Education involves repetition

A lot of education is about repetition. You can't just tell someone a fact once, and expect them to remember it.

You have to tell them in different ways.There are many techniques for telling them in different ways, simply repeating what you have said, looking at a picture, making a drawing, showing a video or animation, and the best of all telling a personal story.

There is an old adage about how to give a presentation, it goes:

• Tell them what you are going to tell them
• Tell them
• Tell them what you told them

I often use this technique when giving courses that last for more than one day, but I do it in a 'hidden' way

I start off by giving them a quiz covering the topics I will be talking about (telling them what I'm going to tell them)

Over the next two or more days I give my lectures (telling them)

At the end of the course I give them the same quiz (telling them what I have told them)

I have found this way a great technique for getting the main points over at least three times in addition to the repetition techniques I use during the course.

Another advantage of this is that it gives instant feedback to the recipients with regard to how much they have improved, and without identifying individuals, I'm able to give the bulk marks for the initial and final tests to those that commissioned my course. From this data they are able to see that the people attending the course have actually picked up some information. From the low marks achieved in the initial test, they can also see that they have put the right people on the course.

Today I have three main jobs,

• finish reviewing and updating the Water and Effluent notes
• write 15 questions for my introductory quiz
• check that all the paperwork for my accounts is present and correct. I have an appointment with the accountant tomorrow

Today is the last day of the school holidays. Kids need to finish their homework! Uniforms and PE kits need to be laid out and bagged up ready for the morning.