Stories can Teach

We are all different, yet many schools forces us to learn in the same way.  Some students are lucky because they grow up in an environment that is aligned to their skills.  Others are not and have had to learn to adapt to a life of mediocrity.  Many of you reading this will understand what it feels like to be brimming with ideas and yet labeled as average by the people around you because of your average grades in school.Why is it that some people find it so difficult to learn in school?  The reason may be because your mind was filled with questions, a doubting voice that kept pestering you with questions like 'how can they be sure', 'what if this happens', 'why is 1 + 3 = 4 and not 5' or even 'I know people who do things differently, so how can this be true'.You can't change who you are, but you can change how you look at yourself.  For example, some of the best scientists in the world are also the ones with the most doubts.  If Thomas Edison had not been a 'below average' student, he might never have become one of the most prolific inventors in the world.  On the other hand, this 'doubting' skill does have its down side, in the sense that it is very difficult to remember facts, or even recall how to apply methods that you have learned only a day before.  Meaning that, if it didn't make sense to you the first time you heard it, then you will be unable to use it in a logical manner.  For example, if you don't understand that 4 x 3 = 4 + 4 + 4, then you will have a hard time remembering that 4 x 3 = 12.Some learning methods require that you memorise facts by doing pages of drills, but if that still doesn't produce the result you are hoping for, then the next alternative is practical experience where you actually go out in the field and apply the theory to real life.  It is a good way to get your questions answered but it is not always practical, and this kind of learning method can also be extremely slow.The next method is of course reading.  There are a large number of books out in the market now that caters to the needs of the doubt-filled learner.  They come in both fiction and non-fiction forms, and some of my favorite writers are Malcolm Gladwell, James Herriot, Christian Jacque and Michael Crichton. But of course, younger learners should look for writers that cater to their age group.Another idea that you can try is to write stories relating to the subject matter you wish to learn.  I find this method very effective for me because it helps me sort out all my 'doubt' areas by making me find a logical flow of relationship between cause and effect.  It is also a lot of fun.  You can read some of my materials on basic statistics in The Life of Snow Ears.  Yes, I do know that animals can't count, but are we really sure.  The sun-birds in Borneo steal threads from spider webs to weave into nests and honey bees are able to tell fellow bees where they have found nectar by doing a dance at the beehive.Whatever method you do decide to apply, make sure it is the one that helps you assimilate information easily because it is pointless to move from one ineffective method to another.  Happy learning.