How We Learn

Walking A Mile In Someone Else’s Shoes

The deeper I get into this project, the more I realize that most of the information I learn is ephemeral. One day, complete understanding of some concept; two weeks later, barely a fuzzy memory.

Here's what happens: I'll spend a few weeks studying math (or grammar, or reading), then I'll turn my attention to another element that needs tending to, and by the time I go back, the original information is hazy (at best), and certainly not enough to solve the problem at hand.

I can't help thinking about my daughter, who has repeatedly told me "it's really hard to get good grades in every subject at the same time."

She's right! I really, deeply, get it!

Turns out there's science to verify this frustrating phenomenon and a new study by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) about the brain orchestrating competition between memories:

For the last 100 years, it has been appreciated that trying to learn facts and skills in quick succession can be a frustrating exercise,” explains Edwin Robertson, MD, DPhil, an Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and BIDMC. “Because no sooner has a new memory been acquired than its retention is jeopardized by learning another fact or skill.

There's a new discovery about a potential solution which I'm not going to attempt to explain, but you can read it on this Science blog.

All I can say is, this is not easy!

llustrations by Jennifer Orkin Lewis

11 Comments | posted July 13th, 2011

Rick

My dad tells me to write everything in a master notebook. He tells me that even if I have to look at this 20 years later, I will be able to learn it right away. Maybe you should try it! :)
- http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier
  
  How funny. I believe your dad is right on....and in fact I do try to do that. I have too many systems going though, and am in a constant battle to whittle it all down.
  
  http://perfectscoreproject.com/2011/05/study-tools/
  
  I believe what your dad says though. There's something about people doing that in the book The Shallows before Google existed.
  - Anonymous
    
    Have you thought of just doing a little of each section every day instead of rotating the three and (hyper-)focusing on each one in turn? It sounds like to really get everything into your memory, you're going to have to make sure not to give yourself the opportunity to forget any of it. I know that when you get into something, you get really, really into it, but you might have to change your approach a bit. There's a reason I try to start with SAT students in the fall of their junior year -- it takes a *long* time to get your skills to the point where you can access them automatically, and during that time, it's very easy to backslide if you stop thinking about something for a little while.
    - http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier
      
      Yes, it's absolutely my intention to do what you describe above....but I rarely achieve this goal because everything takes way longer than I think it will -- and then add to that that I stuff my calendar to the gills. I spent half a day last week clearing and canceling everything on my calendar so that I would have time do do exactly what you are suggesting -- and now, somehow, calendar is all jammed up again.
      
      This is my shortcoming, my challenge (one of the many). My default is "yes," and the result is a lot of magic happens in my life -- and I never seem to get done as much as I want to.
      
      I have started working with a Cognitive Psychologist and am very excited to see what he finds out and what he suggests (it's about memory and focus....and whatever else he finds!). I took an IQ test yesterday. Yikes. What if I'm just not smart enough to do it!
      
      I'm off now to see the Alexander McQueen show at the Met. Another derailment, and yet, I guess I don't regret any of these derailments. Hopefully I'll have time to do some math and grammar when I get home. I did complete Kumon, an essay, and got through my emails this morning! So it's not like I'm sitting around doing nothing!
      
      I used to wake up at 5 am. Now I seem to be getting up at 7. Those two lost hours are not good. Need to reinstitute going to bed earlier and waking up to routine you suggest above.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Deia-Rodigues/1209647072 Deia Rodigues

Dear Debbie Stier, Hi

How does one revise for the SAT's ? would it be like studying for an exam for a subject in particular or different? I've been filling out some sample test, and the re-reading the exam a bunch of times.
- http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier
  
  I *think* you have to do fresh exams to see if you're actually learning the material. I'd say, do a test (or a section of a test, as I prefer), correct it and make sure you understand your mistakes, then do another section.
  
  But ask http://qa.pwnthesat.com/ask for his opinion because he got a perfect score and can advise better than I can ;)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Deia-Rodigues/1209647072 Deia Rodigues

Dear Debbie Stier, Hi

How does one revise for the SAT's ? would it be like studying for an exam for a subject in particular or different? I've been filling out some sample test, and the re-reading the exam a bunch of times.
Simon

If remembering is absolutely essential to you doing the best in the S.A.T. then you need to check out this fascinating article: http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-05/ff_wozniak?currentPage=all and try using Supermemo. If Supermemo feels to mechanistic for you, then take Piotr Wozniak's advice on becoming a genius: ' You must clarify your goals, gain knowledge through spaced repetition,
preserve health, work steadily, minimize stress, refuse interruption,
and never resist sleep when tired. This should lead to radically
improved intelligence and creativity. The only cost: turning your back
on every convention of social life'. I'm sure this will see your improvement in the test rise dramatically.
- http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier
  
  Thank you. Am headed for cup of coffee and to read this. Really interesting. It's funny that "turning back on convention of social life" is an element, because I feel that in my gut and there's a big part of me that wants to do that -- but I also don't want to be the crazy hermit SAT lady. I wonder if there's a shortcut on that one, or if it's an absolute.
  
  well, will find out soon enough ;)
http://twitter.com/SheldonWordNerd Sheldon the WordNerd

Funny. Just catching up on your blog, and discovered your mention of the TMS study. Just wrote my own blog on it last night. If you're interested...http://www.word-nerd.com/pt/blog/default.aspx?id=129&t=Theres-a-reason-you-have-trouble-learni

The traditional classroom SAT course is so bad for real learning!
- http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier
  
  cool....going there now.....