Success in Teaching using The Barriers to Study

Teachers who use the Study Technology of L. Ron Hubbard have found its effectiveness both revolutionary and simple.

In its barest terms, there are three main barriers to study:

Firstly, study without any actual mass. By mass is meant the actual physical object or objects of study.

Obviously, one would not try to teach someone to drive merely by getting them to read a textbook about driving. One would have the learner driver actually drive a car, handle an actual car. This is applicable to all subjects.

Studying in the absence of mass can produce all kinds of physical symptoms: dizziness, sickness, headaches, to name but a few, and the remedy is to introduce more mass into the subject. In a subject like English Literature, this is just as vital. Going to see plays, dramatising parts of a novel in front of a class, pictures, sketches, diagrams, maps, clay models all supply mass.

The next barrier to study is too steep a gradient. If a student gets confused, it is likely that one is teaching too fast. For example, an able student doing well in a subject becomes very confused and says the subject is too complex. By going back to just before they became confused, they can be helped to understand what they did not grasp.

Using a lesser gradient helps students to regain interest and enthusiasm in the subject.

The third and most important barrier to study is the misunderstood or undefined word or definition. In teaching, if one sees a student going blank on what is being read, or reacting aggressively towards the subject, or wanting to give it up because they don’t like it or misbehaving, then an undefined or misdefined word has been passed. The answer is to find this word, handle the definitions thoroughly so that the word can be owned, check the derivation and idiomatic use and then continue.

An Advanced Level student overcame their severe spelling difficulties simply by looking up the definitions and derivations of words they did not understand. They went on to learn Business Studies at university.

When pupils look up the words using a good dictionary and pay particular attention to the derivations, spelling improves.

The importance of Study Technology cannot be stressed too strongly. It gives children and young people the chance to really learn and apply what they have learnt.

Based on the experiences of educator and teacher,
Lady Joan Hort

This article can also be found in the Results Newsletter (issue III)

Take the Free Study Skills Test...

...and find out exactly what barriers
your child may be encountering

Ever WONDER how much your child is really
learning at school?

In education today, children face well known obstacles:

• Getting ‘labelled’ (‘special needs’,‘ADD’ etc.).
• Feeling sad, angry or disinterested.
• Difficulty remembering items studied.
• Not having a purpose for learning or knowing how to revive interest in learning once it has gone.

Less well known is that underlying them there are only three barriers that keep children from reaching their full learning potential and cause actual emotional or physical phenomena when encountered.

Students fail to learn because no one has ever taught them how to learn – how to identify the barriers to learning and how to overcome them.

Study Skills Test
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the very least this test will show you more about your child’s strengths/weaknesses as a student and how you, as a parent, can help them.

You can complete this test online at: www.greenfieldsschool.com/study-skills-test.htm or contact us and we can arrange getting a test to you.

Teenager praises hospital that rebuilt face after golf accident

A GCSE Greenfields student makes the local papers after creating a video tribute, to thank the hospital who treated him after a golfing accident.

East Grinstead Courier & Observer, 27th Jan '11

"What is so impressive is that Harry feels so genuinely in debt to those who rebuilt his face. If every child showed the same impeccable manners the world would be a better place. "

A boy who suffered horrific injuries in a golfing accident has publicly thanked the surgeons who rebuilt his face.

Harry Wood's cheekbone was shattered, his eye socket was cracked and he suffered a slight loss of vision after being struck full force in the face with a club.

The Greenfields schoolboy was caddying when the accident happend.

The 14-year-old had been holding back a branch for a friend whose ball had gone into the rough at Crawley's Tilgate Forest Golf Course when he was accidentally hit.

The schoolboy had to undergo specialist reconstructive surgery at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

After this proved an overwhelming success, he recorded a video for website YouTube in which he thanks medics.

Recalling the accident, Harry said: "My friend hit the shot into the rough so I held a branch back for him. He swung, missed the ball and caught me in the face.

"The main reason I put the video together was to thank everybody and to bring an end to the whole thing.

"I also wanted to show people how bad it was, but that I'm fine now.

"The magnitude of people who have shown their support has been so big. This message is for them."

Harry believes he is stronger than ever, having made a speedy recovery from his injuries.

The video tribute was also sent to the hospital's chief executive Adrian Bull.

During the clip – which was published on the internet last week – Harry praises the "wonderful" hospital staff and says he would never have healed the way he has without them.

He tells them: "You were the ones that kept me going and I can't thank you enough. I love you all from the bottom of my heart and will always be grateful for the support you gave me."

Mr Bull is delighted that the youngster went to such an effort to thank his staff. He said: "It is always gratifying to read such comments and it is also pleasing to know that our hospital services have made such an impact."

Having suffered no trauma from the incident in June, Harry even joked that he will be more cautious during his next outing on a golf course. He said: "Maybe I'll wear a helmet next time."

Excerpted from the East Grinstead Courier and Observer website, read the full story here. And you can see the tribute video on Youtube.

East Grinstead Courier & Observer's comment:

Appreciation of teenager is impressive

Hospitals around the country will treat thousands of children every year, transforming their lives for the better. Most children will be grateful but few will go to the lengths that 14-year-old Harry Wood went to so they can show their appreciation.

Creating a heartfelt video tribute will have touched all those who treated him and many who have simply watched the clip.

Of course some people will argue that Harry should not have been standing so close to someone using a golf club.

But accidents happen and nobody deserves to end up with the kind of horrific injuries which he did. What is so impressive is that Harry feels so genuinely in debt to those who rebuilt his face. If every child showed the same impeccable manners the world would be a better place.

Harry's story was also covered in the Crawley News, 27th Jan '11 and The Argus, 28th Jan '11.