A practical session on proven techniques that improve your ability to remember. In this interactive workshop, Jesse Whelan from Sandbox Learning Australia will discuss the science of memory and teach you how small changes can make a big difference to your learning and memory. This slide show was part of the Seniors' Festival.

1. Master your Memory!
Jesse Whelan
Director of Learning @ Sandbox Learning Australia
jesse@sandboxlearning.com.au
www.sandboxlearning.com.au

2. Meet Alex
Context:
• Struggling with Maths and
Physics
• 2 tutors had previously
abandoned him
• 45% in HSC trials exam –
only months to go
• Down on confidence

3. Goals: Boost confidence, get a pass!
45%
50%
60%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Trials Target HSC Actual

4. Result? Almost doubled within 3 months!
45%
50%
85%
60%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Trials Target HSC Actual

5. About me: Jesse Whelan
School University Work
Woollahra
Public
School

6. Turning a decade of experience into a new way of
learning
• Over a decade of
tutoring experience
• Taught hundreds of
students across school
and university level
• Undergrad thesis in the
science of learning
Sandbox Learning
Personalised learning. Built by science.
Maths | Science | Years 4 - 12

7. But enough about me.
What do you want to
remember?

8. • How the brain works
• General tips to improve memory
• Memory techniques
Agenda for today

9. Don’t waste your time
writing notes. Be
engaged.
Leave your email/business card
for the slides.

10. Time for a
memory game

11. Remember these words
Goal Fixate

12. Still got them?

13. Still got them?
Goal Fixate

14. What about with 5 words?
Script Onion
Dialogue Copy
Inside

15. Easy right?

16. Easy right?
Script Onion
Dialogue Copy
Inside

17. Last one
Herd Siege
Bike Foster
Cassette
Door
Leaflet Emergency

18. Now a bit of maths
1. What is 23 times 37?
2. Pete's father is 55. He is 15 years older than twice Al's age.
How old is Al?
3. What were those 8 words?
4. And what about the 5 words before that?
851
20

19. Hard??
It’s just how
our brains are.

20. Lists of ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Best Picture’ winners
Year Song
1982 “Bette Davis Eyes”
1990 “Wind beneath my wings”
1993 “Tears in heaven”
1999 “My heart will go on”
2006 “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own”
2012 “Rolling in the deep”
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

21. So what were those movies?
Year Movie
1982 ?
1990 ?
1993 ?
1999 ?
2006 ?
2012 ?

22. Mark yourself
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

23. • How the brain works
• General tips to improve memory
• Memory techniques
Agenda for today

24. The brain: a filing system and a map
Source: Google images

25. Objective: move from short to long-term memory

26. Exercising your brain just like your body
Source: Amazon.com

27. • How the brain works
• General tips to improve memory
• Memory techniques
Agenda for today

28. Summary
1. Get better organised
2. Eliminate distractions
3. Eat well
4. Exercise the body
5. Sleep well
6. Exercise the mind

29. Get better organised: eliminate need for memory
a place for everything
and everything in its
place
Use systems and
processes

30. Eliminate distractions: overload short-term memory

31. Eat well: vitamin deficiencies can affect memory

32. Exercise the body: Improves blood circulation

33. Minimise stress: reduce cortisol

34. Sleep well: sleep consolidates memory

35. Summary
1. Get better organised
2. Eliminate distractions
3. Eat well
4. Exercise the body
5. Sleep well
6. Exercise the mind

36. • How the brain works
• General tips to improve memory
• Memory techniques
Agenda for today

37. Year Movie
1982 ?
1990 ?
1993 ?
1999 ?
2006 ?
2012 ?

38. 1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Interleaved vs blocked practice
4 techniques to improve memory and learning

39. It’s all about
recall!

40. Conquering the curse of forgetting - Ebbinghaus
Source: Adapted from Ebbinghaus

41. It’s all about recall!
Which phone numbers
do you best remember?

42. Fortunately the brain can strengthen like a muscle

43. Lists of ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Best Picture’ winners
Year Song
1982 “Bette Davis Eyes”
1990 “Wind beneath my wings”
1993 “Tears in heaven”
1999 “My heart will go on”
2006 “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own”
2012 “Rolling in the deep”
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

44. So what were those movies?
Year Movie
1982 ?
1990 ?
1993 ?
1999 ?
2006 ?
2012 ?

45. Prioritise what
you forget!

46. Lists of ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Best Picture’ winners
Year Song
1982 “Bette Davis Eyes”
1990 “Wind beneath my wings”
1993 “Tears in heaven”
1999 “My heart will go on”
2006 “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own”
2012 “Rolling in the deep”
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

47. So what were those movies?
Year Movie
1982 ?
1990 ?
1993 ?
1999 ?
2006 ?
2012 ?

48. ‘Spaced repetition’ slows learning decay
Source: Adapted from Ebbinghaus

49. • How the brain works
• General tips to improve memory
• Memory techniques
Agenda for today

50. Quiz time

51. How many do you remember?
Year Movie Song
1982
1990
1993
1999
2006
2012

52. How many do you remember? Answers
Year Movie Song
1982 “Ghandi” “Bette Davis Eyes”
1990 “Dances with wolves” “Wind beneath my
wings”
1993 “Schindler’s List” “Tears in heaven”
1999 “American Beauty” “My heart will go on”
2006 “The Departed” “Sometimes you can’t
make it on your own”
2012 “Argo” “Rolling in the deep”

53. About Sandbox
Learning
Australia

54. Need some more support? Sandbox is here to help
Subjects Services
Maths,
Science,
English,
And more…
1-on-1
• Standard rate: $80
• Save after 6pm: $60
Group classes
• $25/hr
www.sandboxlearning.com.au

55. On average students’ performance has increased by
25 grade points in school
For as long as I can remember, he has failed
English. All we wanted for this exam was a
pass but to achieve 80% it is so quantifiable
and attributed to you.
Yesterday [M] had a maths test at school on
mixed topics, multiple choice. He got
36/37!!!!! Very happy boy!!
50%
75%
Before Sandbox End of year

56. Trusted by parents across Sydney

57. You want the slides?
Leave your details or
email us.
Questions?
info@sandboxlearning.com.au
www.sandboxlearning.com.au
0409 989 008