Think About This! // 8

LESS IS MORE - SIMPLISTIC LEARNING SYSTEMS THAT WORK

As a teacher, I believe whole-heartedly that vital, practical, established systems are necessary for expedited learning.   Creating a framework for both how to learn and how to retain learning is highly significant.  Of course this seems contra-indicated to many educational systems that focus entirely on curriculum content with less thought given to equipping life-long learners with systems within which to frame their learning.

As a parent, it was always my intent to encourage tenaciousness and to provide structures that could eventually become the vehicle of each child's brand of genius. My own four children although dramatically different seem to all possess great aptitude for study, reading, writing and living life. The systems although absolutely necessary eventually become quite invisible as they simply provide the vehicle for growth and learning. The benefits from this is that each individual now has the tools to express their gifts and find their passions.  They are intentionally working with high-end systemic "power-tools" in the construction of their lives, insights and enjoyment.

Benefits of strong systems:

1.      Methodological guesswork is eliminated

2.  Study tools, note-taking tools, writing tools provide framework to build learning, academic expression and growth.

3.      Time is saved.  Time is a rich commodity that we must employ expeditiously.

4.       Stress is eliminated as a cache of purposeful, efficient tools is readily available.

Starter Kit of Tools:

1.      Note-taking Methods that loan themselves to efficient study and writing tasks

2.      Note-taking Methods and Optimal Review cycles for Vocabulary development

3.   Writing systems for critical writing tasks- the argumentative/ position essay, the literary essay, the expository essay, research writing, etc.

4.      Study systems incorporating daily review that leads into optimal review

5.      Pinpointed grammar usage- for poignant variation in writing

6.      Test-taking methods

7.      Reading voraciousness of varied genre encouraged from an early age

8.      Comprehension testing from an early age

9.      Math algorithms that become innate

10.  Financial savvy through early intention in how to make, save, invest and spend wisely

11.  Eating systems that fuel the body and assist the mind for optimal health and function

The Starter Kit of Tools is representative and undoubtedly each person could add to it depending on the nature of what life has for them. The main theme of this list is to use and fine-tune systems to provide the structural framework for your growth.  Just like in any beautiful architectural structure the framing may not be highly visible but it absolutely supports and dramatically enhances the purpose and beauty of the architecture.