| People have different learning styles. Find | | | | aware of certain rules, often the unspoken |
| out what is yours and you could have a more | | | | ones. For instance, if the bicycle starts to |
| enjoyable and effectively learning | | | | tilt to the left, he must turn the handle to |
| experience. | | | | the right. The child does not need to know |
| | | | about the law of gravity, inertia, or |
| Whether you are learning how to play the | | | | physics to figure that out for long. Nobody |
| guitar or learning how to ride a bicycle, | | | | has told him what happens when the bicycle |
| there are two ways that most people learn. | | | | tilts, experience alone is enough to teach |
| One method is the "just do it" method or the | | | | him what the consequences will be. |
| so-called "dive-in" method. If things don't | | | | |
| turn out right, you simply make changes to | | | | When the child has become a skilled cyclist, |
| what doesn't work and try again. Nobody can | | | | all the necessary movements are automatically |
| predict whether you will succeed eventually. | | | | ingrained in their ability and they don't |
| It is also not known why this method is | | | | even need to concentrate on their steering. |
| successful, it just is. This is the type of | | | | They can admire the landscape instead, or |
| thinking that encourages some parents to | | | | talk to a friend, listen to music or even eat |
| throw their babies into swimming pools to | | | | and drink. At a certain stage, they may even |
| help hem learn to swim. Or successful | | | | show off and take their hands off the |
| entrepreneurs who take a risk on an idea or | | | | handlebars, trusting their momentum and |
| concept. | | | | sense of balance will prevent them from |
| | | | crashing into a tree or shrub. |
| Then there is the other method, which is | | | | |
| "think about it" method. It involves | | | | Not many people are aware that they can train |
| thinking and analyzing a problem before | | | | their memory to remember a multitude of |
| jumping into it. In this method, decisions | | | | information. Like riding a bicycle, it may |
| are made only after the outcomes have been | | | | be a bit challenging at first but the rewards |
| carefully considered. This method is | | | | of such an endeavor far outweigh the initial |
| controlled by knowing what will happen. For | | | | difficulties. But the good news is, just |
| some people, it gives them a certain amount | | | | like learning how to ride a bicycle, there is |
| of assurance, if they are worried about the | | | | a "training wheel" stage where the student |
| consequences. | | | | uses what he or she is already familiar with. |
| | | | For example, you will already know the parts |
| Obviously, both methods have pros and cons. | | | | of your body or an area that you are very |
| But each situation has to be evaluated to | | | | familiar with like your house or the usual |
| find out which method will work best in any | | | | route to work or school. Such memory |
| given scenario. When launching a mission to | | | | techniques and memory training methods have |
| the moon, for example, the astronauts cannot | | | | been used since time immemorable, long before |
| hope that they will find the right course and | | | | computers and digital diaries were invented. |
| hit their target simply by trial and error. | | | | Once the student is familiar with the |
| All known possible outcomes and new problems | | | | workings of the mind, he or she can progress |
| must come to light in the many practice runs | | | | to more advanced learning modality. |
| in simulators. They would fail disastrously | | | | |
| if they tried to navigate in the vacuum of | | | | A trained memory is definitely an asset. Not |
| space if the "try first, discuss later" | | | | only does it save valuable time for any |
| method is chosen. For a mission of this | | | | student, it's very important in daily home |
| complexity and cost, every single detail has | | | | or working life. In today's fast paced |
| to be precisely calculated before the launch | | | | environment, sometimes we need all the help |
| and every single detail planned, including | | | | we can get and it can and should be fun too. |
| back ups. On the other hand, children can | | | | So why not experiment on your own to find |
| learn to walk, swim or cycle through trial | | | | out ways you can use your very own |
| and error. In these skills, they do not need | | | | imagination to help you learn better and |
| to know the physical laws that govern their | | | | remember better. Remember, if you can't |
| motion. | | | | accept a few scrapes and knocks here and |
| | | | there, you'll never experience the thrill of |
| A child learning to ride a bicycle must be | | | | the wind blowing in your hair. |