Sarah King - Coyle - CH.3-4

 Sarah King – Coyle – CH.3

Summary: Using examples from history, we find that the genius minds of the past were most probably influenced not by a sudden stroke of luck, but by closely watched, confined study, often with masters of the same art. The masterpieces we can appreciate today are results of years of work spent building up myelin to hone those skills. We have more control over what skills we develop than you might think.

Key terms:

Skill – “insulation that wraps neural circuits and grows according to certain signals.”

Craft guilds – associations of craftsmen who “organized themselves to regulate competition and control quality;” they mentored children from a young age in apprenticeships.

Application: It’s about learning from masters, learning in an immersive environment, and dedicating time and effort to the cause. In my own experience, I can seek out the teaching and instruction of those who have more knowledge than I on the subject. I can create an environment that is conducive to learning for myself and my students, and I can plan specific times to focus entirely on the subject at hand.

 

Sarah King – Coyle – CH.4

Summary: This chapter walked us through the three rules of deep practice: rule one - chunk it up, rule two- repeat it, rule three - learn to feel it. Chunking refers to breaking a task down into smaller pieces in order to process it more slowly and efficiently. After chunking, you repeat it again. However, while the amount of time you spend repeating material is important, you need to make sure you are in the sweet spot while doing it, otherwise “when you depart the deep-practice zone, you might as well quit.” Learning to feel it is literally just that – feeling it. Knowing when you’re in that zone and how you gradually become more attuned to your task. It’s a sort of self-reflection.

Key terms:

The Holy Shit Effect (HSE) – a “feeling of disbelief, admiration, and envy we feel when talent appears out of nowhere.”

Chunking – identifying important elements and grouping them into a meaningful framework; breaking down a process into its smallest parts.

Application: Chunking is something I already try to do in my own practice, but I know I could break it down even further into even smaller chunks. Paying attention to myself and when I’ve reached the threshold of my own short attention span is also something I can improve upon.