MEMORY SKILLS

Your brain is a  library that can hold on to lots of information than you can think of. The stored information is always there, but it is in a form of messy pile, which makes it harder to remember if you need some information from your brain. Concentration requires you to direct your efforts towards the activity or subject at hand. Once things are stored in the memory it can be accessed easily, however, we might have difficulty in recalling it.

Always use your imagination and association when you are learning. Make links of new material with the previous material learned earlier or the information that you know already.  

Imagine, draw a mental map, a sketch in your mind for the topic that you reading or learning.

Associating things will help in developing the mental map and strengthen the link between the similar topics for you to comprehend clearly.

Question yourself about the topic and think up of answers. You will notice when you are using these two techniques; imagining and associating, the information comes back to you quickly.

Revise the information or topic that you learnt at least four to five times after different intervals, to store the information in the long term memory.

• Begin with the revision right after you learnt.
• A day after you learnt the topic.
• Revise again a week after.
• After a month revise the topic again.

BRAIN BLANKS

If you forget something while doing a test.

STAY CALM!

Take your mind back and think where you learnt it? How teacher taught you in class? Which book it was? Which chapter it was? How you were revising at home? Were you sitting or lying down?

Mind loves to navigate and it is very likely that you will start remembering the topic.

 

Mind loves to navigate and it is very likely that you will start remembering the topic.

PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

Problem solving, whether we are working on a task or assignment at hand, working on a school project or it is our daily life problem that we come across with, the skills or interventions that we use underline our capability to solve them. These generic skills extensively contribute to the solution of any problem. It is not always easy to find solution for our problems, by identifying them and solving them rationally makes things easier for to us to deal with. Problem solving involves decision making, it is not only implementable in academic achievement but is of importance in our life.

EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS:

 

v  Identifying what the problem is.

v  Recognizing your emotional responses to it.

v  Rationally thinking about the problem.

v  Devising a plan.

v  Action plan.

 

While solving problem you will come across various solutions for your problem, analyze the one which is more effective in the long run. Focusing on short term problem solving leads to more problems later on.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Conflict is a natural, vital part of life. When conflict is understood, it can become an opportunity to learn and create. The challenge for people in conflict is to apply the principles of creative cooperation in their human relationships. (Richard Bodine, Donna Crawford, and Fred Schrumpf. Creating the Peaceable School: A Comprehensive Program for Teaching conflict Resolution).

Conflict management and its resolution is a skill to work effectively in academics, work or social setting, so as to succeed as an independent individual. Conflict Management skill develops early in life, where a child develops the ability to read the non-verbal cues like, facial expressions, body language, tone of voice etc. that are part of socializing.

 

 

In order to manage conflict begin by:

• Accepting the conflict. It will play an important role in managing conflict. Remember, conflict occurs in everyday life and it provides the opportunity to grow, understand and enhance communication skills.
• Whether you are a sounding board to your friend or you are dealing with your own conflicts, remember that your response or the way you deal with a conflicting situation might escalate the intensity or decrease the intensity of the problem at hand. Be calm as it provides an opportunity to be neutral and helps in thinking clearly the action plan to resolve the problem.
• Get to know or analyze the reasons behind the conflict, why it made you angry, what you are afraid of losing, who are you angry with etc.
• Be specific about the problem or the conflict and only devise ways to resolve it, without being judgmental.
• Work together, without blaming each other or self for the problem.
• Communicate effectively, which includes the behavior to listen, and speak about facts and feelings. Expressing your concerns without being aggressive, and exercising self-control in order to avoid emotional out-bursts.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS

While thinking what to write for my upcoming Counselling Newsletter for my school students, RESPONSIBILITY popped in my mind. And I thought that really this is missing these days in students, who are more carefree and tend to blame others. So here is what I wrote, enjoy reading.

Responsibility is basic to learning environment. Students who are well disciplined take responsibility for their own actions, behaviors and academics. They behave well, do better in academics, as they are self-motivated, and self-directed, having set goals that they have to achieve. Such students don’t make excuses for not completing their work, preparing for tests, and they don’t blame others for their own mistakes. Analyze your actions:

• Do you realize how precious time is for your academics? And you are not wasting it!
• You have set goals & are working towards achieving them.
• You have a study plan and keep track of your assignments.
• You do not wait for the last moment to start the preparation for tests.
• You follow teacher’s instruction.
• You are fair in your dealings and do not blame others for your follies. You know that you are responsible for your actions.
• You have faith in your abilities, and don’t become defensive when you make a mistake.

If all answers are in affirmative,
EUREKA!
We are proud of you. You are really responsible!

“Peak performance begins with your taking complete responsibility for your life and everything that happens to you.”- Brian Tracy.

PUNISHMENT

•Punishment is an action that is imposed on a person for breaking a rule showing improper conduct.

•Punishment aims to control behavior through negative means. 

TYPES OF PUNISHMENT

•Punishment involving negative verbal reprimands and disapproval, this type of punishment is also known as negative discipline.

•Punishment involving severe physical or emotional pain, as in corporal punishment.

What these punishments do?

•Both forms of punishment focus on the misbehavior and may do little or nothing to help a child behave better in future.

•The children learn that the adult is superior and the use of force be it verbal, physical or emotional is acceptable, especially over younger or weaker persons.

•The child feels angry, resentful or fearful.

•It causes shame, guilt, anxiety, increased aggression, and lack of caring for others.

VERBAL PUNISHMENTS

• Verbal punishment is a form of negative discipline.
• Use of short commands.
• Some teachers use negative discipline approaches instead of corporal punishment.

NEGATIVE STRATEGIES INCLUDE

•COMMANDS: “Sit down and be quiet” or “write 100 times”.

•FORBIDDING STATEMENTS: “Don’t do that”.

•EXPLOSIVE, ANGRY STATEMENTS: “You are in more trouble than you know”.

•CRITICIZING STATEMENTS: “Is that the best you can do?”

•THREATENING STATEMENTS: “If you don’t stop talking, I’ll send you to the principal’s office”.

•BELITTLING STATEMENTS: “When will you ever learn to write well?”

EMOTIONAL PUNISHMENT:

Emotional punishment is meant to humiliate the child and cause psychological pain.

•Ridiculing in public.

•Name-calling.

•Yelling.

•Denying something.

•Threats.

Sarcasm.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT:

Corporal punishment is more visible.

•Punishing a child by making him/her stand, in or outside the class.

•Hitting the child.

•Pinching or pulling.

•Kicking, pushing or shaking.

BELIEFS FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT:

•Is effective.

•Prevents children from getting into trouble.

•Teaches them right from wrong.

•Is different from, physical punishment.

The research show that corporal punishment does none of these and is in fact  form of violent abuse against children.

(Durrant, Joan E. “Corporal Punishment Prevalence, Predictors & Implications for child Development”. In: Hart, Stuart N (ed.). Eliminating  corporal punishment: The way Forward to Constructive child Discipline. Paris: UNSECO Publishing. 2005.).