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A Mind For Numbers

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dealing with procrastination, while important in studying any discipline, is particularly important in math and science. We’ll be talking more about this later. — location: 357 ^ref-4532

Understanding how to obtain real solutions is important, not only in math and science problem solving, but for life in general. For example, a little research, self-awareness, and even self-experimentation can prevent you from being parted with your money—or even your good health—on — location: 374 ^ref-56203

Mistakes are inevitable. To work past them, start early on your assignments and, unless you are really enjoying what you are doing, keep your working sessions short. — location: 562 ^ref-31372

learning slowly can mean you learn more deeply than your fast-thinking classmates. — location: 607 ^ref-23807

A good rule of thumb, when you are first learning new concepts, is not to let things go untouched for longer than a day. — location: 643 ^ref-33871

when you’re genuinely stuck, nothing is more helpful than getting insight from classmates, peers, or the instructor. — location: 662 ^ref-39749

When we retrieve knowledge, we’re not being mindless robots—the retrieval process itself enhances deep learning and helps us begin forming chunks. — location: 1062 ^ref-11836

students should maximize the amount they learn per unit time spent studying or practicing—that is, they should get the most bang for the buck. How can students do this? The scientific literature provides an unequivocal answer: Rather than devote a long session to the study or practice of the same skill or concept so that overlearning occurs, students should divide their effort across several shorter sessions. — location: 1140 ^ref-59662

Once they understand ‘X,’ they should move on to something else and return to ‘X’ on another day.” — location: 1144 ^ref-55311

Students need to think of every homework problem in terms of test preparation and not as part of a task they are trying to complete.” — location: 1162 ^ref-48082

learning math and science depends on two things: brief study sessions where the neural “bricks” are laid, and time in between for the mental mortar to dry. — location: 1252 ^ref-19737

The whole point instead is that you calmly put forth your best effort for a short period—the process. — location: 1466 ^ref-48995

By focusing on process rather than product, you allow yourself to back away from judging yourself (Am I getting closer to finishing?) and allow yourself to relax into the flow of the work. — location: 1516 ^ref-9807

Practice is where you are supposed to fail. — location: 1574 ^ref-35302

I’ve found that the best learners are the ones who cope best with failure and use it as a learning tool.” — location: 1583 ^ref-26434

Whenever I find my spirit bending low, I discover it is because I have stopped looking for people’s positive attributes. This means it is time for me to look within and make changes. — location: 1750 ^ref-50514

Bannister did not focus on all the reasons why he logically had no chance of reaching his goal. He instead refocused on accomplishing his goal in his own way. On the morning he made world history, he got up, ate his usual breakfast, did his required hospital rounds, and then caught a bus to the track. — location: 1782 ^ref-525

keeping a written history over several weeks appears to be critical in helping you make changes. — location: 1820 ^ref-56532

those who are committed to maintaining healthy leisure time along with their hard work outperform those who doggedly pursue an endless treadmill. — location: 1886 ^ref-45561

People who make a habit of getting their work done in binges are much less productive overall than those who generally do their work in reasonable, limited stints. — location: 2028 ^ref-34130

Staying in the zone too long will send you toward burnout. — location: 2029 ^ref-9143

people ignored how harmful it was long-term, even if tolerance could be built up. It’s a little like not recognizing the dangers of procrastination. — location: 2038 ^ref-9805

acknowledging that something that feels painful at the moment can ultimately be healthy. — location: 2040 ^ref-14386

experts are slower to begin solving a problem. — location: 2054 ^ref-20026

When you have difficulty puzzling out a particular math or science concept, it is important not to let frustration take control and dismiss those concepts as too difficult or abstract. — location: 2060 ^ref-27174

“When one door closes, another opens.” Keep your chin up and your eye on the open door. — location: 2586 ^ref-48306

When we learn we are so focused on how we are learning, we like to adopt strategies that make learning easy and quick. Blocked or massed practice does this. For better retention in the long run, however, we should use spaced and interleaved practice, but while we are learning this procedure seems more arduous. Interleaving makes initial learning more difficult, but is more desirable because long term retention is better.” — location: 4148 ^ref-15084