Questions

One of the keys to learning is to ask questions. Keep asking questions, even if you think they are silly. Don't put up with poor explanations from your teacher or from books. Keep asking until you are satisfied that you've learnt something.

Example 1:

In class you are told that the metal Calcium is in group 2 of the periodic table, a group called the alkaline earths. And Calcium is more reactive than Magnesium because Calcium is lower down in the group.

Now, most students would just accept that and try to remember it. But there are loads of useful questions you could ask:

What does 'alkaline earth' mean?
What does 'alkaline' - I thought alkalis were solutions, not metals?
Why does being lower down in the group mean that Calcium is more reactive than Magnesium?
What is Calcium - I thought it came from milk?

...and so on and so on.

These are all good questions that help you get a good feeling for a topic, make links with other bits of knowledge and help your brain remember better.

Example 2:

"Current flows around a circuit from the negative end of a cell or battery to the positive end."

What is 'current'? What's it made of?
How many times does it go around?
Where does it come from?
What does the battery or cell do?
Why does a battery run out eventually?
Why does current flow from negative to positive?
What does 'negative end' mean anyway?
What's inside a battery?

Notice that the questions can come from anywhere and be about anything - you're using the statement to stimulate your curiosity. Remember that being curious about things is one of the keys to being successful!

[-> Next - go to the learning activity - Visualising ]

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