Even professionals such as cognitive psychologists disagree on the best methods used for learning faster. The teaching community does, however, acknowledge that students can learn faster, or at least more effectively. Doing so, of course, does not necessarily mean reading faster or writing faster. Rather, it means storing and coding information in more relevant and useful ways.

Experts agree that one of the best ways to make learning relevant is to apply lessons in everyday situations. As soon as students see how geometry or algebra can serve them in real-world situations, they'll begin to make room on their mental "shelves" for this knowledge. The trick is for instructors to find the most interesting contexts or vehicles for transmitting these lessons.

Multimedia Learning

Those who subscribe to the multiple-intelligences school of thought believe that each student exhibits his or her own variety of smarts. A child for whom paper-based testing is a real struggle may well thrive in a hands-on environment that lets him or her take advantage of interactive materials such as models, computer programs, or physical exercises. It thus behooves teachers to vary their materials, to get outside the classroom, to combine lectures with discussions, and find the mode of learning most readily embraced by his or her students.

One thing is guaranteed, though: the more useful and enjoyable the lessons, the faster your kids will learn. Just as parents often bury foul-tasting medicine in scrumptious treats so that their children will take it, teachers must sometimes disguise learning so that students scarcely realize they're doing it. Afterwards, of course, they'll come to realize just how much they've gained. Better yet, they'll understand why and how their new knowledge is applicable in the world around them.