Mathematically Calculate the Attention Span of your Student

Memory Series: Creating Interest/Attention Span/Layering on a Big Idea

1.    Creating Interest

2.    Calculating Attention Span

3.    Layering on a Big Idea

·       Create interest! If a learner is not motivated in the first few minutes, very little is likely to be accomplished. Timing is vital!  Think of a hook to draw the learner in. You want to create a level of curiosity. For example, if studying the Second World War, the day you initiate the unit, students might enter the room to the sounds of the McGuire Sisters or the instrumental renderings of Benny Goodman. By doing this, students are immediately curious and a mood has been set for the era that they are about to study.

·       Be aware of the attention span of your student. This formula should give a foundation for judging it. Attention span can be determined by age + 2, or functional age + 2. This maxes out at approximately age 18. Therefore, no one can be expected to listen with complete focus for more than 20 minutes. After the learner’s attention span has been reached, a brief mental or physical break can make a huge difference in terms of bringing the student back to the topic. Staying with the WWII study, after 18 minutes of lecture with a class of high school juniors, you might allow students to get in groups to read a newspaper report or a personal letter or diary entry from someone from that period. You might have pre-determined questions for each group to discuss after reading the short piece. The subject hasn’t changed, but students have moved (increasing necessary oxygen to the brain, thus greater focus), and through their discussions they now have some ownership in their learning. Once again, you are increasing the chances of long-term memory.

·       Layering on a Big Idea, that really captures the hearts and minds of learners, accelerates already good learning. For example, if a class is already interested in learning about World War II (Big Idea), then a historical novel set in that era will only add to the overall interest.

Remember, if one’s attention is lost, then memory is not really the object, because the student is not yet engaged.

Seeking God

Seeking You

It’s Sunday. After writing this, I will prepare to go to church. We have a fellowship of believers that I love. We have music to lift the spirit and preaching that is solidly consistent with the Word. I have no complaints. However, God, you call me to serve outside those walls.

In the past, I thought I knew what you expected of me based on the gifts that you endowed me with. But, now I question things looking through older, more experienced lens. I am now a senior adult. I am in a new season of life. I have less energy, and I feel somewhat lost in this constantly changing culture. I don’t know if I have a viable role. Have I any relevancy? My son says that I am naïve, and I don’t deny that. The harshness, often cruelty, which is now reported on the daily news, is more than my mind, my heart, can comprehend. How can I make a difference in a society that no longer resonates with me?

But, I have You. You see; You comprehend; You created me for relationship and service. Therefore, I am relevant. You continue to keep me here. You continue to give me opportunities. You have purpose for me; I must find it. I cannot find it alone. You show me, and I will try to follow. You will not call me to anything that You have not equipped me, resourced me, to do.

So, it’s time to go to church. Help me to worship You in truth. Help me see a little more, to understand a bit more clearly. Give me inspiration, give me hope, give me direction, give me passion, give me impetus. Give me direction and opportunity to do Your perfect will right where You want me to serve. Help me to paint a clear picture of You for others to see and worship.

It all goes back to You. It all goes toward You. This is why I will now get ready for church, to join with other believers, seeking You.

The Groom...Down for the Count

I suppose that whenever we try to bring great dignity to an occasion, we unintentionally invite a certain amount of turmoil into the scenario. Our lives are normally rather relaxed, so a particularly formal situation brings a certain amount of stress and unease. We begin to consider all of the possible things that we might do to ruin the event, and set our minds up to do that which we least desire.

Perhaps that is what happened at this wedding. The groom was particularly nervous. He was not accustomed to formal settings, and the whole event had unnerved him. He had accepted all of the plans in an effort to please his bride, but he was uneasy as he stepped into the church.

The wedding was carefully planned, and everything was beautiful. There were two elaborate candelabras set on either side of the bride and groom as they stood before the pastor to take their vows. As the minister asked the groom if he would take this woman as his wife, the groom, instead of answering, fainted. As he went down, he hit one of the candelabras and it was going down, too. The pastor had to make a quick decision, catch the groom or the candles? The groom hit the floor with a thud, but the church was saved from fire.

1940's wedding photo

After a few minutes of recovery, the groom returned to his spot by his bride. They made their vows, and they were married.

The moral to this story? When taking a step outside your comfort zone, just realize that it’s just a moment before you’ll once again be at ease OR maybe, just make sure there are no potential fire hazards around you when you go down for the count.

Weddings: What's Really Important?

As a minister’s wife, I have attended more than my share of weddings, and I’ve been privy to much of the behind-the-scenes drama. My husband, Jack, in an attempt to ease the nervous couple, would say, “Something is bound to go wrong; it always does. Most of the time no one sees it but the two of you and me. But the truth is, if I say, ‘Will you?’ and you say ‘I will’ and I say, ‘You are’. Then as long as the marriage license is signed, everything else is superfluous. You’re married.” Though that is true, we have witnessed some interesting situations.

One couple had planned a beautiful wedding. There were nine bridesmaids and nine groomsmen. Flowers and candles were everywhere. The dresses, of the attendants and the bride, were the most beautiful I’d ever seen. The brass quintet completed the fairy-tale scene. The hundreds, in attendance,
were in awe. It was a spectacle to take your breath away.

The bride spent untold hours planning it all, and she wanted to make it last, so she included everything that she had ever seen in any wedding she’d attended. She had read brides’ magazines looking for touching elements that would make the occasion memorable. But, in the end, she didn’t need any outside source to provide that.

The attendants were lined up with a groomsman standing behind each bridesmaid. As one of the songs was sung, by a talented vocalist, one of the bridesmaids collapsed in a dead faint. Thankfully, the groomsman behind her caught her before she hit the floor and carried her from the room. There was an audible gasp from the guests. Someone left the room to attend to her so the groomsman could rejoin the wedding. The ceremony continued, but after another couple of minutes, another bridesmaid passed out. She, too, was removed from the sanctuary. People were looking at one another, with little smiles, this time. The song was now over. The bridal couple knelt, on a bench, and Jack began to lead the congregation in a prayer for the couple. As heads were bowed, a big thump was heard from the front of the church. People raised their heads in time to see a third attendant carried from the room. At this point, everyone broke out in laughter, including the bride and groom. The minister tried to resume the prayer, but snickers could be heard throughout the room.

When the bride and groom were presented to the congregation, before walking down the aisle to exit the church, everyone laughed and cheered. Jack was right. Something had certainly gone wrong, but he did say, “Will you?” They did each say, “I will”. The license was signed, and they were married. The rest was just fodder, for stories, to share for years to come.

Learning for "Real"

Memory Series: Make it Personal/Authenticity

For years I taught History of the Eastern Hemisphere to sixth grade students. Part of the curriculum was the study of World War II. My students were always interested. Most of them had mental connections through older family members, movies they had seen, and some with books they had read. The more connections the brain makes, with a topic, the greater the retention. So, this was a study that had an advantage from the outset. The motivation and interest were already present.  I utilized many brain-based strategies to reinforce this, so by the end of the unit, students had a good overall view of the era. Towards the end of the study, I invited a special guest to speak to my classes.

Ms. May was a holocaust survivor. She was a German, of Jewish faith, whose family had escaped to Holland when things became dangerous. Her family thought they were moving to a safe haven. Of course, this was an illusion. Ms. May’s family was eventually taken to a German prison camp. Most of her family were killed. For a brief time, Ms. May and Anne Frank were imprisoned together. Since my students had read Anne Frank’s diary, here was another connection. Because Ms. May experienced this when she wasn’t much older than my students, they could imagine being there themselves. When she spoke, a pin could have been heard dropping. We all listened with bated breath. It was always a day of shared tears, because we could feel Ms. May’s heartache.

Before Ms. May came, my students had already learned more about the war than was expected for their grade level. Most of them were prepared to do well on the unit test. They had already been exposed to learning that would almost certainly insure long-term memory. So, why did I invite this Ms. May ? She could provide authenticity and make it personal. She provided something I couldn’t, because she lived it. There was power in her story.

Whenever possible, authenticity should be introduced into lessons. Our experience with Ms. May is not one that can be duplicated in most school situations, so we must search for other ways to create a personal understanding. Because of reading The Diary of Anne Frank, my students already had some sense of authenticity. Biographies and autobiographies are a good way to bring realism into the classroom. Visits to museums, introducing relics, old news accounts, or photos are also means that can be utilized in a study. Sometimes, older family members can share memories of days gone by to help students strengthen their understanding of another time. This provides a personal understanding and develop a bond of respect.

There are many advantages to injecting personal authentic stories into the teaching/learning process.

• It makes the required material real for the student, providing relevance.
• It creates empathy.
• The emotions that are evoked, from it, are memory stimulators.
• Stories are a major way to insure retention.

Whether you are a classroom teacher or a home school mom, you want the best for your students. You want a meaningful learning experience that will impact their lives. You want long-term memory. Make it real. Make it personal. I predict that you will both benefit from the experience.

An Experiment in Memory

Memory Series: Making Connections

Let’s do an experiment together. On a piece paper, jot down everything that comes to mind when you think of “Hannibal”. After that is completed, write down everything that comes to mind with the word “dog”. I’m guessing that you have a much longer list with “dog”. Why? Because, your brain has probably made more connections, through the years, with dogs than with Hannibal. The more connections that our brain can make with a subject, the greater the memory retention.

Creating connections is the major reason for chunking material. In teaching the history of almost any part of the world, I would introduce the unit dressed in a costume that reflected that part of the world. This peaked their interest. Yes, I would give my class the basis of material covered in the text. But, I would also provide relics (if possible), or photos from the area. I would often chunk on a historical novel to give them more insight. When available, I would show videos or movies that would chunk on more. I would create questions for discussion groups to consider the information, separating fact from fiction if novels and movies were part of the experience. Music, art, games/recreation, and even fashion were incorporated when relevant. Students were given writing opportunities, sometimes prose and sometimes poetry to express impressions that they had of the study. By chunking on material and engaging students in the history, literature, music and the arts, long-term memory was created.

Multiple brain connections, created through chunking material, create a greater depth of understanding and interest. Interest, relevance, VAK (visual, auditory, and kinestic) opportunities, color, and authenticity are all memory kickers that are utilized in such a study. A student will obviously not retain every detail of information, but the overall study with experiences, will last.

What is "Meaning"-ful to you? Help your Child find Meaning in Learning.

Memory Series, Sense & Meaning and Making Connections

 

We were studying Native Americans, of the 19th century, in my fifth grade Social Studies class. When my students first entered the room, I did a mini-review of what they'd been assigned to read. I asked, "Who can tell me one way that buffalo were used by the tribes of the plains?" Hands went up all around the room. I called on one student after another to list one use. After I thought that all of the purposes had been covered, I noticed Tonya waving her hand wildly. I sometimes lived to regret calling on Tonya. One never knew what to expect when she spoke. She was a sweet child, but her thinking was often skewed, and the children sometimes made fun of her responses. So, I told Tonya that all of the reasons had been given, and we needed to continue with the lesson. She said, "But, Mrs. Carver, there's another use that wasn't in our reading". With apprehension, I asked her what it was. She said, "Wings"! For a moment, I was too stunned to respond. Evidently, the students were, too. They all just stared at her for a moment, then the laughter couldn't be held any longer. I shushed the class. Then I said, "Tonya, buffalo don't have wings." She said, "Yes, they do. I eat them all of the time. Have you never had buffalo wings, Mrs. Carver?" She asked it as if she felt sorry for me. I assured her that I had enjoyed them occasionally, but I explained that they were from chickens. She had a hard time accepting that. It didn't make sense to her until I explained that "buffalo wings" got started in Buffalo, New York.

Tonya had created meaning, in her own mind, that allowed her to remember. Unfortunately, Tonya's assumption was erroneous, so she needed someone to make sure that her information was realistic and made sense. Sometimes, we think a student understands, but if we do not allow her to express what she thinks, we will never know. This means that discussion and writing opportunities are invaluable for learning how a student is processing the data that she takes in. Modern culture can sometimes confuse a child and help is required to establish sense and meaning.

Making connections is another way to assure greater retention. Each time we learn something new we strengthen part of the brain, making it easier to use again. But, information, in isolation, seldom sticks in our memories. This is one reason for cross-curriculum instruction. If a student studies history, without seeing connections with anything else, he will inadvertently push the "delete" button of his brain. However, if he reads a historical novel, set in the same time period, the connection is increased. If he is shown similarities between what was happening in a particular era with some things in this week's news, he establishes yet another connection. In science class the student learns about an invention from the same time period. Then, if he goes to music and art classes and experiences some of the creative achievements of the era, he now has a strong basis for long-term memory retention.

Creating sense and meaning and making connections are techniques that will increase understanding, create greater interest, and enhance long-term memory.