tick i
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our ref
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igera
tor.
the intro
Here’s what YOU can do to
bend
your brain into submission
So, we did our part. The rest is up to you. These tips are a
starting point; listen to your brain and figure out what works
for you and what doesn’t. Try new things.
Cut this out and s
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Slow down. The more you understand,
the less you have to memorize.
Don’t just read. Stop and think. When the
book asks you a question, don’t just skip to the
answer. Imagine that someone really is asking
the question. The more deeply you force your
brain to think, the better chance you have of
learning and remembering.
Do the exercises. Write your own notes.
We put them in, but if we did them for you,
that would be like having someone else do
your workouts for you. And don’t just look at
the exercises. Use a pencil. There’s plenty of
evidence that physical activity
while
learning
can increase the learning.
Read the “There are No Dumb Questions”
That means all of them. They’re not optional
sidebars—they’re part of the core content!
Don’t skip them.
Make this the last thing you read before
bed. Or at least the last challenging thing.
Part of the learning (especially the transfer to
long-term memory) happens
after
you put the
book down. Your brain needs time on its own, to
do more processing. If you put in something new
during that processing time, some of what you
just learned will be lost.
Drink water. Lots of it.
Your brain works best in a nice bath of fluid.
Dehydration (which can happen before you ever
feel thirsty) decreases cognitive function.
6
Talk about it. Out loud.
Speaking activates a different part of the brain.
If you’re trying to understand something, or
increase your chance of remembering it later, say
it out loud. Better still, try to explain it out loud
to someone else. You’ll learn more quickly, and
you might uncover ideas you hadn’t known were
there when you were reading about it.
7
Listen to your brain.
Pay attention to whether your brain is getting
overloaded. If you find yourself starting to skim
the surface or forget what you just read, it’s time
for a break. Once you go past a certain point, you
won’t learn faster by trying to shove more in, and
you might even hurt the process.
8
Feel something!
Your brain needs to know that this matters. Get
involved with the stories. Make up your own
captions for the photos. Groaning over a bad joke
is still better than feeling nothing at all.
9
Create something!
Pick up a model kit or some wood and tools
and make something really cool! Or work out
something you will build one day when you have
the time and money. All you need is a pencil
and a problem to solve…a problem that might
benefit from using the tools and techniques you’re
studying to get geometry.
you are here 4 xxiii