Andrew Watson Speaks about the Brain, Learning, and Studying Less

 

Mr. Watson has experience as a teacher in the classroom.  After completing his M. Ed. in Mind Brain Education at Harvard University in 2012 he founded an organization called Translate the Brain.  Mr. Watson spoke four times during his day at St. B’s, presenting to the Middle and Upper School students, faculty and staff, and parents. 

 

The morning began with Mr. Watson teaching Middle and Upper School boys how to study less and learn more.  He explained that the technology used to study the brain has changed and improved immensely within the boys’ lifetimes, making it possible to understand more about how the brain works.  After a quick introduction to neurons, synapses, and the differences between chemical and physical changes in the brain, Mr. Watson focused the boys’ attention on learning.  He explained that when people learn, they are actually building new neural networks.

 

Mr. Watson drew from recent research studies that revealed the benefits of learning in specific ways.  One study revealed that doing the same amount of work over a longer period of time was more effective.  Another study showed the benefit of “blank page review” rather than “full page review.”  Mr. Watson defined “blank page review” as starting with something incomplete and completing it, for example, reading a chapter in a book and writing a summary of it from memory or using flashcards.  Examples of “full page review” were re-reading a section or reviewing notes.

 

Other helpful tactics included specific plans for studying, depending on the type of memory required for the task.  Mr. Watson described two types of memory as “knowing what” and “knowing how.”  His four-night studying plan for “knowing what” asks the student to review flash cards (or conduct another type of “blank page review”) on the first night until he or she gets them all correct three times.  On the second night, the student should review the flash cards until he or she gets them all right once…then stop.  On the third and fourth nights, the student should review the flash cards until he or she gets them all right once.  Mr. Watson emphasized that once you have done the right amount of work, more work doesn’t help.  He showed statistics from several studies to support this.

 

The process for studying something that requires “knowing how” is similarly spread out over four nights.  On the first night, a student should study until the material feels easier and then stop.  The next night the student should study until it feels easier and then stop.  This should be repeated two more nights for a total of four nights. 

 

Other tips included working on one task at a time.  If you switch tasks rapidly, you are already working more and studying harder.  Try to turn music off when you’re studying.  Finally, sleep is essential for consolidation of long-term memory.  Mr. Watson stressed that sleep is homework.

 

Mr. Watson covered similar concepts when speaking with the parents and faculty members.  His session with St. B’s teachers offered some practical ideas for how to bring these concepts into the classroom and spread out practice over time.  He reminded teachers that students need time to forget, because forgetting is good for remembering.  Mr. Watson hoped to encourage further discussion at home and at school and was incredibly generous with his time.  We greatly appreciated him presenting four engaging talks to the members our community, and we look forward to seeing how his ideas will help our students learn and grow.

 

Many thanks to Mr. Watson and to the organizers of the event, Mr. Brady, Mrs. Reitzas, and the Parents Association.