How to learn. by Jacob

How to learn. by Jacob - August 2013 Scholarship Essay

It was the beginning of my senior year, I thought I had everything figured out I was the "top dog". Little did I know this psychology class I enrolled in would not only show me what I didn't know about teaching, but it also humbled me as a student. Mr. Robert Price was the teacher and exactly nine minutes into his lecture he threw his stool on the floor!! Unsuspecting as no one had been disruptive. He said nothing picked it up and continued his lecture. 5 minutes later he did the same thing, this time no one was startled as we were all paying attention still. This captivating way of teaching has stuck with me. He showed us the lesson not only taught us the curriculum. This lesson I remember to this day, every 9 minutes students begin to let their minds wander and only take in about 38 percent of the lesson, while in the first 8 minutes the students are paying attention and retaining more than 90 percent of what is being said! This being said the lecturer needs to say or do something that catches the students attention every 9 minutes. otherwise they will not leave the lecture much more knowledgable than when they entered. At the end of the lesson our teacher had done so many odd things throughout that when test time came more than 75 percent of the class got an A. This is a method I wish to carry into my career, perhaps not throwing things, but rather capturing the attention and holding it!