RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30267, 21 October 1963, Page 21

RANDOM REMINDER

REST PILL

With the examination season about to show its wrinkled face, there was particular interest in the recently-published Aranui High School bulletin on preparing for examinations. This is the school which, two years ago. began a scheme to instruct parents in how to do homework. So it seemed only right that we should put the swotting bulletin to the most practical of tests. And if our survey found much which was beneficial, it is clear that there are grave flaws in the system. We were particularly concerned about the set of instructions which appeared under the subheading ‘‘Variety of Occupation Helps You Learn.”

It starts:— 1. Read your notes for 10 minutes, then write the main points out for five minutes. We found that even after constant practice, we could write all we had to write in UNDER 60 SECONDS 2. For 10 minutes recite aloud your notes or headings. Do some with book open, some with it closed. THIS IS NO GOOD. EXCEPT WHEN BOOK IS CLOSED, CHILDREN COMPLAIN THEY CAN NOT HEAR THE TV PROPERLY. 3. Do 10 minutes writing out a summary of your notes. THIS REQUIRES AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. 4. Spend 10 minutes drawing maps or dia-

grams (some from memory.) DANGEROUS. LEADS TO DRAWING FACES LIKE MAP OF IRELAND, AND ON TO ACTUAL DOODLING, MAKING: 5. Spend 10 minutes telling yourself aloud what the diagrams mean. IMPOSSIBLE. However we found ourselves fully in favour of the bit about giving the body a chance to stay healthy. One of the best tips of all was to have a rest period flat on the back with feet higher than the head and the mind a blank. But once you get that way—if you do the job properly —time means nothing. It was only when the TV programme finished, some time after 11 p.m. that our students came in to wake us up.