How Your Brain Works: Soak Time

A short & sweet lesson on the importance of taking (as a student) and giving (as a teacher) sufficient “Soak Time” to think about something new…

Lesson Goal

For both teachers and students to understand two ways that your brain is like a sponge and how to apply this knowledge to instill productive study and practice habits that maximize learning.

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Prerequisites

LOVE of music and the discipline to study and practice the right things the right way.

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Your Brain is Like a Sponge

Your brain is like a sponge in at least two important ways…

1. It will absorb what you immerse it in.
2. It can only absorb so much so fast.

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What Do We Mean by “Soak Time”?

Akin to the length of time we immerse a sponge in water, “Soak Time” refers to the length of time we pay attention to something we are trying to learn. Soak time matters because it takes time for new information or a new sensation to register in short-term memory. If the soak time is too short, the new information or sensation will not make a sufficient impression and learning will not occur. But when the soak time is long enough, the new information or skill will register in short-term memory where–using our other study and practice habits–it can be transferred to long-term memory.

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Implications for Students

1. Immerse your brain only in true and constructive things.
2. You must pay attention to something long enough for it to soak in.
3. If you want to learn X, you need to slow down and focus your attention on X and maintain your focus on X until you feel something “click” or “seep in”.
4. Once you feel “full” or tired, your brain is saturated. Studying beyond that point will not produce much fruit. In fact, sometimes it can interfere with and displace what you have just learned.

Implications for Teachers

1. When you ask a student a question it’s critically important to give them enough time to think about it and to respond.
2. Sometimes, just a few extra seconds to think about things is all it takes.
3. When you’re teaching a new skill, let the student take as much time as they need to experiment.
4. As long as the student is “on task” do NOT interrupt their process. (unless they are clearly off task or off track, of course).
5. Mindful patience is the key. As long as the student is “on task”, let them think or explore at their own pace. You’ll both be glad you did.

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learn more… How Your Brain Works