D is for Dinosaur

There is so much to be learned from kindergarten. It’s an amazing year of growth and independence; the importance of a power nap; the brain-boosting potential of snacks/lunch and recess; and the highlight of the week -- Show and Tell!

Nearly all of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits are put into practice in the first official year of school for kids across America.

·      Be proactive – You have to raise your hand if you want to get a special job for the day.

·      Begin with the end in mind – Learn to write A, then B, and soon you will know the alphabet -- and be able to write words!

·      First things first – Finish coloring before you go to recess.

·      Think win/win – If you help clean up, storytime lasts longer.

·      Seek first to understand, then be understood – Listen before you speak.

·      Synergize – Flashcards and partners go together like pb&j.

·      Sharpen the saw – Naps (enough said)

But, back to Show and Tell. It is the seriously classic (if a little simplistic) example of an excellent technique to help someone learn something new. People remember in pictures, not in words.

So, when your 5-year-old self, stands in front of the class and says, "D is for dinosaur" and tells your dinosaur story, and sees the written word.  Your brain makes the association of the word, the picture and the letter D; helping you to remember all of it.

Likewise, your 40-year-old self will remember how to communicate effectively if you can see three Ts at the points of a triangle. (Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them.) And then to tattoo the memory further, you get to practice those three with a coach (teacher).

Or, when you need to handle a difficult conversation, and you can picture in your head, the talking stick and the listening ear, being passed back and forth. It’s very much like taking turns with your classmates showing your toy and telling your story, when you were just 5.