Beyond The Basics

Mathematics is just like anything else. If you want to get good at anything, you have to put in the time working, learning, and continually practicing. Think of it like a sport. You don`t get good at basketball by watching basketball. Beginners must practice a lot to get good, and even the best players continue to practice regularly for many hours a week. Research studies show that the thing that differentiates experts from amateurs is not how much they enjoy practicing (they don`t; no one likes it), but how willing they are to do it anyway When you get information sometimes your brain puts it into long-term memory, but mostly it just forgets it. There are two things you can do to tell your brain that you want something to go into long-term memory. First, repeat the information many times to yourself with intent to remember it. Second, review it shortly after you learn it (after 5-20 minutes, or as soon as possible). Research shows that immediate review (right after studying something) increases long-term memory very dramatically compared to the same amount of review a day or more later. So if you have a class in the morning, try reviewing your notes immediately afterward, or as soon as you have free time. It will help you remember things Multitasking works for getting simple tasks done, but you can not learn something if your mind is doing several things at once. In order to learn you need to give the material your full attention, and that means ignoring everything else for a block of time. Organize your life so that you do not expect to be electronically interrupted while working. (Don't text or use Facebook or respond to e-mail when you are studying.) If you cannot commit to doing this, then don`t be surprised when you are unable to learn deeply. Learning takes not only effort and time, but also intense concentration. Don`t say "I knew that." To learn, you must do the work yourself. Many students watch in class, nod, and think "I would have done that." Many copy the solutions manual or a friend's work and think "I see how it`s done. I can do that." These thoughts are often wrong. Don`t kid yourself. The proof of your ability to do it is in your doing it by remembering how