Postcards from the Funny Farm

Whether you are learning or teaching, it’s important to not over stuff your brain. Studies have shown that the mind cannot absorb more than three things at a time. So, if you are writing, don’t make more than 3 main points or they will be wasted on over-fed minds. If you are looking to read and understand something, break it down into three or less main categories. Yellow pads are great for this. You’d do well to “space out” the time you have to study as well. The theory of time spaced learning got me through College Algebra at the junior college. I have always struggled with math and a teacher shared with the class about it. My life has been improved ever since!

The theory goes like this: instead of studying to absorb new material over the course of an hour, break up your time into 15 minute increments. The data shows that memory is strongest when you start and stop a study time. Therefore, instead of having strong memories only twice in an hour, you will have them at the start and stop of each mini session. This equals more knowledge retained! Now this was great news to me, because I loved taking breaks from math!

When it comes to our brains, less is more and quality is better than quantity. Slow down and take more breaks, you’ll be amazed how much more you retain for life!

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Occasionally on this blog, you’ll have private access to the inner workings of a very complex and simple and often quite Bozo-like blog author’s brain. I try to be real, and sometimes I achieve it. (LOL) This is one of those posts, I hope you can relate, maybe learn what I have from it, and hopefully get a chuckle or two as you go.

My 2 year old rarely lets me guide her hand in an activity. She wants to make, build, cut, play, and everything else all on her own. Today when I think about it, I’m the same way about accepting help. Sometimes I say inwardly:

“I don’t need anybody, I can do it all by myself while training everyone else as well.”

Next year my grade-level-team is embarking on a monumentally different method of planning and teaching. Because we’ve never done this before, I’ve had a hard time outlining how it’s gonna work. I need help to lead my team. I contacted a teacher at another school across town and I am going to meet with her today to get the “help” I obviously need in this situation. Still, I can’t ignore my loud conscience saying:

“I am completely useless because I don’t know how to do this thing myself.”

For me, this is huge growth to have asked for help. I’m positive this meeting today will strengthen my knowledge, but until then I still feel reticent, hesitant. I feel like I will be bothering her, which is odd because I am always eager to help anybody who asks me. I should be entitled to help right? Why do I still feel this way? My inner voice says:

“I feel guilty for not being able to figure this out without bothering anyone.”

Help is an odd yet wonderful word. It signals weakness and ignorance when one needs it, and at the same time strength and wisdom when one asks for it. I think one ought to get as much as she/he can, and then offer the same to others throughout life. Maybe as I adapt more to this mindset about help, it’ll be easier to accept. I’d like to feel a new positive affirmation inside saying:

“I’m an accomplished teacher brave and wise enough to ask for help and by doing so I become better.”

Hmmm. That’s the ticket!