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Your September 2014
ShillerLearning Tidbit
Is it good to have a place to study?
Many parents designate a specific study space for their children. Is this a good thing?
Browse the Internet and many experts urge you to do the same: Conventional wisdom says "Yes!"
Spoiler alert: Conventional wisdom is probably wrong.
Several employee performance studies prove that varying the environment in which employees work improves productivity. A key conclusion of at least one reputable study supports this notion: Studying the same material in several different locations improves retention.
One reason may be that the brain connects what's being learned to the environment. The more varied the environment, the greater number of connections. The great number of connections, the better the retention.
Other conventional wisdom includes turning off the TV, studying at a regular time every day, offering breaks as rewards, and stopping homework when things get tough. Maybe it's time to reconsider how wise these ideas are too. And maybe we're all better off with a focus on goals rather than arbitrary one-size-fits-all rules.
September 2014 Puzzler [Grades 4-6]
Chris lives on the ninth floor of a building. There are 12 stairs between two connecting floors. The elevator is broken. How many stairs does Chris have to climb to reach the ninth floor, starting from the first floor?
Provide the correct answer by September 25, 2014 to be this month's puzzler winner.
I hope you enjoyed this short math break.
Sincerely,
Larry Shiller
Publisher
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