Learning Through Your Senses – Muscle Movement

Many students like to be on the move – they don’t like to sit still.  They get restless during long classes and have a hard time paying attention.  They don’t like to sit and read or listen for a long time.  If they want to learn something, they prefer to do it themselves as opposed to reading the directions or having someone tell them what to do.   If this is you, here are some ways to add large and small muscle movement into your studying:

• Make and use study cards.  You will like the manipulation aspect.
• Take notes, rewrite notes, make charts, graphs and study guides – you are using small muscles!
• Likewise, annotate when reading.  The small muscle movement of writing will help keep you engaged.
• Take your review chart and study it while on the treadmill or exercise bike.
• Tape your notes and listen while walking or running.
• Make use of small segments of time by carrying your study cards with you.
• Try to avoid 3 hour, once-a-week classes if possible.  If you must take a long class, be sure to get up and walk around during the break.
• When studying, take breaks every 30 minutes or so.  (By a “break” I mean a few minutes to walk around, not two hours to hang out with friends!)
• Seek out classes with a lab component or where students do projects as opposed to exams.

Any way you can add movement will help you stay on task and learn!