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The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but those things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deut. 29:29)

Critical to staying ahead in an ever-changing world is the ability to SORT; to know what to look out for in the multitude of things to choose from.

THE LOST TOOLS OF LEARNING

"The man who knows how will always have a job; the man who knows why will always be his boss." (Ed Cole)

Dorothy Sayers , a famous Christian detective fiction writer and playwright of a generation ago looked at the difference between classic learning in ancient times and much of ours today. They knew then a way to train young people so that some of them could to step into the role of kings, presidents and ambassadors while they were still teenagers. They not only knew what they needed to know to carry out great responsibilities; they knew how to find what they didn't know, even if no-one was there to show them or tell them. Sayers put her analysis in a profound little essay she called the Lost Tools Of Learning.

A medieval child could at twelve STUDY BY HIMSELF a subject never seen before. He could sort out what it was and what it wasn't. Then clearly and simply, he could present what he had found both written and orally. He could also field questions from his teachers who he had to convince what he said was true and who felt free to challenge him as he presented it. Children knew issues and answered questions better than many adult politicians and public figures today. How did they do it?

Sayers said they had TWO PARTS to their learning; what they called the Quadrivium (subjects) and the Trivium (approach). Subjects like language, math, science were all learned the same way; by the Trivium. They learned all their subjects through the same procedure of study. As a result, whatever they needed to know in future used a familiar approach. With this common process, they were able to make immediate connections between widely-different subjects in creative and effective ways. They used a language (usually Latin or Greek) to learn it, but you don't have to. Here are the three parts of the process:

(1) COLLECT (Grammar) Get the building blocks.
Your first step in learning something is to collect. At this point, don't stop to analyze or sort. Just collect - ideas, words, sentences, materials. Use all five senses to find what you are looking for - but particularly sight, sound and smell. Your aim here it simply to get as much stuff together as you can on the subject you want to learn.

(2) CATEGORIZE (Dialectic) Identify differences and define.
Now sort things into categories. At this point classify what you have. See what makes something different. If, for instance, you were learning a language like Greek you didn't want to use eros when you really meant agape! If you are studying perhaps pizzas, you sort those you collect - perhaps by size (into big, small, pan, thin-crust), then by topping, sauce, taste etc. The evangelist D.L. Moody used big envelopes to sort themes he was going to speak on and put labels on each for illustrations he collected - sin, love, the cross etc.. Whenever he found a quote or story he could use, he clipped it out or copied it and dropped it in one of his envelopes. When it got too full, he made another sub-category with another envelope.

You can use boxes, files, folders or a computer data-base if you have ability to scan in printed data with a scanner and OCR, or you can hand-type it. Classify by senses and appearance - use sorts like size, color, image, taste, sound, texture or idea. Arrange things first into big classes then into more specific groups under these.

(3) COMMUNICATE (Rhetoric) Show simply and clearly what you see.

You are now in a position to SAY SOMETHING about what you have sorted. From what you have, which did you find the best? What is the truth of what you see? Are you collecting ideas? Pick out of what you have those that best communicate what you want to say. Your aim here is to clearly and concisely present what you see as best. Don't try to be either original or elaborate. Keep things as SIMPLE and as DIRECT as you can. Great art, poetry, writing or speaking never comes with attempts to be different and original. You are different. You are an original. The very act of saying or showing what you see clearly to someone else is the root stuff of true creativity. Genius is often someone seeing and showing something true no-one else quite saw that way before.

FOLLOW THIS ORDER in all you do. Never try to change the order. If you are going to write a book, first collect. Don't sort anything, don't edit or criticize yet. When you have all you need, then begin to put things into categories as they naturally fit. When this is largely done, try to put what you have found as simply and clearly as you can.

HOW TO STUDY A LANGUAGE

Knowing other languages is a great tool to open the door to other nations and people. There is nothing sweeter than your own native tongue. Daniel and his friends were taken from their own home and had to learn another wholly different language. All around you even in your own country, are people who are cut off from the place where their own speech is spoken. God may use your knowledge of other languages to open many doors of ministry that others never could enter. If you are called to another nation or people-group, how can you best learn how to speak and understand them?

A key to learn a language it to use as many tools as you can: Barry Farber, a radio talk show host who has learned 26 languages in his spare time advises you to buy these:

(I) Language textbook that covers grammar well. Read the first five chapters over and over till you understand as much as you can. Leave what you don't get till later.
(ii) Travelers book: that tells you how to pronounce well-used words and phrases.
(iii) Two-way dictionary with foreign-English and English-foreign section.
(iv) Language course on cassette (or CD-ROM). Farber likes those using the Pimsleur method that don't just repeat phrases but make you recall what you learned earlier.
(v) Flash cards with English words one side, translations on other for quick review.
(vi) A newspaper in the language you want to study. Best: one published in that land.

Start: Spread out your newspaper and begin reading the first paragraph of every article. Highlight every word you don't know with a marker. Look up these in your dictionary. Do this as a regular part of each day. (First Collect.)

Now you Categorize: Write each new word or phrase on a flash card with translation on the opposite side. Write words you don't know on a question card to ask someone who speaks the language. Try to guess words that look similar to known words from the context of what you know. Go on to the next paragraph. Set aside a time block each day for this.

Communicate: Test yourself with your audio cassettes or CD-ROM by pausing after the English phrase and trying to translate yourself before going on. Try out phrases from your travelers book when you meet someone native to the language. (How To Learn Any Language Citadel Press 600 Madison Ave. NY. 10019)

You can get language translation tools that let you to feed in a phrase in one tongue and get it out in another. Some computer software will reasonably translate text into say French or German or Spanish. For instance you could send a letter to someone in another country and let the program do 90% of the translation for you. While not perfect nor precise, they can do a lot of the hard work if you ever need to communicate across another culture.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR STUDY TIME

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." That's what Jesus said about His people. Now if an angel came into your class at school and asked the sinners there who the Christians were, would they point to you? Do your friends at school know that you love Jesus? Do your teachers? And do your studies show it?

Every school needs Christians. There are a lot of things that you can use later in the service of God if you do your work well. Languages will be useful if you witness in another country. Social studies will help you know how people live in other lands. Sciences will help train you to think clearly and test out what you believe. Classes in English, speech, and drama will show you how to speak and write so that people will listen to you. History is a lesson in what happens to nations that honor or forget God. Biology will help you see what a wonderful creation God made and may give you opportunities to present the Biblical picture of creation.

Of course, many of your teachers will not know Jesus. Most books you are to read will not discuss Him. Many subjects are taught at school as if God had nothing to say about them at all. But you don't have to be afraid that these will make you lose your faith. If you will think harder, and spend more time asking questions of Christian friends, you will find your faith comes out stronger. God is not afraid of "being proved wrong." You will find that true faith really makes much more sense than no faith at all, and you will learn how to speak up for Jesus in a world that does not like to serve or love Him.

What better place to learn than school? You don't have to go to another land to be a missionary. Your school probably has more people who don't know Jesus per square INCH than "heathen" lands have per square ACRE of jungle. You don't become a missionary by crossing the sea, but by seeing the cross! Every person who knows and loves Jesus is called to be a missionary, and every person who does not, is his or her mission-field. Your school needs Jesus very much.

Do these things if you want to count for Christ. Take your studies to God. Treat each class like an assignment from Jesus to witness. Ask God, "How can I speak for you in this class Lord?" Look hard at the homework and reports you must make for each class. Let God open your mind. How can it be used as a tool for getting out the Good News to both the other kids and your teacher? Think of the classes where you can speak or write for Him! Consider English (essays free verse, poetry); or speech (how Jesus or Christian people) might meet world problems; history (how God's people affected it for good); art (pictures and posters that can preach) and others.

Do your homework wisely and well. Be a person kids can go to for help. Win their respect and your teacher's too, by doing your work neatly, well, and for Jesus' sake. Don't be phony or try too hard. Just be relaxed, happy in God, and show, by your balance and friendliness, that you find wisdom in Someone who has helped you in all areas of your life.

Have you let God use your studies as a channel of witness? If you have been hung up on various problems of the past, you no doubt have completely blown many opportunities to do anything worthwhile in study for Christ. But perhaps it is not too late. Perhaps you can begin again and try to recapture some lost ground. And if there is any improvement at all, you can use even this little gain as a witness to the real change Jesus brings in a life.

SETTING UP A STUDY

Here are some simple guidelines to help you make the most of your study time and organize it to the best advantage:

(1) Have a SPECIAL PLACE set aside for your study. Explain to your family or household your need for quietness and privacy there. Make it good to go to; have any drawing tools, reference books, charts, and texts on hand. Set up a good BRIGHT LIGHT to illuminate your work comfortably without dimness or glare. The best form of light is INDIRECT, DIFFUSED and electric. It should not throw a shadow on your desk, nor shine in your eyes. If you can't get a desk light, move your desk to the best place you can under your room's roof light. Change the bulb if it isn't bright enough. When you make notes, light your textbook and notebook evenly to help you avoid eyestrain.

(2) Set a TIME LIMIT on your study. Prepare before hand. Begin on time. Work as rapidly and as thoroughly as possible on the subject. DON'T ALLOW DISTRACTIONS (phone calls, radio, visitors)! CONCENTRATE. Work against the clock. Stop on time. Don't study if you are too tired; the work will be ineffective.

(3) VARY your studying time. If you are working for a couple of hours on one thing, break it up into smaller lots. If you start making a lot of mistakes, do something else; come back to that problem later. Your subconscious mind will have a little time to work on it, and it may come out better for you later. If you have to work late, and you start to get tired, do something DIFFERENT-- take a SHORT snack, go for a run outside, do some push-ups! You can do this also when you want to start on a new subject, as the one you have just finished will still be on your mind.

(4) PLAN A STUDY GUIDE. Timetable the amount of work you have to get through. Divide your time fairly EVENLY between subjects, but with a little more emphasis on those that you find tougher. Do it neatly, and PIN IT UP where you can see it constantly as a reminder. It should be FLEXIBLE to allow some changes, but on the whole, after you've made it, STICK TO IT. Work UNDER PRESSURE; it is better for you to do a good, solid, intense hour of study, and then take a couple of hours off doing something else, than to fritter away three hours fooling around half-heartedly at one subject.

DISCIPLINE is something you must learn from the Holy Spirit. Learn to pace yourself against yourself. COMMIT each session to the Lord. Ask for guidance as to the amount of time you spend on each section. Don't wait for the right "mood" to study; just begin anyway.

LEARNING: You need a CHALLENGE to give you incentive. Tests or exams are never very far away! Consistent study throughout the year pays off; try counting the weeks or days before set tests or exams start to "spark" you. Your WITNESS in exams is vital. How is it that you can be calm confident, and cheerful? Your unsaved friends will want to know. How can you keep relaxed under the pressure of tough tests and exams? The answer: Christ, and a study program that keeps you on top. If you fool around and fail, your witness in this field is finished. Your study could be a help towards determining their destiny. Your witness is very important in studies. For Jesus' sake, don't fool around.

CRITICIZE materials you read and hear; don't drink in everything without thinking! The evolution theory is a example of a field of study where you can present an effective testimony. Asking yourself questions will help you grasp the key thought behind the material better. Try to develop a real INTEREST in the subject. Think of it in terms of how it could help you in God's work later on. Keep this goal in mind as you study.

HOW TO MEMORIZE MATERIAL BETTER

Want to remember better? You too, can have an "adding-machine" memory! There are three parts to your memory: LEARNING, RETENTION, and RECALL:

(1) LEARNING: "Feeding-in" information. There are many good techniques for greater memory recall. The best involve: using pictures involving action using nonsensical links and rooting the thing remembered to a peg, holder, recall loop, (whatever you want to call it.)

a) Use your senses as many as you can (eyes, ears, touch, "muscle memory"). The best way to memorize is to WRITE OUT and/or CARTOON the material, and READ IT ALOUD at the same time. Use every memory input you can.

(b) Don't try for too long. Don't be fooled that you are "remembering" when you let your eyes keep skipping over the same words. Short, sharp, strict times are best.

(c) Memorize AS A WHOLE. You will find it better in the long run to study large portions of connected things as one unit. You will see less immediate results than when you learn "bits"; but it is better in the long run. Learn a poem for instance, by reading the whole thing through each study time; don't try to break it up. The relationship between parts will help you remember.

(d) In remembering whole lines and paragraphs such as in acting, always try to remember KEY WORDS that will bring back the rest of the line. If necessary, condense notes into single word phrases.

(e) RECITE material (without notes) after learning it. You will be able to see how much you have really learned. Repeat this often. Set yourself "spot tests" in text conditions. Have someone else quiz you.

(f) If you have any talent for DRAWING or CARTOONING, try to put things like history and time charts into line drawings and pictures. It is easier to remember pictures than words. Don't be afraid to make your pictures look weird or funny. If you can get variety and color, brightness and unusualness into your cartoons, you will add even more to the chances of learning the material. Put long sequences of events into simple "codes" by making up silly sentences of key words or key ideas, and learn these.

Associate ideas with concrete objects, like making a picture of an old quill pen or perhaps a bull pen to help you remember William Penn. All you really need to help you remember is a good imagination. REMEMBER: The funnier or stranger you can make your memory helps, the EASIER it will be to remember them.

Never try to memorize things that you don't understand. If you are unsure about the spelling of a word, look it up. Find the one part of the word that is confusing.
Example: pneumonia
You are unsure about the neu part. Go over it several times orally, and use pictures for letters. An example would be: A fly net is thrown on a giant purple elephant, who floats away with an umbrella to escape. N is net, E is elephant, U is umbrella.

(2) RETENTION: "Over-learning." CARRY ON after you feel you have learned it "perfectly just a few more times. This extra effort makes results far more lasting SPACE your learning time out well. An hour a day, not seven-hour learning session! Remember too, you can ask the Lord to help you retain what you have learned. Don't worry that you may forget it all; it is often worry itself that blocks out your thinking! Most of it will come back right or time, if you have carefully followed these suggestions.

It may help you to put your summaries, cartoon charts, etc. on cards, and carry them with you during the day. At odd moments, you can just thumb through them, and test yourself. Put the full "translation" of your memory help on one side, then just enough of the help or question on the other side to begin your recall process. Use these often.

(3) RECALL: Getting back that memorized material!
(a) Again, don't be afraid you might forget or that very fear will make you do just that! Put your trust in the Lord, and you will go in to your test much better and more relaxed.
(b) If you can't recall immediately, WAIT A WHILE. Do something else and return to the problem later. A quick prayer will help. When you get back to it, it may have worked itself out already. If you have carried something in your head that you see is needed on first glance through the paper, write it out immediately on a sheet of scrap paper for later use. This lets you clear your head of the things that you were worried you might forget. Be CONFIDENT that you will be able to recall what you need. And don't worry if you can't; just "Praise the Lord" anyway and go on to something else. Worry will only cloud your memory and cause you to forget more than you already have.

Last word of advice: Don't try to learn EVERYTHING; stick with just the ESSENTIALS.

Nutritional Supplements for Good Memory
B-Complex Vitamins; Niacin (Pantothenic Acid) Lecithin (30-35% p/c concentration)
Herbs: Gotu Kola, Ginko Biloba. Mineral supplement: Selenium. Vitamins: Vitamin E.
Phenylalanine, Glutamine, Choline
Things to avoid to help you remember better and think more clearly:
Stress, heavy eating, turkey, sugar, white flour, excessive caffeine.



HOW TO STUDY FOR TESTS

How did Jesus teach His disciples? He brought them right into His life. He asked them odd questions that made them think. He told them simple stories that anyone could remember. He filled what He said with vivid pictures and put big thoughts into little words. But most of all, He gave them THINGS TO DO. He gave them gifts of grace and then sent them out to practice them. The key to all learning is getting really caught up in it. The more you interact with a subject, the easier it is to get it. Find ways to be actively involved with what you need to master right at the start. Don't assume you'll just absorb by osmosis if you pass your eyes enough times over the board, your textbook or notes.

One expert suggests you ask yourself these KEY QUESTIONS before you even begin to get ready for an important test or exam.

"Why am I reading this?" You can save yourself a lot of useless study time by FIRST taking a minute to check out what you are studying.

"What do I already know"? Before you even begin: are you looking for something SPECIFIC or just wanting to get a GENERAL IDEA? How deeply do you have to probe the material? If you SKIM much of a book - even skip parts you will never need to know, you can cut your reading big-time.

Before you begin, take a few minutes to jot down what you already know, what you already think about the subject and what you might like to know. This pre-primes you to ASK YOURSELF APT QUESTIONS even before you begin to read the material. You will probably be surprised to realize as you read how many ideas are already in your background knowledge. Also thinking for yourself before the study influences you will improve your ability to form original insights. A bonus: doing this gives you practice at quick response to new material. This is a valuable skill when you hit unexpected test questions or sudden real-life problems you haven't studied.

After these preparations SKIM THE WHOLE BOOK. Pay particular attention to the table of contents, chapter summary and authors bio. See Read - Mastering Print Technology for more on scouting a book. All this helps you answer the next question:

"What's the big picture? As you skim, TAG THE MAIN POINTS and ideas of the book so you don't get bogged down details during the next stage when you actually read in depth. You want to sustain an active dialogue that helps you learn as you read. Learning new material is often hard work that stretches your mind. It is more fun when you treat it like a game.

What will they say next? Try to GUESS their next point. Even if you are learning something completely new, you can probably take a good shot at it. If you don't guess right, so what? The point here is not to be right but to get your brain in gear. It will be a lot more fun than if you just read passively. Absorbing new material will become even easier when you answer the next question.

What are the expert questions? These are the kind of questions teachers typically ask about the subject you are studying. Chemistry books ask questions like "What is this substance?" "What is it used for?" (properties) "How do you make it?" (process & equation) " Math demands "What is the relationship between?" (formula and equation) and "How do you figure?" (method) Biology looks at "Where does this fit?" (classification) "What does it look like?" (form) and "How does it work?" (function). History textbooks deal with questions like "When did it happen?" (date); "Who was involved?" (figure); "What were the causes!"; "What were the effects?" When you know these patterns, you can foresee a lot of what you will be asked in your tests.

'What are my own questions?" To study better, stir up your curiosity. Ask questions that interest you about this subject. Try to answer your own questions first; don't be afraid to guess. As you get more into it, you will find some of your answers are right, some are close and some are way off. Whatever the case, THINK INQUISITIVELY and COMPARE YOUR OWN IDEAS with what you are given. You master material as it becomes more familiar and means more to you. Read on. The next three questions will help you take useful notes to review and study for tests.

"What is the important stuff here?" Don't waste time and effort compiling notes irrelevant to your real aim. Only about 20% of a book has 80% useful information.

"How can I sum this all up?" The SHORTER you make your notes, the EASIER it is to study for a test. Use your own words. Make it as simple and as visual as you can. Don't just copy down what your teacher or the text said. It will show you whether you really got the idea or not. If you can't do it, you don't yet understand it.

"How can I best arrange this?" Do something different from the book. See what connections you can find. Play with the material. SUMMARIZE with sketches, diagrams and silly pictures. Use acronyms and rhymes, anything that makes sense to you and helps you remember it. The more you exercise your brain to organize the material, the better you will be able to understand and recall it. Aim to CONDENSE the whole subject until it fits onto just one page. Then study that page until you can reproduce it from memory. You are now ready for the big test. All the thinking and questioning you did while reading has prepared you to handle any question you are likely to get. (Source: Adam Robinson, co-founder of the Princeton Review).

TIPS FOR TAKING NOTES

The WAY you take notes could be the reason that study is hard for you. Here are some ideas that will help you take notes you can be envied for--and that will be a real blessing to you when the studying gets tough:

(1) Make your notebooks look cool. If possible PRINT or TYPE up key sections, although the latter uses time that you may not have. If you retype class notes, you help your mind memorize what you have learned. Messy notes are hard to study from, and it's depressing to try. Use sharp pencils, ruled lines, and good strong inks when you hand-take notes. Use a new ribbon on your typewriter or printer.

(2) Use your imagination when you take notes. Look for similarities in letters and definitions that will. help you associate and remember better:
For example: Para-magnetic - Pulls away from the field
Dia -magnetic - Draws into the field.

(3) Change your LETTER SIZES for emphasis. Try a COLOR CODE. You can use a different colored pencil or felt pens for this. BLACK: Important formula or phrases; RED: Key words or concepts; GREEN: Important fact or measurement. As you take notes, if you have time, change your colors when you write. It will make your notes brighter, easier to read, and to remember.

(4) Leave WIDE MARGINS to summarize material into small key phrases. Draw ARROWS into formulas or definitions to draw attention to them in revision; STARS (*) for important points; "N.B." for things you have been asked to pay special attention to. Write KEY WORDS out in the margin beside the passage in which they occur for quick reference later. When you review, you just glance through these key words.

(5) NUMBER your pages and make an INDEX. Use this as a check list when you study. When you are reviewing for tests, concentrate on the emphasized parts, those colored or written down in large print. This way you spend more time on the key parts.

HELPFUL SCRIPTURES FOR YOU

God's study-help promises: James 1:5; John 6:13; John 14:13, 26; Prov. 2:6; 22:17.
Our part in study at school: Col. 3:23-24; I Thess. 5:21; Prov. 9:9- 10.
For "test tension": Isaiah 26:3; 12:2; 33:6; Prov. 3:5

WITNESSING TO YOUR TEACHERS

"He (Jesus) was sitting among the teachers. He was hearing what they said and asking questions. All those who heard Him were surprised and wondered about His understanding and what He said." (Luke 3.46-47)

Your teachers, too, need Jesus. Some of them have problems that only He can take care of. I hey may seem touchy or mad because of problems that make them feel hurt or lonely. Your teachers ARE really just people! Think about that for a while. And people have problems, sometimes bigger than themselves. You don't know as much as they do in many things but you do know the Lord Jesus.

Study what He did to witness to teachers. Jesus both LISTENED AND ASKED QUESTIONS Teachers respected what He said because of the question He asked. This is the way to witness to teachers. You questions should show them you understand something that not many people understand. This means you must show respect and honor for your teachers. Jesus did. The Bible says to honor those in authority.

How is YOUR attitude towards them? It is possible to be right and say the right things in the wrong way. We are not to try to do God's work in the Devil's spirit. Don't be a smart aleck. Don't disobey God by acting as if your teacher is an absolute idiot in everything just because you disagree with him or because he doesn't know the Lord. You are not a know-it-all; don't act like one. If you have an argumentative, critical spirit you will deserve it if your teacher makes you look like a fool in class.

Make sure of your facts. Take time to get good ones. If you know you are going to get into a subject where you will have to speak up for Jesus, get ready early. Read up on it from some good Christian books that your pastor or Christian bookstore can recommend. Have the facts, from the Christian point of view, at hand. Wait and pray for a chance to put in your word for the Lord. You don't have to smart off when you do this. Say something like, "Dr. X is one of the top men in his field, and he has quite a different view. He says . . ."

This means you will not speak out strongly unless you are very sure of your facts. It is wise to say, "I may be wrong, but I thought that . . ." Or, "Isn't there another side to this question?" You can harm the cause of Christ if you come on too strongly with something that turns out to be wrong. Have your facts backed up by reliable sources. The Bible says, "Prove all things. Hold fast to that which is good." (I Thess. 5:21)

You must EARN the right to be heard. Make the class WANT to believe you by being the kind of person they can look up to. Always be kind. There is no excuse for a follower of Jesus to be biting, sarcastic or critical. God's Word tells us to "speak the truth in love." If you get some facts that really put down something a teacher said, make it easy for him to back down. Give him the benefit of the doubt. Resist the temptation to make him look like a fool in the eyes of the class. Say, "I may have gotten the wrong idea on what you said before, but I found this that says this . . . You didn't mean THAT did you?"

Loan good books to your teacher that will help explain your stand. Ask older Christians for their advice on what to give him or her. Ask your teacher for his opinion of the book by challenging him (in a nice way) to read it. You could say, "Here is a book that makes some valid points on the opposite side of what you discussed with us in class. How would you react to what this man has written?"

If a local resident or someone who visits your town can factually and intelligently present the Christian position on a subject, ask the teacher if he could arrange to have that person share his views to the class one period. Ask him if he would like to hear another view. Be honest about this. Do not lie or pretend just to get someone in to "preach" or you may get your teacher into trouble; and he may hate you for it besides killing any future chances for a Christian witness in your school. Be ready to help in any way you can. Tell him you are praying for him. Then you DO just that. He may be won to Jesus by your witness. It has happened before.