A Mind for Numbers How to Excel at Math and Science by Barbara Oakley

 

 

A Mind for Number

The reason I read this book is to gain an understanding of how best to teach accounting from principles learnt from studying maths or science – learning is generally the same and I am trying to find out what is the best method to teach

I found A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley a very good book in that it followed a logical approach on how to learn

I have briefly summarized the main points below and will be applying this in my Build my Balance Sheet Course

Good Rules for Studying

Use Recall

Test yourself

Chunk your problems

Space your repetition

Alternative different problem-solving techniques during your practice

Take Breaks

Use explanatory questioning and simple analogies

Focus

Eat your frogs first

Make a mental contrast

Bad Rules for Studying

Passive Rereading

Letting highlights overwhelm you

Merely glancing at problem’s solution and thinking you know how to do it

Waiting until the last minute to study

Repeatedly solving problems of the same type that you already know how to solve

Letting study sessions with friends turn into chat sessions

Neglecting to read the textbook before you start working the problems

Not checking with your instructors or classmates to clear up points of confusion

Thinking you can learn deeply when you are being distracted

Not getting enough sleep