How We Learn! Read All About It

As a parent of two teen boys, I was really interested to read this book and gain insight on ways to help them.  I was not disappointed.  Although it will take time to help them gain new study habits, I greatly appreciated reading  How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens, by Benedict Carey. 

There were times I felt the book slowed down as Benedict wrote about the methodology and the different aspects of the brain and how it functions.  I was able to overlook that, but it could be of interest to others.  I was fascinated with the way he described studying in a more chaotic situation can be more helpful than harmful.  While my children do not cram for tests, the way our brain remembers words, etc. was interesting.

His discussion about sleep and its impact on memory and studying was so helpful.  I am not a morning person, and this cemented it as well.  Some schools start ridiculously early, and it does not help the students learn.

This book would be great in a synopsis view for teachers to read.  I would love for some teachers to test his theories and see if they work.  That’s the hard part now.  Do I trust what Carey his written to try these out with my children?

Overall, there were those dry moments, but this is an excellent read for those wanting to better understand how our brain works and how we learn.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Random House Publishers.