To obtain knowledge to such an extent that one can present it by heart during a formal examination is not every child’s cup of tea. In fact, it is not every adult’s cup of tea. The brain simply strikes after absorbing, or ruminating, a certain amount of knowledge in a specific limit of time, like the stomach strikes after the intake of an overload of food. Symptoms of a striking stomach are nausea and vomiting, while impatience and anger are symptoms of a striking brain.
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Studying
- Reading the particular chapter. During this phase you have to reach the point of comprehension where you understand all descriptions and explanation of titles and subtitles to such an extent that you can explain it to someone else while having the book (manual) at hand.
- Summarizing (condensing) the chapter in order to highlight the most important facts. (Writing, or typing, creating sensible titles and subtitles.)
- Reading the summary aloud, as if your voice is the teacher and you ears are learners. During this phase you may explain and describe the titles and subtitles as you have remembered them during step one. If you are not able to explain, you have not reached the point of comprehension during the first step. You better repeat step one.
- Memorise the summary by reading it a couple of times.
How much studying can the brain of a ten year old child handle before striking?
I reminded myself that she already had the knowledge she needed for the exam, gained during lessons that were given by her teacher and exercises and projects she had to do for homework. All she had to do under my supervision was to organize the selected information in such a way that she could provide it during a formal exam.
The subject was Natural Science. Among others, she had to submit answers to questions such as what things are alive, what things are dead, what things are dead but can live again, what are the seven things all living things do, what do living things need in order to survive, what exactly is a habitat, and these covered but only four of the how-many pages she had to know.
The concentration span of the 9-11 year old child should be 30-45 minutes
The first thirty minutes passed without any hiccups, and then, out of the blue, Mia became impatient and angry. While her script was small, it was suddenly extra-large and bold. She cried, obviously overwhelmed by self-pity.
“Okay, let’s break!” I said.
“Nooo! I still have a sentence to do!” She was about to surprise me with a tantrum I haven’t seen in decades, so I decided to keep a low profile while pouring the tea she knew she was going to get during her break. (I have an open-plan kitchen; she could see what I was doing.)
Her break began on a high note. She played piano for about five minutes, then she watched TV while drinking tea for about five minutes, and the last five minutes was play-time with her dog Bella.
The second session of summarizing lasted fifteen minutes, and the third only five minutes. But thank heavens, she has done all pages, and just in time to meet her mother at the gate.
Can you see when it was time for her to break?
What about poor Granny?
I dedicate this post to all parents, teachers, and supervisors at day care centres. Thanks to them, children acquire and remember most important knowledge while grandmothers are free to enjoy their hobbies.
Wishing you only the best,
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