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Learning curves

torahlovesalvation

torahlovesalvation

Member
Real Person
Greetings all. I needed some advice.
I've been working a few months now off and on to study for an exam that would allow me to get a state license. Problem being I don't do test very well. I've even thought about the fact I may have a learning disability. Though I'm not sure that's quite true. I believe the truth is I just learned differently. I've never fit in with Public School memorization type learning.

So here's the question. Is anyone aware of tips, tricks, techniques, or reading material that would help an individual that "thinks full picture and task at hand" vs single answer, memorization, detail oriented.
Thanks for all input
 
Oh man, this one is juicy. You've stumbled upon one of the greatest topics dealing with biblical gender roles and philosophy without even realizing, I think.

First, let me answer your question, then I will post below about how you stumbled onto a larger issue.

Try associations, either word or visual.
Example: furtive- to be secretive ( furt sounds like fart. I fart in secret to avoid shame.)
"Fartive"= furtive
Now use the visual image of yourself in private relieving yourself of flatulence. It sounds gross, but the more odd or outrageous, the better it will stick.

Try using well known songs and replacing the words. Write out the details to a concept, but insert the specific details with meanings.

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
Since I was born
And now it's all right, it's okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man

"Well you can tell that a term life policy
Is only for a while, not a whole life
Twenty years for a certain price, it will never change
Unless you die
Now it's all right, it's okay
But others look another way
You can try a whole life plan
And see the effects it has on man"

First Aid companies use this same song and beat to teach CPR. The rhythm of the BeeGees "Staying Alive" is said to match perfectly to chest compressions.

Just some thoughts.
 
I got into a light hearted argument with one of the women at our church a few weeks back. It boiled down to who was more effective at work. She argued women "get things done" and are more valuable. I pointed out that they are more often also micro managers. She said it was more about multitasking, not micromanagement. I didn't want to waste my time or be rude to another man's wife, so I cut it short.

Men and women do learn, think, and work differently (though many can exhibit both traits, or even reverse the traits).

In short:

Men- think in a more wholistic way...big picture...interrelated concepts and ideas...long-term plans...cost-benefit...if, then...vision setting.

Women- task oriented...short term goals...task completion...immediate needs...learning a specific process...keeping things in order.

Why are there so few women CEOs? Is it just sexism? No. In short, strong leaders set a vision, collaborate to develop a plan, find the best people to fulfill that plan, then oversee the implementation. Men usually fit that description better than women.

Some of the greatest innovations were invented by men looking beyond what is obvious, and trying to find a better path, or shorter route. Women are so often engaged in memorizing how to complete a task, and then getting it done, that innovation seems secondary.

Our education system (including Sunday Schools) values the feminized outlook of neat, quiet and pretty, while also stressing rote memorization of verses, books of the Bible, and biblical characters.

The star students memorized the preamble and the 23rd Psalm. They could sing every hymn without looking at a song sheet. It was neat, clean, and...feminine. But it was so often without context.

The first universities were established to help see a "universal" approach to God's creation and broad plan. The concept of a "liberal arts" education was for ministers to see how each of the main disciplines (art, science, music, biology, cosmology, etc) were all related to THEOLOGY. It was an education in how each domain effected the other, and how God oversaw all of them. Each of these universities were started by and attended by men. It was successful because the overwhelming majority of men could think in these broader themes.

Nowadays, what is university for? It's become feminized in that each person is expected to focus on specific majors and just "get through" the traditional prerequisites, and focus on specialization, usually without broader context.

And we wonder why it's been so hard for the last two to three generations to grasp the whole divine plan of God from "before the foundations" , to Calvary, to final judgment.
 
20+ years ago I had to sit some qualifying exams
I would get about 48%- 52% marks but only get thru 60% of the exam
I got a tutor that made me study previous exams
We got maybe 6 or 7 previous papers. My tutor taught me to select the easiest questions first. Then keep moving thru the questions from what I thought was easy to the hardest last.
Having tested on previous years papers. My confidence would rise because I knew I could get thru them.
Remind yourself it's not knowledge of the subject that's the problem
It's proving your knowledge

I'm a bit dyslexic but I'll never admit it. It would be like making excuses.
I don't do excuses , they're to much like lying down and giving up.
 
Mojo said:
Why are there so few women CEOs? Is it just sexism? No. In short, strong leaders set a vision, collaborate to develop a plan, find the best people to fulfill that plan, then oversee the implementation. Men usually fit that description better than women.
Click to expand...
Very, very, very game man!
Some of the women I have come to know over the years have been brilliant and outstripped their male counterparts.

MrB said:
I don't do excuses , they're to much like lying down and giving up.
Click to expand...
A friend years ago (when computers were young) asked have you ever wondered why kids seem to grasp these things better than we do. His explanation was that we tend to stress they just enjoy (its an adult thing). Most of us have the info but under the stress of trying to bring it to mind and the fear of getting it wrong, we find nothing but locked doors in our head. I don't know if it helps but I find that if I get my wife to argue against me in relation to the material at hand then I tend to relax and just enjoy the debate but next time the same info is easier to obtain from my own head as there was no stress just a good game.
 
Aussies said:
Very, very, very game man!
Some of the women I have come to know over the years have been brilliant and outstripped their male counterparts.


A friend years ago (when computers were young) asked have you ever wondered why kids seem to grasp these things better than we do. His explanation was that we tend to stress they just enjoy (its an adult thing). Most of us have the info but under the stress of trying to bring it to mind and the fear of getting it wrong, we find nothing but locked doors in our head. I don't know if it helps but I find that if I get my wife to argue against me in relation to the material at hand then I tend to relax and just enjoy the debate but next time the same info is easier to obtain from my own head as there was no stress just a good game.
Click to expand...
I wasn't arguing intellect, or raw IQ. I was talking about tendencies of leadership style. Males tend to be more hands off and vision/mission focused. Women tend to be more hands on and task completion oriented.

These are only generalities generalities, but there is data from numerous surveys in the workplace. Who would you rather have as your boss? Usually, it's males.

On the average, men don't tend to get caught up or sidetracked in the minutiae of details of personalities or other side issues. The overall mission is the focus. Remember the famous Godfather quote? "It's nothing personal, it's only business." Ever hear,"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." . I work around a lot of women and believe me, the petty, personal stuff gets pretty thick and the overall mission often gets sidetracked.

https://resumegenius.com/blog/rather-work-for-man-or-woman
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-male-bosses-better/

As far as computers and kids? I think a lot has to do with blank slates. Older folks have too many learned behaviors or responses that seem logical to them. Kids don't have any baggage to unpack before tackling new endeavors.
 
Mojo said:
Oh man, this one is juicy. You've stumbled upon one of the greatest topics dealing with biblical gender roles and philosophy without even realizing, I think.

First, let me answer your question, then I will post below about how you stumbled onto a larger issue.

Try associations, either word or visual.
Example: furtive- to be secretive ( furt sounds like fart. I fart in secret to avoid shame.)
"Fartive"= furtive
Now use the visual image of yourself in private relieving yourself of flatulence. It sounds gross, but the more odd or outrageous, the better it will stick.

Try using well known songs and replacing the words. Write out the details to a concept, but insert the specific details with meanings.

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
Since I was born
And now it's all right, it's okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man

"Well you can tell that a term life policy
Is only for a while, not a whole life
Twenty years for a certain price, it will never change
Unless you die
Now it's all right, it's okay
But others look another way
You can try a whole life plan
And see the effects it has on man"

First Aid companies use this same song and beat to teach CPR. The rhythm of the BeeGees "Staying Alive" is said to match perfectly to chest compressions.

Just some thoughts.
Click to expand...

I always knew 70's pop music was the answer! The canon is Neil Diamond, Three Dog Night and the BeeGees. You can insert CCR and the Eagles wherever you want. If you absolutely can't find any inspiration there then its time to disco!
 
On a 3x5 card I write word for word the concept, principle or term being taught. On the other side of the card I put it into my words, how I understand or could explain the concept. I turn them into flash cards and quiz, rehearse and memorize the material as best I can. Some people record the material and listen to it over and over. Others only have to highlight a few key works or take a few notes and they have the material done well. It would be good to find out what type of learner you are. I have a hard time studying. I have to walk while memorizing something, as well as talk out loud. It's embarrassing, but it works. Is there a sample test you can take and see where you may have weak spots?
 
ZecAustin said:
I always knew 70's pop music was the answer! The canon is Neil Diamond, Three Dog Night and the BeeGees. You can insert CCR and the Eagles wherever you want. If you absolutely can't find any inspiration there then its time to disco!
Click to expand...
Now I hope you can come up with new words to "Forever In Blue Jeans" and teach us about polygyny. Now that would be a 70s blockbuster!
 
Dear TLS,
Though I may be a bit off the rest of the thread . . . there are a couple of 'tricks' for reading that I have found helpful. It DOES depend on what kind of material your covering, but I have had to read a great deal in the past few years and not all of it has been interesting or edifying. The first trick to cover and retain material that you read is: don't read it. True story. Survey the entire book: Read the table of contents, Look over the introduction and conclusion, get a feel for what the author is trying to do. Question : Make questions out of the chapter titles and out of the subheadings on a sheet of paper or a tablet. (Hint: Don't do this like a 5th grade English assignment. Think about it like you are mining or trying to get the best out of the book. Each title or subheading is like the author promising 'you will find this here.' Usually they don't lie about it. ). 'Read' - This is in quotes, because it really depends on WHY you are reading the book and what you need out of it. If it is isn't scripture, you are not looking to hear the voice of God. If it isn't poetry or narrative ,you aren't trying to be captivated or entertained. Usually, you just need to get the good out of it. It's like eating peanuts. Crack the shell. Get the good out of it. You aren't going to search all over the floor for a half peanut you dropped. Move on. Same with reading. You aren't going to get 'everything' out of it. Get what you can. Next, RECITE (out loud usually works the best) what you got out of the book. Go over your questions and your answers. It is like having a conversation or conducting an interview with the author. Read the question you made out of the subheading like you are the interviewer. Read the answer that you found in the text. If it sounds like a good answer: great! If it sounds like a bad answer: read over the section more closely. Improve the answer if you can. In some cases, the author may just not have done well. Finally, a day or two later Review your notes. Make sure that everything your wrote down makes sense. The last two are probably the most important steps. If you recite what you think the author is saying and it makes sense, and then you go back over that material . . . it will help it go into your long term memory. Volumes have been written on this method under SQRRR.
Otherwise, 'mind-mapping' is a good way to try to get the 'whole picture' in hand. You can google it, but what it amounts to is 'translating' the idea of a book into a metaphor that makes sense for you. So, for example, I read a book on the 'canonization' of the Old Testament. I imagined the process like a tree and assigned different parts of the authors argument to different parts of the tree. It's not perfect, but I can still retain big parts of his argument. On the downside, I spent a LOT more time trying to reason through a metaphor that would make sense of the argument. In order to make sense of the argument I had to read the whole book . . . several times. If you want to understand the method of mind-mapping better . . . you probably had just better google it because it is tough to explain.
In summary, SQRRR can honestly help you 'get through' a 400 page book in a day. (There will be quite a few peanuts in with the shells - but you can make it through). Conversely, 'mind-mapping' may make a 150 page book take a week and a half. You will absolutely know the material, but that is largely because you have recreated the entire book according to your own metaphor.
Finally, Skim reading is the all important skill. In a book: read the first chapter and conclusion completely and carefully. If you do not find the author's i) thesis and or ii) purpose - either keep reading till you find it or throw the book away. Second, read the first and last paragraph of each chapter. Carefully. You can either do this each chapter at a time, or you can do it all at once. I like to skim read the first and last paragraph of every chapter so I get the idea of the book as a whole. Then I go back and look at the chapters one at a time. Skim reading the bulk of a chapter? Be guided by the questions you get from the sub-headings. Look for key words that are important to you. If there is something that is interesting or pertinent: read each and every word carefully. If it something that seems to be an illustration of a point that you already understand, or an example that is extraneous - skip it entirely.
I hope this helps.
 
Mojo said:
Now I hope you can come up with new words to "Forever In Blue Jeans" and teach us about polygyny. Now that would be a 70s blockbuster!
Click to expand...

What!!!??? You would commit that sacrilege? Nay sir nay! Some things are beyond the pale. That song is almost perfect the way it is!
 
Thank you all for your help. This is exactly the kind of response I was hoping to get.

I love The Walking to learn. I to catch myself pacing sometimes too. I've learned most of my quotation of scripture by listening to an audio Bible on my phone while driving. I have never been able to remember chapter and verse well but I can quote scripture quite readily. To put this in perspective, I was raised in the church and most of my learning of scripture has come in the past 4 years thanks to audiobook
 
ZecAustin said:
What!!!??? You would commit that sacrilege? Nay sir nay! Some things are beyond the pale. That song is almost perfect the way it is!
Click to expand...
Andrew is the musician. Maybe he can top Neil.
 
torahlovesalvation said:
Thank you all for your help. This is exactly the kind of response I was hoping to get.

I love The Walking to learn. I to catch myself pacing sometimes too. I've learned most of my quotation of scripture by listening to an audio Bible on my phone while driving. I have never been able to remember chapter and verse well but I can quote scripture quite readily. To put this in perspective, I was raised in the church and most of my learning of scripture has come in the past 4 years thanks to audiobook
Click to expand...
It's not just walking to learn TLS. Someone posted on here about teaching kids in SS or something like that. I mentioned a technique I was taught called TPR (total physical response). You sort of act out steps to a process or concept using either just your hands, or you can use your whole body. Read the concept, say it out loud, all the while motioning the process. Later on, you can even cement it with a drawing/diagram.
 
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