues to make its way down the text. When you get to the end, think about what you read.
You did not go back over a single word (I hope!), and yet you still recall what you have read.

4. Use Peripheral Vision
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the key step that really ties everything together.
While this may not be the final step, it’s certainly a critical one. Use the techniques
from everything above to view and comprehend several words at one time.
Instead of chunking in smaller groups of words, try reading one line at a time.
This involves looking at the center of the line, and using your peripheral vision to read the rest of it. Scan the page in this manner and, when you reach the bottom,
you will find that you still understood what you read, but you did it in record time.

5. Use a Timer
Speaking of ‘record time’, now is your chance to test yourself and work on how to increase 
your reading speed each time you read. Set a timer for one minute, reading normally
as the time dwindles down. When the timer goes off, note how many pages you have read.
The website, WordstoPages, will help you to figure out how many words you have read.
Now, combine everything you have learned and repeat the test. Jot down that number, too.
Keep doing this, continuing to beat your previous count each time. Set a daily or weekly goal,
and treat yourself when you reach it.
Continue with this little game, and you’ll be able to increase your reading speed in no time!

6. Set a Goal
Holding yourself accountable will better ensure you stick with your reading and your timer tests. Give yourself a goal of a certain number of pages to read each day/week/etc., and stick to it.
When you reach it, treat yourself. Incentive never hurt anyone!

7. Read MORE
The old adage, “Practice makes perfect,” is actually pretty darn accurate. Any professional, artist, musician, etc. practices their work regularly. A reader should be doing the same thing.
The more you read, the more you will be better at it. The better you are at reading,
 the more you will increase your reading speed.  Theodore Roosevelt read one book
before breakfast, and then three or four more in the evening. He also read papers and other such pamphlet-style reading material. I’m not sure how long these books were,
but I am going to assume they were of average length. Use his obsession as fuel for your own goal.

8. Use a Marker
Do you find your vision slipping and sliding through the page as you read? Not a problem.
Simply place an index card below each line, and slip it down as you read. This will ensure you stay
at reading one line at a time, rather than flitting your eyes about and taking nothing in.

9. Work on Improving Your Vocabulary
Think about it: You’re reading along, and then you run into a word you don’t know.
Do you skip it? Do you try to figure it out by context? Do you stop to look it up?
Whichever course of action you take, you are slowing your time significantly,
if not stopping it all together to go and look up the retarding word. If you work on improving
your vocabulary, you will know more words. The more words you add to your repertoire, the faster you read. The faster you read, the more you can read. It may be self-evident, but it’s important.

10. Skim the Main Points FIRST
Finally, when you’re in a real time-crunch and need to get something read by yesterday,
take a deep breath and calm down. Open the book, and take some time reading over
all the main points. Read the table of contents. Read the subtitles.
Read the captions under the diagrams. Get an overall feel for the chapter/section/etc..
Next, read the first paragraph of each main section. Read the last. Read the middle.
Think this over in your head, and piece it together. Then, start reading everything else
while employing the techniques we have just discussed.
You’ll retain your information better, as well as your get your reading done faster.
In summation, the next time you need to read something quickly,
simply tell yourself to “Shut up and look at the page!”

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-ways-increase-your-reading-speed.html

Turbo Charged Reading: Readmore>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR music, poetry or self development material for internal knowing.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube



Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.


To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”
Privacy Policy.

Friday 22 June 2018

The Neuroscience Behind Stress and Learning

Ivy berries look like pin cushions.

The Neuroscience Behind Stress and Learning
Judy Willis MD

The realities of standardized tests and increasingly structured, if not synchronized,
curriculum continue to build classroom stress levels. Neuroimaging research reveals
the disturbances in the brain's learning circuits and neurotransmitters that accompany stressful learning environments. The neuroscientific research about learning has revealed the negative impact of stress and anxiety and the qualitative improvement of the brain circuitry involved in memory
and executive function that accompanies positive motivation and engagement.

The Proven Effects of Positive Motivation
Thankfully, this information has led to the development of brain-compatible strategies
 to help students through the bleak terrain created by some of the current trends imposed
by the Common Core State Standards and similar mandates.
With brain-based teaching strategies that reduce classroom anxiety
and increase student connection to their lessons,
educators can help students learn more effectively.
In the past two decades, neuroimaging and brain-mapping research have provided objective support to the student-centered educational model. This brain research demonstrates that superior learning takes place when classroom experiences are relevant to students' lives, interests, and experiences. Lessons can be stimulating and challenging without being intimidating,
and the increasing curriculum requirements can be achieved without stress, anxiety, boredom,
and alienation as the pervasive emotions of the school day.
During my 15 years of practicing adult and child neurology with neuroimaging and brain mapping
as part of my diagnostic tool kit, I worked with children and adults with brain function disorders, including learning differences. When I then returned to university to obtain my credential
and Masters of Education degree, these familiar neuroimaging tools had become available
to education researchers. Their widespread use in schools and classrooms globally has yet to occur.
This brain research demonstrates that superior learning takes place when classroom experiences
are motivating and engaging. Positive motivation impacts brain metabolism, conduction of nerve impulses through the memory areas, and the release of neurotransmitters that increase executive function and attention. Relevant lessons help students feel that they are partners in their education, and they are engaged and motivated.
We live in a stressful world and troubled times, and that is not supposed to be the way for children to grow up. Schools can be the safe haven where academic practices and classroom strategies provide children with emotional comfort and pleasure as well as knowledge.
When teachers use strategies to reduce stress and build a positive emotional environment,
students gain emotional resilience and learn more efficiently and at higher levels of cognition.

Neuroimaging and EEG Studies
Studies of electrical activity (EEG or brain waves) and metabolic activity (from specialized brain scans measuring glucose or oxygen use and blood flow) show the synchronization of brain activity
as information passes from the sensory input processing areas of the somatosensory cortex
to the reticular activating and limbic systems. For example, bursts of brain activity
from the somatosensory cortex are followed milliseconds later by bursts of electrical activity
in the hippocampus, amygdala, and then the other parts of the limbic system.
This data from one of the most exciting areas of brain-based learning research gives us a way to see which techniques and strategies stimulate or impede communication between the parts of the brain when information is processed and stored.
In other words, properly applied, we can identify and remove barriers to student understanding!

The amygdala is part of limbic system in the temporal lobe. It was first believed to function
as a brain center for responding primarily to anxiety and fear.
Indeed, when the amygdala senses threat, it becomes over-activated.
In students, these neuroimaging findings in the amygdala are seen with feelings of helplessness
and anxiety. When the amygdala is in this state of stress-induced over-activation,
new sensory information cannot pass through it to access the memory and association circuits.
This is the actual neuroimaging visualization of what has been called the affective filter 
by Stephen Krashen and others. This term describes an emotional state of stress in students
during which they are not responsive to learning and storing new information. What is now evident on brain scans during times of stress is objective physical evidence of this affective filter.
With such evidence-based research, the affective filter theories cannot be disparaged as
"feel-good education" or an "excuse to coddle students" -- if students are stressed out,
the information cannot get in. This is a matter of science.
This affective state occurs when students feel alienated from their academic experience
and anxious about their lack of understanding. Consider the example of the decodable "books"
used in phonics-heavy reading instruction. These are not engaging and motivating. They are usually not relevant to the students' lives because their goal is to include words that can be decoded
based on the lesson. Decodability is often at the expense of authentic meaning to the child.
Reading becomes tedious and, for some children, confusing and anxiety-provoking.
In this state, there is reduced passage of information through the neural pathways
from the amygdala to higher cognitive centers of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex,
where information is processed, associated, and stored for later retrieval and executive functioning.
Additional neuroimaging studies of the amygdala, hippocampus, and the rest of the limbic system, along with measurement of dopamine and other brain chemical transmitters during
the learning process, reveal that students' comfort level has critical impact on
information transmission and storage in the brain. The factors that have been found to affect
this comfort level such as self-confidence, trust and positive feelings for teachers,
and supportive classroom and school communities are directly related to the state of mind compatible with the most successful learning, remembering, and higher-order thinking.

The Power of Joyful Learning
The highest-level executive thinking, making connections, and "aha" moments of insight
and creative innovation are more likely to occur in an atmosphere of what Alfie Kohn calls 
exuberant discovery, where students of all ages retain that kindergarten enthusiasm
of embracing each day with the joy of learning. With current research and data in the field
of neuroscience, we see growing opportunities to coordinate the design of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in ways that will reflect these incredible discoveries.
Joy and enthusiasm are absolutely essential for learning to happen -- literally, scientifically,
as a matter of fact and research.
Shouldn't it be our challenge and opportunity to design learning that embraces these ingredients?

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/neuroscience-behind-stress-and-learning-judy-willis

Turbo Charged Reading: Read more>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR software and engineering manuals for spontaneously recall – or pass that exam.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube



Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.


To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Tuesday 19 June 2018

No. 1 Reason Practice Makes Perfect

This saddle fungus has never come back these last few years.

No. 1 Reason Practice Makes Perfect
The Brain Science of Muscle Memory
Christopher Bergland

My father was born the son of Montana missionaries in the 1930s. Becoming the Montana State tennis champion as a high school student was his ticket out of Glendive. He got a scholarship
to attend college, went on to Cornell medical school and became a neurosurgeon. 
He said, "Of this I am absolutely positive, becoming a neurosurgeon was a direct consequence
of my eye for the ball." This quotation sums up The Athlete's Way because it captures the parallels between sports and career that come into play for all of us. It also captures why I am so interested
in the link between brain science and athletics--and the link between 'practice, practice, practice' 
and success.
Although being a state tennis champion is technically what got my father a college scholarship,
that 'trophy' is secondary to everything else that he learned on the tennis court that stuck
with him for the rest of his life. His brain was rewired through his daily workouts. He was able to transfer his 'eye for the ball' into 'focus' and remain intellectually sharper than the rest.
His daily tennis practice gave him the physicality, dexterity, and stamina to be a world-class surgeon.
My father wanted me to be the next Björn Borg. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed from a very young age. I wanted my father to be proud of me and I worked very hard on the tennis court. When I was growing up, tennis was our only real alone time and we played every Sunday. His coaching was based on an understanding that muscle memory is stored in a part of your brain called the "cerebellum" (Latin: little brain). My dad's mantra to me as a kid was:
"Carve the grooves into the cerebellum, Chris. Think about hammering and forging your
muscle memory with every stroke." The cerebellum is the #1 reason that practice makes perfect.
He knew from tennis and surgery that you had to do the same thing again and again and again
to hardwire it into long-term muscle memory that is stored in the cerebellum. I played tennis
for the first time in almost a decade a few weeks ago and was amazed how quickly all those years
of playing with my dad and the hours and hours of hitting a ball repetitively against a backboard came rushing back. It is exactly the same 'cerebellar' (pertaining to the cerebellum)
long-term muscle memory we refer to when we say: "It's just like riding a bike." You never forget how to do it once you've hardwired it into the skill center of the cerebellum through practice.
Before you read any farther, please watch this short 2-minute cartoon compiled by the DORE programs of the UK that brilliantly explains how the cerebellum relates to your cerebrum
when learning and mastering new skills. Video unavailable.

The word cerebellum was coined by Leonardo da Vinci in 1504
when he was making anatomical wax castings of the brain. The cerebellum is the size of a kiwi
and is tucked under the much larger cerebrum in the base of your skull.
The average cerebellum only weighs one-quarter of a pound but ounce-for-ounce packs a walloping punch. Although the cerebellum is only 10% of total brain volume it holds more than 50%
of the brain's neurons. Because of this disproportionate distribution of neurons my father
always said of the cerebellum, "Whatever it's doing, it's doing a lot of it." He was obsessed
with trying to unravel the mysteries of the cerebellum and passed that obsession on to me.
As a kid the word 'cerebellum' and 'cerebrum' seemed too complex so I coined the term 'up brain' for the cerebrum and 'down brain' for the cerebellum. I know that these terms may seem grammatically incorrect but they are a direct and cogent response to the terms 'left brain'
and 'right brain.'  In the 70s there was a lot of talk about the left brain being your 'intellectual' brain that was good with words and numbers; and your right brain being your 'creative' brain
that was good with images and art.
If pushed to categorize the cognitive differences between the down brain and up brain,
I would say that the up brain is the house of your conscious 'thinking mind' and the down brain
 is the house of your intuitive 'subconscious mind.' However, I am fully aware that dividing the brain and mind into a rigid dichotomy of 'down brain-up brain' is an oversimplification
and not 100% scientifically accurate. Nonetheless, I still find this split-brain model
a useful paradigm for facilitating self-understanding and improvement.
All parts of the brain work together in concert for everything we do. Assigning specific traits
solely to one hemisphere--or any portion of the brain--is generally considered to be 'bad science.' That said, I would still encourage you to use the terms down brain-up brain as a simple and visual way to categorize an aspect of your psychology when you are taking inventory of your mindset
and behavior. As a split-brain model it is helpful for isolating habits and character traits.
Once you have identified an area that needs work, you can then make changes that will maximize your potential and improve your performance in sports and in life.
For example: Arthur Ashe said, "There is a syndrome in sports called 'paralysis by analysis'." One helpful way to avoid being too 'analytical' is to tag that mindset as being too "up brain" or cerebral. If you are over-thinking things, your very large prefrontal cortex stored in the up brain
is getting in the way and blocking the more intuitive 'down brain' from working it's non-thinking
and completely fluid muscle memory magic.
The up brain is so big and so powerful that it is hard to turn it down sometimes. When you choke
in sport, or become over-excited, it is because your up brain is overpowering your down brain. Remember this visual and literally shift your consciousness away from the prefrontal cortex
by relaxing the backs of your eyes, taking some deep breathes and 'letting go.'
To create super fluid performance you need to seat yourself in the down brain which has –
practiced, practiced, practiced - and have your actions spring from there. 
I call this state of peak performance "Superfluidity." You become super fluid in sports - and in life - when you have freed up the working memory of your cerebrum to strategize and keep tabs on
the more cerebral aspects of everything that's going on while completely trusting your gut
and the intuitive powers of your cerebellum.
In closing, please watch this video of Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt
having one of the most incredible rallies in tennis history.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wS5GisEQ_j8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This is Superfluidity in action! Listen to the rhythmic timing of Roger Federer's footwork
(he's in the white shirt.) The down brain is running the show for both of them throughout
the early part of the rally. They almost look like robots repeating the same motion again and again and again as if they are both hitting against a backboard.  It creates a trance like feeling
but the up brain is waiting in the wings and calculating when to make a break and begin to play
the game of chess necessary to win the point with a strategic and unexpected placement.
This video holds many clues on how to maximize the use of your up brain and down brain on and off the court. Watch it again any time you need motivation to stick with it and practice, practice, practice anything that you want to become world-class at.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201110/no-1-reason-practice-makes-perfect


Turbo Charged Reading:  Read More>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR specialist and language dictionaries that are spontaneously accessed.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube 
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube



Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Saturday 16 June 2018

Stanch Kid’s Summer Learning Loss

Scabious.

Stanch Kid’s Summer Learning Loss
Written by Trudy M. and Edited by Elle Yi 

Most children look forward to summer vacation because it is a break from school and learning. Unfortunately, children can also experience loss of learning
if they do not continue to practice academic skills away from school.
The U.S. Department of Education estimates that children will lose as much as 25 percent
of their academic learning during summer vacation.
Many children exercise their bodies during the summer,
but it is also important for them to exercise their brains.
There are many easy ways for children to exercise their brains during summer vacation.
By practicing academic skills in the summer, children can avoid summer learning loss
and be ahead of their peers when they return to school.
 Here are six summer activities to help create smarter children.
These activities are appropriate for children of all ages,
and most do not require any special equipment or technology.

Reading
Reading is the foundation of all other learning, so it is important for kids
to continue to practice even when school is not in session.
Encourage your children to read for pleasure during the summer months
by signing up for a summer reading program at your local library.

Writing
During summer vacation, have your children keep a journal of their activities
or write fictional stories. Writing is a good way to exercise their brains
while encouraging them to use their imagination.
Help your children boost their vocabulary by teaching them
how to use a thesaurus or dictionary to improve their writing.

Cooking and Baking
Summer is a great time to learn a new skill.
Children of all ages can help with cooking and baking in the summer.
Not only is cooking a practical life-skill,
but it is also a great way to practice basic math skills in a real-life context.

Sports
Sports and other physical activities strengthen the body and the brain.
In addition, healthy competition can teach self-confidence and teamwork.
There are many summer sports available for children of all ages
including swimming, dancing, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, gymnastics and martial arts.

Gardening
Gardening is a wonderful summer activity to share with your children.
It helps them develop an appreciation for nature by teaching them
what it takes to make plants grow. Whether they prefer a flower garden or a vegetable garden,
this is a great way to get kids outside and enjoy the environment.

Board Games
In the summer, consider teaching your child how to play board games
that require strategic thinking, such as Chess.
Scrabble is a fantastic way for children to learn new vocabulary and practice spelling.
There are several versions of Scrabble to fit your family’s ages and needs.
Another educational game is Monopoly.
By playing, your kids can have fun and boost their math skills, as well.

Learning during the summer is easy with any of these activities.
All of these pastimes can help your child avoid summer learning loss
while having fun learning new skills or improving on the fundamentals
such as math and reading. Encourage your children to practice academics during the summer
so they can experience success when school is back in session.
Encourage your children to practice academics during the summer
so they can experience success when school is back in session.

About the author: Trudy M. works at The Growing Tree Academy located in Houston, TX. http://www.parentinginformer.com/stanch-kids-summer-learning-loss.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+parentingInformer+%28ParentingInformer+%29


You can TCR music, poetry or self development material for internal knowing.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube 
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”