Beat the exam blues

Although studying and writing exams are your learner’s responsibilities, exam stress affect the entire family to some extent.

Tthere’s a lot you can do as a mother to assist in getting him or her – and you! –ready for the task, reducing the stress levels and preventing overload or burnout in the process. The best way do so is to ensure that your child implements the following game plan, which should go a long way in setting the scene for an easier time.

• Take a deep breath, gently inhaling into your tummy for 4 seconds, hold for two, then release slowly through almost-closed lips for 8 seconds. This is a great way to calm down, relax and refocus, with immediate effect.
• Get some fresh air. It’s essential to take regular breaks every hour instead of endlessly trying to study without any downtime. According to SADAG, your brain can’t concentrate for longer than 40 minutes and suggests a ten minute break every hour. Go outside, walk around the garden and grab some rays to refresh and reboot your mind.
• Eat your way to better brain power with regular, healthy, balanced meals that include a lean protein, whole grain carbs and nutrient-dense colourful veggies, with healthy snacks in between –fresh fruit, low fat yoghurt, a few nuts with dried fruit or a cup of air-popped popcorn- to ensure that your blood glucose control remains constant which will assist in optimising concentration, says Claire Julsing Strydom, a registered dietician at Nutritional Solutions. Staying well-hydrated is essential too, but stick to plain water rather than energy drinks andcaffeine which will pick you up then drop you down just as quickly. Supplementing with Vitamin B complex will also help to counteract stress.
• Get moving –whether it’s a run or walk in the nearest park, a gym class or a bike ride, getting physical is the perfect way to reduce those stress levels and to re-energize and unwind no matter how tired or brain dead you may be. Furthermore those feel-good hormones that are released during exercise will   elevate your mood and clear that foggy mind.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep deprivation due to anxiety or stress can lead to moodiness and concentration problems, so schedule in 20 minute power naps each day and some extra shut-eye over the weekend. You should also chat to your pharmacist or healthcare practitioner about a non-habit forming, non sedating homeopathic medicine that can help relieve the symptoms of mild anxiety and sleeplessness caused by everyday stress, that can be safely used by every member of the family.

Remember that it’s important to watch your child carefully during these pressurised weeks and to contact a professional if you’re at all concerned. About one in ten 13 -19 year olds will experience some form of depression which is often exacerbated by exam stress, and the earlier treatment is sought, the more likely it will be able to be successfully managed.

 

Source: http://www.health24.com/Lifestyle/Teen/Your-life/Beat-exam-blues-20130210

RSA is a water-scarce country – Zuma

Johannesburg – South Africa is a water-scarce country with it being a problem in many communities, President Jacob Zuma said on Friday.

“South Africa is rapidly growing into a water-scarce country, particularly due to broader changes which are caused by climate change and global warming,” Zuma said in a speech prepared for delivery in Giyani, Limpopo.

“As a result, many countries experience varying extremes such as floods and drought.”

It was not only Limpopo that faced water problems. Other provinces also had water shortages.

“Where there is a shortage of water, sanitation is also poor and consequently health is affected,” he said.

“Water is life. Without water, life is difficult.”

Zuma, in the area as part of a presidential siyahlola monitoring visit, said water services had been established in 55 villages in the Mopani district, following complaints over a long period of time.

In other areas, the biggest problem was ageing infrastructure.

“As government, we have made various interventions to deal with this challenge in the country,” Zuma said.

“We have, for example, expanded water infrastructure, such as building dams and refurbishing and improving old infrastructure to improve water supply.”

De Hoop Dam had recently been opened in Limpopo, with new dams opened in other provinces as well.

“We are also increasing the municipal infrastructure grant to enable the municipalities to increase their scale of service delivery.

“We continue to focus on providing water throughout the country.”

In the past five months, government had attended to water and sanitation problems in places such as Bloemhof, Ngobi, and the Ngaka Modiri Molema district in North West.

Other places included the Makana district municipality in the Eastern Cape, Hobhouse in the Free State, and Umkhanyakude district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.

“There is an acute shortage of water in the Mopani district area. The scale of dependence on boreholes illustrates the gravity of this challenge, even in the hospitals,” Zuma said.

Water shortages

“Rural areas in this part of the country are suffering, particularly when you consider that almost half of the boreholes drilled are for one or other reason not working.”

All five local municipalities in the Mopani district municipality had been experiencing serious water shortages.

“This is why we have mounted massive efforts to improve the provision of water in this area, among others through the Giyani water treatment works which are being refurbished,” Zuma said.

“The scope of the Giyani water treatment works project includes the construction of an additional 6.7 megalitres per day capacity water treatment works.”

It also included the refurbishment of the existing 30 megalitres treatment works to increase the supply to 36.7 megalitres per day.

The Giyani water treatment works was one of the 26 water treatment works which supplied the Mopani district.

Source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-a-water-scarce-country-Zuma-20141101

Learning the Hard Way to Buckle Kids Up

Cape Town – For a Cape Town mother who did not buckle up her child, and watched him die as a result, his death seems like yesterday. But Nicholas Durães Steyning died in 1986. Since that terrible day, his mother, Rosa Durães, has not stopped urging parents to buckle their own children up.

“You think it won’t happen to you. I was young and did not think of the consequences of my actions,” she said.

“It was Saturday August 23, I was a new mom, and my son was three-and-a-half months old.”

She, her now-ex husband who was driving, brother-in-law and son went to Makro in Milnerton.

“We were driving in a Golf from the Gardens area. I was sitting in the passenger seat breastfeeding him.

“We were in the middle lane driving towards the intersection of Oswald Pirow and the N1. The traffic light was green, there was a car in the right lane just ahead of us.

“As we approached the intersection a car turning right from the opposite direction sped up trying to beat the car in our right lane.

“He didn’t see our car and cut in front of our car and we T-boned him.

“On impact my son hit his head on the cubby-hole, my ex-brother-in-law was not strapped in (behind her) which caused more force on my seat.

“I hit the windshield with my head,” Durães said.

“I have been told that you multiply the weight and it could be a few tons that crushes your child.

“My son had a head injury but was still conscious and crying.

“A good Samaritan stopped and took us to hospital. My son stared at me the whole way while screaming in pain, it felt like he was pleading for my help.

“The hospital didn’t do anything for three hours while I was lying on a stretcher not being able to go to him. I heard his screams, I hear them still.

“When he was finally attended to he was taken in for surgery and went into a coma.

“I prayed so hard but on Monday August 25 they told me that they were going to do some tests and see if he would breathe on his own, if not they would put back the life support.

“I was asked to go to another floor and express milk for the other children while my child was unable to benefit from my milk.

“When I returned to the ward they told me he had died.”

The driver of the other car had allegedly been with his lover and did not want his wife to know.

“He was taken to court by the State and was charged with culpable homicide.

“He got a R500 fine and a suspended driving licence for a short period,” she said.

How did she survive her pain?

“I have not survived the pain. I will always hear his cry and remember his pleading eyes. Time does not heal.

“Every year it is a little harder to come to terms with what happened. I have failed as a mother, I have not done my duty of protecting my child.”

Since 1986, she has taken every available opportunity to encourage people to “buckle up their precious cargo”.

“Most people react aggressively by swearing or telling me to mind my own business and that it is their children.

“One occasion I mentioned to a lady that I was speaking from personal experience, she sarcastically said ‘sorry for you’.

“The sad part is that I have friends who are aware of what I went through and they still don’t buckle their children up …” Durães said.

“It takes just a minute to buckle them up and just a minute to lose them forever.”

l The Western Cape’s Safely Home Campaign is this month urging motorists to buckle up, especially their children.

Cape Argus

Source:http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/family/kids/learning-the-hard-way-to-buckle-kids-up-1.1750164#.VBWc0Es71Gg

British & Japanese Scientists “Reset” Stem Cells

London – British and Japanese scientists have managed to “reset” human stem cells to their earliest state, opening up a new realm of research into the start of human development and potentially life-saving regenerative medicines.

In work described by one independent expert as “a major step forward”, the scientists said they had successfully rebooted pluripotent stem cells so they were equivalent to those of a 7 to 10-day old embryo, before it implants in the womb.

By studying the reset cells, they said they hoped they would now be able to learn more about embryo development, and how it can go wrong and cause miscarriage and developmental disorders.

“These cells may represent the real starting point for formation of tissues in the human embryo,” said Austin Smith, director of the Britain’s Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, who co-led the research published in the journal Cell on Thursday.

“We hope that in time they will allow us to unlock the fundamental biology of early development, which is impossible to study directly in people,” he added.

Human pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to become any of the cells and tissues in the body, can already be made in a lab either from cells extracted from early-stage embryos or from adult cells that have been induced, or reprogrammed, into an earlier state.

But, the researchers said in a statement, until now it has proved difficult to generate human pluripotent stem cells that are at an early enough, pristine stage, before they have started changing.

Instead, scientists have only derived cells that are slightly further down the developmental pathway, not a totally “blank slate”, said Smith.

Experts say that by helping to regenerate tissue, stem cell science could offer new ways of treating conditions for which there are currently no cures – including heart and eye diseases, Parkinson’s and stroke.

“GOOD NEWS FOR PATIENTS”

The process of generating stem cells in the lab is much easier to control in mouse cells, which can be frozen in a state of very early pluripotency using a protein called LIF. Human cells are not as responsive to LIF, so they must be controlled in a different way that involves switching key genes on and off.

Smith said this was the main reason why scientists have been unable to generate human pluripotent cells that are as primitive and pristine as their mouse equivalents.

To avoid this problem, the scientists introduced two genes – NANOG and KLF2 – which caused a network of genes controlling the cell to reboot and induce the early pluripotent state.

Yasuhiro Takashima of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, who worked with Smith, said the reset cells opened the door to a new phase of research.

“We now need to carry out further studies to establish how our cells compare with others,” he said. “We don’t yet know whether these will be a better starting point than existing stem cells for therapies, but being able to start entirely from scratch could prove beneficial.”

Chris Mason, a stem cell expert and professor of regenerative medicine at University College London who was not involved in this work, praised its results and implications.

“Having a source of pristine stem cells which can be precisely changed into clinical-relevant cell types is a major step forward,” he said in an emailed comment.

“The benefits could be safer and more clinically effective cell therapies produced at lower cost – good news for patients and healthcare providers.” – Reuters

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/news/scientists-reset-stemcells-1.1749812#.VBWbx0s71Gh

For children, encouragement is KEY

Durban – A recent issue of Keeping up with ADHD, the newsletter of the Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Support group of Southern Africa, has this advice on praise and encouragement:

Encouragement and praise might at first glance seem like the same thing, but they are actually very different.

Praise

Praise is usually linked to the result rather than effort, for example “Your project was the best ever – it’s brilliant!” Praise is usually only given to very capable children – those with ADHD are far less likely to receive it.

Too much praise can stunt confidence and discourage learning. Excessive praise often loses meaning, and loses its force. When everything is wonderful, then nothing is…

The hidden message in praise is that children are only worthwhile when they do what is wanted from them.

Praise is also judgemental, and children who are frequently praised feel frequently judged. This works against them developing their own judgements.

Praise usually creates a dependence on adult approval. All the child learns from typical praise is how best to please adults. Possible results are that they learn to measure their worth by their ability to conform. In some cases they rebel instead.

Encouragement

All children can benefit from encouragement, which focuses on the effort rather than the results. For example, “I can see that you put a lot of work into this – well done!”

Most of us can recall teachers who used praise that meant much more than just compliments.

The message that encouragement sends to the child is that people trust him to become responsible and independent. Possible results include children learning the courage to be imperfect. They are more likely to develop self-confidence and learn to feel responsible for their own behaviour.

Dr John Taylor, a US child psychologist, gives this advice.

Here’s how to build children’s self-esteem while challenging them to reach their potential:

Encouragement is more than just words

Words are just one of many different things giving clues of the underlying attitude of a person who is encouraging another. Their tone of voice, their actions, opinions, as well as their psychological atmosphere give further clues. All these things affect the spoken word, with the result that the message can be either encouraging or discouraging – even though the same words have been used.

Encouragement is not a gimmick

There is nothing sneaky, tricky, or phony about it. Encouragement is more like “food” than “medicine”.

A steady “diet” of encouragement over a long enough period of time will strengthen the child (or adult) and help them cope better during stress. They would also be less likely to lose self-esteem under stress.

Encouragement involves a balance between independence and dependence

It involves recognising both the child and the adult’s autonomy and their belongingness – their magnificence and their frailty.

Encouraging actions and statements can be combined

A combination of encouraging actions and statements “bathes” children in encouraging influences.

Encouragement is love

Encouragement helps children feel good about themselves and others. Self-love and love of others are forms of the same love-energy.

People who experience encouragement can learn to encourage themselves. They evaluate themselves and their progress; and depend less on feedback from others.

When encouraging words can be discouraging

In some situations, encouraging phrases could stifle feelings and block communications, making these words discouraging.

The way to deal with this would be to give:

(a) An opportunity for feelings to be aired.

(b) Empathy and asking “… and then?”

Encouragement is contrary to many roles and traditions in our society

Our society is generally highly discouraging.

* Information adapted from an article titled Encouragement – Some Points to Remember.

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/family/kids/for-children-encouragement-is-key-1.1730082#.U-FIYFY71Gg

Same Genes ‘Drive Maths and Reading Ability

Same genes ‘drive maths and reading ability’

By Helen BriggsHealth editor, BBC News website

Twins at secondary school: How much do genes influence academic success?

The same genes drive maths and reading ability, research suggests.

Around half of the genes that influence a child’s aptitude for reading also play a role in how easily they learn maths, say scientists.

The study of 12-year-old British twins from 3,000 families, reported in Nature Communications, adds to the debate about the role of genes in education.

An education expert said the work had little relevance for public policy as specific genes had not been identified.

Past research suggests both nature and nurture have a similar impact on how children perform in exams.

Finding such strong genetic influence does not mean that there is nothing we can do if a child finds learning difficult – heritability does not imply that anything is set in stone ” – Robert PlominKing’s College London

One study found genes explained almost 60% of the variation in GCSE exam results.

However, little is known about which genes are involved and how they interact.

‘Not set in stone’

The new research suggests a substantial overlap between the genetic variations that influence mathematics and reading, say scientists from UCL, the University of Oxford and King’s College London.

But non-genetic factors – such as parents, schools and teachers – are also important, said Prof Robert Plomin of King’s College London, who worked on the study.

“The study does not point to specific genes linked to literacy or numeracy, but rather suggests that genetic influence on complex traits, like learning abilities, and common disorders, like learning disabilities, is caused by many genes of very small-effect size,” he said.

Children differ genetically in how easy or difficult they find learning, and these individual differences need to be recognised and respected, he explained.

“Finding such strong genetic influence does not mean that there is nothing we can do if a child finds learning difficult,” he added.

“Heritability does not imply that anything is set in stone – it just means it may take more effort from parents, schools and teachers to bring the child up to speed.”

‘Limitation’

The study adds to the debate about the role of genes in children’s educational attainment, said Dr John Jerrim of the Institute of Education.

But he said the “key limitation” was that the authors “cannot (and do not) tell us which genes are actually thought to influence children’s reading and maths ability”.

“Until researchers are able to identify the specific genes that are thought to influence children’s reading and math skills, and show that such associations are robust in numerous academic studies, then such work has little relevance for public policy,” he said.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28211676

Developing study skills in your child

Middle school is recognized by most authorities as a crucial period in a student’s life. You are at the point where schoolwork is becoming more difficult, and your grades are being counted on your official transcript. These factors alone are formidable, but classwork is also becoming more involved and abstract, and students are being asked to use their brains in ways analytical and intuitive that they may not have yet been called on to develop. Because this period in your life marks your passage into the adult world of practical knowledge, reasoning, and career study, it is important that you cultivate an effective method of learning and reviewing information that allows you to truly understand it. By acknowledging the following factors, you can develop the skills needed to absorb and apply information in class. Once you’ve mastered these techniques, you’ll probably also want to check out Secrets Smart Students Know; this great little book has lots of tips that will help you study faster and improve your memory.

1. Create an appropriate study environment. Many students have a difficult time keeping up with their studies merely because they feel frustrated and uncomfortable when they sit down to begin them. In order to have an encouraging and fruitful experience when studying, you must be in an environment that allows for full concentration.

   The first thing that any student appreciates when studying is an open, organized studying surface, such as a large desk or table. A desk with drawers or some plastic tubs that can be stored near the table will allow you to have your resources close by. It is to be stressed that the study area be open–having the space to spread out books and papers will minimize frustration. Furthermore, a focused study environment requires quiet and no distractions. The usual “supplies” that are brought to the study area–a CD player, snack food, etc.–are discouraged. These things break concentration and take time away from studies. The student should know that study time is study time, and should eat before or after–not during–his work. Other factors that create a good study environment are good lighting and comfortable furniture.

2. Develop a calm attitude. Studying also requires the correct attitude. Be calm and patient with yourself as you review the material. Beating yourself up will do no good. Try to open your mind as much as possible by putting other things aside and dispelling frustration.
3. Take good notes (and pay attention in class). Class time is when much of learning takes place. Pay attention during class, and don’t expect to learn everything later on your own. As a student moves through middle school and into high school, lectures will become more crucial to the grade and in-class participation will often count for points. Paying attention in class familiarizes you with the material, and taking notes firms it up until further studying solidifies it. Some good note-taking strategies are:
   • Using abbreviations or symbols for commonly used words (e.g. mlcl for molecule, w/ for “with,” the Greek letter delta for the concept of change).
   • Singling out the most important information for the record (main ideas, necessary details).
   • Using clear headers to organize information.
   • Drawing pictures or diagrams rather than expressing “visual concepts” in words.
4. Develop effective memorization methods. While memorization is far from being all you’ll need in middle school and high school, it is often called into use. MindTools is a website which details many memory techniques. The following is a list of some common techniques to improve your memory:
5. 1. • List: When memorizing dates, formulae, etc., some find useful the most bare method of all–the list. When memorizing the scientific names of different organisms for a biology class, for instance, a student could create two columns side by side–one listing the common names, the other listing the scientific names. By reading the list over several times and then covering up pieces of information so that you are forced to remember them, you can teach your brain to associate the two names more quickly.
      • Flash cards: Flash cards are a valuable resource as well. They work much like a list, but instead of putting the corresponding information in two columns, you can use index cards (or paper, etc.) and put matching information on either side. For instance, borrowing the subject from the previous example, you could put “red fox” on one side, and “vulpes vulpes” on the other. You could then look at one side of the card and try to recall the information on the other side. This method is very similar to the list, but easier to quiz oneself with. It does, however, require more preparation (in creating the cards).
      • Acronyms/acrostics: Acronyms are valuable study methods in memorizing information as well. An example of a useful acronym would be the construction HOMES. Each of the letters in HOMES begins the name of one of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, etc.) By remembering HOMES, it becomes easier to list all five lakes. An acrostic is similar to an acronym, but instead of creating a word one can create a sentence in which the first letters of all the words correspond with the first letters of the objects of memorization. For example, in the sentence “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” the first letters correspond to “parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction,” which is the order of operations in solving mathematic equations. Acronyms and acrostics will do little to help you unless you are already familiar with the terms you are attempting to recall.
   2. Focus on the areas that need the most attention. Many students feel that any time studying counts as real studying, but studying is less effective if you do not target the areas that need study. A student who receives A’s in his chemistry course may enjoy studying chemistry (and can still benefit from it, of course!) but if he is receiving C’s or D’s in math or English, then it is more pressing during the grading period to study those other subjects. Assess your strengths and weaknesses and distribute your time accordingly.
   3. Work with others. While distractions are bad in a study environment, studying in a group or pair can be very useful, as long as everyone involved is focused on studying. Study groups allow the student to use other students as a resource. This is especially useful when the teacher with the necessary information is not available. By working together, students can fill in the gaps for each other and identify with each other’s problems in the learning process, a connection more difficult to make between teacher (who has understood the material for a long time) and student (who is just now being exposed to it). Study groups can also quiz each other, using flash cards or just verbal questions. It is also widely known that teaching someone else material that you are currently going over in class can help you to learn the material more concretely and smooth out the wrinkles in your understanding. If your knowledge of a subject is fairly good but could use improvement, consider tutoring or trying to teach someone else, so that you can cement your understanding or work through roadblocks together.
   4. Develop crucial essay writing skills through practice. A commonly overlooked aspect of study is the student’s ability to discuss a topic in depth, or to organize his thoughts in an essay. Essay writing is not something that can be learned overnight–the only way to develop it is to practice and receive criticism. Take advantage of study periods to write out the information that you know in essay form. This practice can help you to prepare for essay questions on a test or quiz and show you what you know and what you need to learn.

    

   Developing effective study skills in middle school is a wise mode of preparation for high school and for the real world. As you move on through life, the study skills you’ve developed in middle school will be useful to you. Using your techniques, you can commit to memory important information that might someday impress your boss. You can receive and enact instructions given by a superior to the tee, thanks to a cultivated ability to pay attention during lectures and gather information as it is given. Use the time you have now, in middle school, to earn yourself great grades and to develop useful learning skills for the future.

Source: http://www.howtodothings.com/education/a2964-how-to-improve-study-skills-in-middle-school.html

What can you do to help your child study

“Be sure to study for the test on Friday,” one of your child’s teachers is certain to say some day soon.

Does your child know how?

While many teachers spend some class time teaching study skills, students often need more guidance than they get in the classroom. In middle school, there’s more homework, it becomes more difficult and it requires analytical skills your child may not have developed yet.

The study skills your child needs to do well on her test on Friday are the same ones she will need to succeed in high school and college: getting organized, taking good notes and studying effectively.

As your child moves toward independence, she’s less likely to ask for your advice. She will need to go through some trial and error to come up with the strategies most compatible with her learning style. And you’ll want to encourage her to take responsibility for her own school work. You can help her by monitoring homework, asking questions and helping her evaluate what works for her — and what doesn’t.

Helping your child get organized

Getting organized is crucial for your child, says Linda Winburn, a veteran South Carolina middle school teacher who became the state’s 2005 Teacher of the Year. “And the key is parent involvement.”

Some tips to help your child get organized:

Provide a place to study.

It doesn’t have to be a desk, says Winburn. “A kitchen counter is a great place, especially if mom’s in the kitchen cooking.”

The desk or table surface should be big enough so that your student can spread out papers and books. Make sure essential supplies such as pens, paper and calculator are close by. Have good lighting and a sturdy chair that’s the right height available.

Help your child develop a system to keep track of important papers.

If your child tends to forget to turn in homework or can’t quite keep track of how he’s doing in a class, it might help to get him a binder with a folder in the front for completed work ready to be turned in and a folder in the back for papers returned by the teacher.

“For me, staying organized meant creating a system — any system — and sticking to it,” says Gabriela Kipnis, now a student at the University of Pennsylvania. “I had fun color-coding, organizing and using dividers, but the truth is, all that mattered was that there was a method that I stuck with.”

Make sure your child has — and uses — a planner to keep track of assignments.

Help your child get in the habit of writing down each daily assignment in each subject and checking it off when it’s complete. Some schools provide these to students, and if not, you might want to work with your PTA or parent organization to provide planners at your school.

Encourage your child to estimate how long each assignment will take.

He can then plan a realistic schedule, building in study breaks after subjects that are most challenging, and allowing for soccer games and band practice. Helping your child keep track of time spent studying — rather than staring at a blank page — will help him think about how he’s using his time. If he’s spending too much time on a subject that might be a signal that he needs extra help or tutoring.

Help your child break big projects into smaller ones.

A big research project will seem less overwhelming and will be less likely to be left until the last minute if it’s done in manageable chunks, each with its own deadline.

Communicate with your child’s teachers.

If your child is struggling with organizational skills, talk to the school counselor or teachers about what might be causing the problems and brainstorm approaches to solve them.

Sleep’s memory role discovered

The mechanism by which a good night’s sleep improves learning and memory has been discovered by scientists.

The team in China and the US used advanced microscopy to witness new connections between brain cells – synapses – forming during sleep.

Their study, published in the journal Science, showed even intense training could not make up for lost sleep.

Experts said it was an elegant and significant study, which uncovered the mechanisms of memory.

It is well known that sleep plays an important role in memory and learning. But what actually happens inside the brain has been a source of considerable debate.

Researchers at New York University School of Medicine and Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School trained mice in a new skill – walking on top of a rotating rod.

They then looked inside the living brain with a microscope to see what happened when the animals were either sleeping or sleep deprived.

Their study showed that sleeping mice formed significantly more new connections between neurons – they were learning more.

A connection between two brain cells

And by disrupting specific phases of sleep, the research group showed deep or slow-wave sleep was necessary for memory formation.

During this stage, the brain was “replaying” the activity from earlier in the day.

Prof Wen-Biao Gan, from New York University, told the BBC: “Finding out sleep promotes new connections between neurons is new, nobody knew this before.

“We thought sleep helped, but it could have been other causes, and we show it really helps to make connections and that in sleep the brain is not quiet, it is replaying what happened during the day and it seems quite important for making the connections.”

Analysis

This is just the latest piece of science to highlight the importance of sleep.

A new reason for sleep was discovered last year when experiments showed the brain used sleep to wash away waste toxins built up during a hard day’s thinking.

However, there are concerns that people are not getting enough sleep.

As part of the BBC’s Day of the Body Clock, Prof Russell Foster argued that society had become “supremely arrogant” in ignoring the importance of sleep, leading to “serious health problems”.

These include:

• cancer
• heart disease
• type-2 diabetes
• infections
• obesity

The reward for more sleep, Prof Foster argues, is we would all be “better human beings.”

BBC Body Clock: What makes you tick

BBC Science: Sleep

Further tests showed how significant sleep was.

Mice doing up to an hour’s training followed by sleep were compared with mice training intensively for three hours but then sleep deprived.

The difference was still stark, with the sleepers performing better and the brain forming more new connections.

Prof Gan added: “One of the implications is for kids studying, if you want to remember something for long periods you need these connections.

“So it is probably better to study and have good sleep rather than keep studying.”

Commenting on the findings, Dr Raphaelle Winsky-Sommerer, from the University of Surrey, told the BBC: “This is very impressive, carefully crafted and using a combination of exquisite techniques to identify the underlying mechanisms of memory.

“They provide the cellular mechanism of how sleep contributes to dealing with experiences during the day.

“Basically it tells you sleep promotes new synaptic connections, so preserve your sleep.”

 

 Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-27695144

How to teach your child to study – tips from Angela Norton Tyler

Let’s face it, most students don’t know how to study. Everybody talks about the importance of grades and test scores, yet we neglect to show students how to do well. Our poor children either don’t study at all or spend hours trying to studying every night. Neither choice is good. The whole thing ends up being a waste of time and effort.

Students might need to do some extra studying before a test, but there are ways to stay on top of the information without having to put in hours of hours of work or burning out. Think quality more than quantity.

This is how I tell my own middle school daughter and intermediate (grades 3-5) students how to study and prepare for upcoming tests:

1. First of all, get organized. I recommend having a separate folder for each school subject. Keep things to be turned in (papers, reports, homework, etc.) on one side of the folder. On the other side, place all returned/corrected homework, tests, handouts, etc. Keep everything—at least until the end of the semester! You will see why it is important to be able to put your hands on these papers.
2. A week or so before the test, ask the teacher for a study guide.(Do not become the annoying student who asks throughout every lecture “Is this going to be on the test?” It drives teachers bananas.)
3. If the teacher does not have a ready-made study guide, ask “What should I know for the test?” Often, teachers will tell you exactly what you need to know and where to find it. Write down whatever they say!
4. For math tests: Do the end-of-chapter problems or the sample test. If you can do these problems, then you understand the most important concepts in the chapter and you should do well on the test.
5. Also for math tests: Redo any homework problems you missed. Make certain that you understand where you went wrong the first time. Ask the teacher to explain any problems you still cannot do.
6. For social studies or science tests: Answer the end-of-chapter and/or end-of-unit questions. Often, you will find these exact questions on the test! At the very least, you will have a broad understanding of the most important concepts and ideas from the unit.
7. Review/organize/rewrite your notes. Take a look at your notes since the last test. Are they neat? Do they make sense? Is there a better way to organize them? For example, can you group certain ideas together? Would it make sense to have one page of dates and another page of important people? One of the best ways to get information into your head is to organize it and write it down. Rewrite your notes neatly.
8. Review/organize/rewrite handouts from the teacher. If the teacher took the time to copy something, she thinks you need to know it. Take a look at all of the handouts the teacher gave you. Do you understand them? Please don’t recreate all the handouts! Think about creating one page with the most important information from all of them.
9. Know the definition of all vocabulary words, concepts, ideas, people, etc. that have been introduced since the last test. These are the highlighted words found in a chapter. Sometimes, there will be a list of “important words” or “people to know.” Write down all of these words and be sure to include any word that your teacher takes the time to define for you, as well.
10. Memorize. You will be amazed at how much information you know after organizing your notes and looking for important words. Still, sometimes you must buckle down and commit things to memory.

How To Study With Flash Cards

I love flash cards! Here’s how to use flash cards to study:

Write the word on one side, the definition on the other, and test yourself. For example, write electorate on one side of the flash card and “the body of enfranchised citizens; those qualified to vote” on the other.

Say “electorate,” then flip the card over and say “the body of enfranchised citizens; those qualified to vote.” Do this over and over until you can repeat the definition without looking at it.

After you have learned all of the cards, start with the definitions and see if you remember the word before turning over the flash card. Speak up! Move around! You will learn faster if you hear the words out loud (auditory learning) and get your body involved (kinesthetic learning). Who cares if your little brother thinks you’re crazy? He’ll be jealous of your grades!

When you think you know all of the words and definitions, ask someone else to test you. Missed any? Go back and memorize them. Do this until you know every word.

How To Study With Folded Paper

Folded paper. I know, I am so high-tech! I learned how to study with this study method in the 8th grade, and I have been using it ever since—even in graduate school.

Fold a regular piece of lined paper in half the long way. In the left column, write the words you need to memorize. In the right column, write down the definitions. Think of the paper as a bunch of attached flash cards. Keep the paper folded and flip it back and forth as you learn each word and definition. Follow the same routine as with the flash cards: memorize, test yourself, get tested.

Start this process a few days before the test. So after you finish your regular homework, study for a half-hour or so. Don’t wait until the last minute and try to cram everything into your head. Put a little information in each night, and it will stick. Plus, by studying this way, you will still have time for a life outside of homework, and you will feel relaxed and confident about the test.

Finally, right before the test, review your notes (read them out loud if you can) and run through your flash cards or folded paper study sheets. You are ready to ace the test!

Learning how to study is not difficult at all. And the best part is that once you learn how to do it, you’re set. I don’t study much differently now than I did when I was in 8th grade. (Studying is probably the only thing I still do the same way!)

If you are a parent trying to convince your child to learn these techniques or a student trying to teach yourself how to study—don’t give up! Knowing how to study is actually a skill you can use for the rest of your life.