Memory master
RENE remembers everything that is taught in class whereas Maria has a problem remembering. Have you ever wondered why some people can remember better and others can’t?
According to Achievers Platform Student Affairs director Tanalacksemy, students with superior memories don’t have a brain different from those less successful in remembering.
“No one has a poor memory, we either have a trained or an untrained memory,” she adds.
One of the key elements in memory is interest. This is evident by the fact that many students score better in subjects they are interested in. The same holds true for poor marks in subjects they dislike.
If someone is not interested in school or college studies, it is not solely the person’s fault. Look around you, how much of development have you seen for the last 30 years? There is development in the games children play (high tech computer games).
There is great development in music and in the movie world. These developments are in leaps and bounds and they can mesmerise the students for hours. Now, how much of development has gone into education to make education interesting?
The computer can hold a teenage student’s attention for atleast seven hours. Is it also true with the schoolbook?
Tana says those who are responsible for education should also make education exciting and interesting. Every subject may not be interesting to everybody. Therefore, the question is “How to make education interesting?”
Achievers Platform provides the following hints for students:
Study with a friend
Sometimes studying for long hours can be boring. According to Tana combine studies are helpful. When two or more people of common interest are sitting together, their interest level may increase. This also gives them the opportunity to discuss and clarify areas not clear to them.
Learn to like the teacher
In a research done by Achievers Platform, it was found that 79% of the students who loved their teachers were more interested in the subjects and also scored better results. Students who disliked the teacher also reflected poorly in the subject. Getting to know the teacher better and learning to like the teacher helps the student to feel relaxed and being in harmony about the subject.
In addition to that, it also facilitates easy access to the teacher to clarify doubts.
Preparation before lessons
Suppose tomorrow, the teacher is going to teach on the subject “photosynthesis” or how plants make food, it will be of great advantage if the student prepares for the subject tonight.
Read what the book has to say, look into the encyclopaedia, Internet or other reference books. Gather as much information as possible. The more the student prepares for his studies, the more interesting he will find it the next day.
Teach someone else
Whenever you learn something new, teach it to someone else. If you can teach the subject until your friend truly understands, then you definitely understood what you have learnt. Tana says, this technique not only helps to make the subject interesting but it also enables the subject to be etched in the Long Term Memory.
Achievers Platform trainer Anthoni Dass says, the brain works well with “interest” for certain reasons. He says our brain prioritises meaning and usefulness. The child learns fast how to handle the TV remote control or the computer key board because she finds it meaningful and useful.
However, many students don’t find the Pythagoras Theorem, Calculus and Laws of Physics immediately meaningful or useful.
Dass says, our brain may remember movies and pop songs fast, easily but it is poorly designed for textbook memory.
There can also be other psychological reasons which reduce a child’s interest and attention in school studies. Some of them are: - Being bullied in school - Parents going through divorce - Pressured by parents to secure all ‘A’s - Taking up a course which is not of interest to students but their parents
- Death of a family member, close friend or even a pet - Transfer from one school to another - Dumped by boyfriend or girlfriend (for teenagers) - Low self esteem According to Dass, a student who is psychologically disturbed by any of these may find it difficult to relate to studies. Dass adds that sometimes parents or even students themselves may not know that they have these “study blocks”.
Tana and Dass both stress that education has to be holistic. There can be many factors contributing to excellent studies and on top of the list is interest in studies.
At Achievers Platform, a special programme is conducted for students to enhance their memory power. Students are taught how to make studies interesting and information relevant to them.
All the techniques and methods above and many more will be incorporated in a three days seminar conducted by Achievers Platform. This programme is only conducted during the school holidays.
As such, there is always an overwhelming response from parents and students. Students come from all over the country – from West Malaysia (Kedah to Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu) and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) and also Brunei.
The students Memory Mastery and Leadership Course will be conducted personally by Tana known as “The Memory Master” and Dass “The Mahaguru in Public Speaking”.
Dass is a motivational speaker and he is well known for his Public Speaking Courses. He is also popular for the public programme he conducts for adults called “The Achievers Self Actualisation” Course.
Tana specialises in helping people improve their memory skills. Her experience in interacting with and counselling students for 16 years has helped many children with academic and personal problems. She employs the whole brain learning process to enhance better memory retention.
This course caters for primary students between nine to 12 years old, and secondary students aged 13-19 years old.
Tana can be contacted at 03-55137944, 03-55137955, e-mail tana_v@hotmail.com or achievers.platform@yahoo.com Achievers Platform is located at: 5F, 6th Floor, Block 1, Worldwide Business Park, Jalan Tinju 13/50, Section 13, Shah Alam, Selangor.