Learning demands pause.

“Currently most standard teaching
of courses can be characterized as
massed instruction of 45 min or more
(lessons) within courses studied over
long time scales (months to years). In
contrast, there has been compelling
evidence demonstrating humans and
other species create [long-term memory]
in very short time scales, and [memory]
encoding has consistently shown repetitions
spaced with short intervals of minutes
duration are effective and even required
in some species for [enduring memory encoding]”.

Kelley, P. et al (2013) Making long-term memories in minutes: a spaced learning
pattern from memory research in education. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 7: 589.

“Spaced Learning” is a teaching methodology developed at Monkseaton High School in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, England to take advantage of these findings. Concise data is presented very quickly in a short burst of 20 minutes or so, followed by 10 minutes of distractor activity that avoids stimulating those neural pathways under construction for the lesson. That same material is then presented again in a new manner that allows students to remember it, followed by another programmed break of 10 minute and a final presentation in a third way to insure understanding.

Studies show this method in a few sessions develops long term memory competitive with a semester long course, several hours of intense work replacing months of effort.

Think of the time available for empowering experiences, if the content can be learned so quickly! These pauses recommend a very different approach to the school day, with breaks between 15-20 minute class components. 6 minute classroom changes do not fit into these parameters.

The Park Bench is a place holder really: one way to give form and place for pause.