Dear Fellow Learner,
My next-door neighbors have an adorable, energetic little dog, and I love going out in our shared backyard and playing fetch with him. He's become really good at retrieving his ball or Frisbee.
To remember what we learn, our brains also need "retrieval practice." That's the technical cognitive psychology term for strengthening one's memories by recalling them over and over.
I like to think of it as playing fetch with one's brain. You ask your brain to retrieve a memory, for example What did we learn in history class today? or What did I just read? Let me recite it back...and the neurons in your brain are activated to strengthen that memory.
We naturally do this in many cases. When someone introduces themselves, don't you tend to repeat the new name to yourself a few times? Or when someone gives you directions, don't you rehearse them in your head so as to better understand and remember what you need to do? (Left at the stop sign then right at the light...left at the stop sign, right at the light...).
This common sense practice is just as helpful when learning school subjects. Let's see how you can apply the habit of retrieval practice now and throughout the coming school year!
Happy Learning!
-Ms. Cousins
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