Technique for learning concepts – CUPR

When we learn concepts, there is a variety of the same. New day, new concept. Be it Languages, Math, Science or Social Studies. It is difficult for a student to store so much information in the pre occupied brain. I mean each factor affecting life, directly or indirectly does influence the mind set, creating a room for itself.

Following a protocol helps to learn a concept in a better way. I have learnt in my school life as a student, that to absorb a topic, there are certain steps which aid to learn. Passing on these to my students have certainly helped them in life.

The technique is CUPR – Concentration, Understanding, Practice and Revision.

Concentration

Our mind is a magnet for distractions, especially at a tender age. The environment at home, the relationship with family members will influence a child’s mind throughout the day. On the way to school, there possibilities of encountering incidents that may stay in the sub conscious mind. So when the child is seated in the class, he is not alone. The baggage of the entire events that occured till that moment are accompanying him. A single unpleasant memory can tamper with the concentration of the child.

Concentration – a much needed factor while learning a new concept. It is not easy to do so if there are thoughts hovering on the mind. So first and foremost, a child has to develop good concentration. It is possible to do so with the help of simple technique of meditation. Unfortunately people turn to the beautiful act of meditation only late in life, to find a way out of the stress of daily life.

If the ritual of meditation is engraved on the minds of children right from infancy, it will save the future ramblings in a much sorted manner. A child which has mastered the brain in the early years of life will definitely be able to focus on anything without distraction. Such a child also can protect himself or herself from the negativity around and keep oneself untouched like a lotus.

Understanding

If I have understood, I will even enjoy the concept. Strange but true. Many concepts become the target of repulsion or hatred in point of view of kids, just because they don’t understand it. It is but obvious that if the mind is wandering and hence fails to concentrate, then understanding becomes difficult. 

Even if part of a concept is familiar, it triggers further curiousity about the latter. Understanding naturally follows. If a concept is understood, it stays with me for long. Same goes for the tender minds of the kids. They retain the details of a concept, if they have understood it. Making the concept understood is undoubtedly in the hands of the teacher.

Practice

Hit a nail with hammer for 100 times on a wall. It will be fixed well. Quite well. It goes same with learning a concept. Practice it thoroughly and it will be engraved on the mind for eternity. I do mean my words. Our brain makes place for anything that we see or hear. So part of the concept will stay in the brain for sure. To make it last longer, practice is the ultimate weapon.

You must have seen in action movies like The Karate Kid (2010) , how the teacher trains the kid by making him practice and . . practice and . . practice. It works. Kids might find it boring to do the same thing over and over again but it somehow helps. So practice whatever you learn and it will be with you forever.

Revision

A textbook contains many concepts and facts. The child might understand a concept today, but as and when new ones enter the brain, the first one gets layers upon itself. In the course of time, a concept gets buried under several such layers. And hence the need to revise springs up.

Revision helps to brush off the mud that settles due to time lapse. There are certain concepts which go with us for a long run, making it inevitable to remember them. Revising them time to time helps to retain their details. Specially in subjects like Math and History, it becomes easier to remember by timely revision.

The following technique will definitely aid students to learn concepts specially in subjects like Math, Science or Social Studies.

https://pieces-of-life.com/2021/02/21/a-teacher-meets-many-students/