SESSION THREE: PAGE 2
Delta brainwaves are your own personal radar. When you know who is on the phone before picking it up, when you "guess" what other people are going to say before they say it, or you have a nagging feeling about something that is not quite clear, you are getting a "bleed though" from your unconscious. Usually these brainwaves are associated with deep sleep. If you have a problem with "bleed through" then you need to strengthen your boundaries and determine which feelings are yours and which ones are someone else's. Also these brainwaves can be of great assistance in what is called the "high performance mind."
Anna Wise studied with Dr. Cade in Great Britain for several years and then came back to the United States to continue her research. Eventually she published many of her findings in the book called The High Performance Mind. There is a great deal to learn and practice in her book to the delight of the students in my classes. Try it, you'll like it J
A combination of these four states of awareness is the usual way we function. When a biofeedback machine was used with the football players at University of Wisconsin to improve their visualization skills (alpha level), their games won jumped from 60% to 90% and there was a decrease in the number of injuries. Now we know we can do the same thing with relaxation, meditation and visualization practices without the machines.
What has all this got to do with studying? Everything! One of the early experiments regarding learning was to "wire up" students as they studied. If they were reading familiar topics, the EEG registered a relatively normal pattern. As soon as the information was new to the student, the pattern had high peaks in the EEG indicating surges of electricity The more peaks they had, the less the student remembered even though they may have understood the material. Understanding and remembering are two different functions.
These indications of what happens when you read helped develop a study method that works 100% of the time. Before reading the fine print, the brain needs to be introduced to new ideas which eliminates the high spikes of electricity in the brain which wipe out the memory of what was read. Backing up even further, the brain needs to be in a "frame of mind" or "mind set" for studying. This is a matter of choice. Being willing to learn in a setting that is conducive to study with time to do the work is really the optimum setting. It's setting the stage for a productive study session.
The first step of the study method is to introduce the brain to the main concepts of the material; This is primarily the right hemisphere functioning which sees the whole concept more easily than the left hemisphere. Read only the titles, subtitles, bold face print, any charts or graphs, pictures and under the pictures,in other words, anything that is not the fine print. Think about this information consciously, actively participating in the process. Do not skim. Now think about anything you may know about the subject. All this is introducing the brain to the main concept(s). With this information the student is less apt to forget what s/he is studying and there will not be surges of electricity wiping out most of the information. It also sets up the brain to remember what details go with which subtopic.
The brain functions far better when the body is relaxed. Deep breaths will do the job easily. Keep alert during study time with frequent breaks. Research proved that breaks every 20-40 minutes with a sip or two of water, no soda, worked wonders in keeping the student alert. Long breaks are not necessary; mini breaks of 5 minutes are sufficient.
Much more in the way of details are found in the paperback: Superlearning 2000. The research covered in this book comes originally from the years of work done by Dr Georgi Lozanov, MD, in Bulgaria, behind the "Iron Curtain." He established a school and a system of study in Sofia, Bulgaria, called "Suggestology." People from all over the world eventually were able to view the wonders which were claimed about his students. They could learn another language ten times faster and more easily than the usual methods currently used. These effective methods are outlined in detail in the first book. Check on Superlearning 2000's web site or Amazon.com for copies.
THINKING POINT: IS RACISM HARDWIRED INTO OUR BRAINS?
Sharon Begley, in the Wall Street Journal's Science Journal ( 11/19/04 P. B1) summarizes some of the recent research on this hot button subject. She notes, that as descendants of tribes in pre-historic times, we, like them, inherited brain modules that instantly recognize people as "like us" or "different from us" ( and thus a danger to us). The portion of the brain that processes this information is located in the amygdala, a primitive part of our brains. Thus some people regard racism as a fundamental, thus unavoidable, human attribute and research has shown that white Americans, even those who consider themselves unbiased, attribute negative traits to blacks ( 90% of us do this).In some studies, whites were shown pictures of black faces. :"That typically produced a spike in activity.in the part of the brain , called the amygdala, that is the source of wariness and vigilance, responding automatically and emotionally to possible threats. The greater the whites' negative attitude towards balcks, as measured on the unconscious threat sterotyping test,the greater the activity in the amygdala when they saw black faces, compared with the activity when they saw white ones. ( Data from studies where blacks saw white faces are less clear cut". ( Begey)
"However, when people have a chance, they can modify or override the emotional response with the cognitive regions of the brain", according to Professor William Cuningham at the University of Toronto. Those regions of the brain are associated with rational thought.
The authors of Superlearning 2000 cited many more researchers' additional information. Dr Jerre Levy of the University of Chicago continued the work on the hemispheres; Dr Marion Diamond uncovered the realization that the brain continues to grow throughout life: learning breeds learning. She discovered that multisensory stimulation actually changes the physiology of the brain. It gives it more capacity, a bigger brain. Being self-reliant and a do-it-yourself type of person had a similar effect. Not only that but learning becomes the fun it was when we were very young, learning to walk and talk. We were relentless in our pursuit of doing and learning. Times passes quickly and happily when we feel secure in what we are doing, being competent, confident and joyful.
One more simple way to become smarter and then we will get back to the study method and a "cheat sheet" for a summary. Dr Win Wenger found a surprisingly easy way to learn. One summer while taking a tough course, he would come home and dive into the pool and enjoy the refreshing swim under water. From then on he learned with ease and joy. Later he realized what happened. When you hold your breath underwater, carbon monoxide builds up in the blood stream. This expands the carotid arteries that carry oxygen to the brain. Even though med students know this, apparently no one had realized the benefit. The brain gets more oxygen, more fuel, with more toxins washed away. The healthier brain enhances all areas of you life. Dr Wenger's students spent three weeks with an hour each day underwater, holding their breaths at least in two-three minute spans. You can permanently expand your carotid arteries. How extraordinary! Dr Wenger believes you should increase 5-10 IQ points and feel joyous while learning after you do this.
Step Two: After having read all the larger or bold type and before you read the fine print, read any questions you have been given and/or the ones at the end of the section. This tells the brain what you are looking for. Step Three: Then read the fine print. The brain immediately reacts when you read an answer. Now is the time to write down the place where you found the answer, page and column. Come back to it after you have finished reading the fine print to make notes. Then you won't interrupt the flow of the reading.
After reading and doing Step Four of going back to write out the answers to the questions, you may think you have finished your assignment. There is only one big hitch: not all of it is in your long term memory. Studies of memory confirm that the brain has been working in the beta mode. This is short term memory. It will save you time in the long run if you put the information in the long term memory: the subconscious. You will not have to reread the chapter or certainly not as much as you would if you don't do the next step. Now is the time to redo the survey part of the process. Step Five: Reread all the bold face type to reinforce the main ideas. If you relax the body with long deep breaths before doing this, the brain remembers faster. It's getting a fresh supply of oxygen.
One more step completes the method. We now know that multisensory stimulation expands the mental capacity. It extends the memory as well. Step Six: Now read your answers out loud. Let the auditory sense enhance your memory even more and top it off by stating the main ideas. When the brain knows the main ideas you got when doing the survey, it now knows where to put the details. It has essentially a map of the terrain and can picture the whole things so much more readily. See it all as a map. Visualization is an extraordinary way to enhance everything.
Summary of the Study Method
Get a mind set for learning everything presented to you, a study area that is conducive to work, and a timer for breaks. Water is the preferred drink; no sugar.
Step One: Survey the material by only reading the titles, subtitles, charts, grafts, pictures and any bold face type.
Step Two: Questions, read carefully
Step Three: Read the fine print, noting where answers are
Step Four: Write the answers to questions.
Step Five: Review the Survey and the answers to the questions and do as frequently as you need to before a test.
Step Six: Recite step six to insure long term memory. Visualize as you read, review and recite for optimum results.
Following the suggestions in these lessons will get you well on the road to a superlative life. The one more step along that road is in the next session. Our minds need to be able to focus effectively. Our clarity of purpose insures that the whole process will work. And check out the books and web sites.
"All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been is lying as in magical preservation in the pages of books." Thomas Carlyle
Superlearning 2000, Ostrander, & Schroeder, Dell Publishing,1994
www.Superlearning 2000.com and Amazon.com carry the books
The Study Method is based on findings from many years ago and was originally called SQ3R.
