Miller's Mind training for children Book 3 (of 3): A practical training for successful living; Educational games that train the senses — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Miller's Mind training for children Book 3 (of 3): A practical training for successful living; Educational games that train the senses
John Stuart Mill · en
When listening to instructions, or a lecture, in which there are
different points which you wish to carry away and later recall
accurately, use the Hitching Post idea. Run over a series of words so
as to be sure that they will come readily when wanted. When a point
is made which you wish to remember, transfer the thought into a quick
visual impression, and Hitch it to the first object of your list. When
a second important point is made, make a visual impression with the
next object. Make your picture strong by exaggeration and motion, and
be sure that you photograph each one.
In this manner you can file away any number of points. As soon as the
lecture is over review the pictures, see each clearly a second time. If
you have trouble recalling one make the picture stronger so that you
will recall it more easily next time. Review the entire list of points
visualized with the different Hitching Posts. If you wish to fix them
in mind review them several times in the next few days, so that you
make a permanent impression of them.
Transfer to Note-Book
A great many prefer the idea of transferring these points into a
classified note book, where they are available for use at any future
time.
One student tells of having written fifteen pages of notes from four
talks which he heard at a convention, and that some of these notes
were not transferred from his mind to the note-book for at least ten
days after the talks were heard.
Form the habit of letting the lecturer make you SEE what he describes.
The visual impression which you make will increase your understanding
of anything you hear or read, and at the same time very materially
assist you in remembering it.
Taking Instructions
When a person is giving you instructions about the things which he
would like to have you do, follow the same plan. Simply transfer
the words of the speaker into an exaggerated moving picture and the
impression will stay with you. Another student told me this experience:
"My employer often used to say to me, after having given some
instruction, 'Do you see?' I realize now that the reason that I made
so many mistakes was because I did not SEE. Now I make it a point to
SEE the things he asks me to do and my reply, 'Yes, I see,' has a very
different meaning. The results are also different."
Mastering Difficult Lists
In the child's studies there are often lists of different kinds
which need to be committed to memory and which present considerable
difficulty to say nothing of the time required. Following are aids and
illustrations which will show how these lists can be mastered with
comparatively small effort and little time.
Fix in Mind by Initialing
Take the initial letter of each of the words which you wish to remember
and use these as the first letter of simple words which will combine
into an expression which has a meaning. This is very helpful, and is
sometimes called "initialing." We have all learned the sentence: