Read Ebook: Miller's Mind training for children Book 2 (of 3) A practical training for successful living; Educational games that train the senses by Miller William Emer

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This application of the visual memory can become invaluable to the child. In cases where the desired result has not been procured the difficulty, almost invariably, is a lack of vividness in seeing the place, person, or thing which is to act as the reminder. It must be familiar, definite, and clearly visualized. Practice will improve the results. Make an effort to see detailed and distinct objects in your pictures and use the strengthening elements. Here are a few additional examples of how children have used this idea. It works.

A child was sent to the grocery store for four items, and instead of carrying a list he made a picture of the counter in the store as his reminder. The items to be purchased were a sack of Salt, a bottle of Vinegar, some Fly Paper, and Potatoes. He pictured the Fly Paper sticking on the edge of the counter and on it balanced the sack of Salt and the bottle of Vinegar, then he saw himself throwing the Potatoes at them.

A picture of this kind will enable the child to remember a few items without difficulty. The Hitching Post idea which follows soon will be more accurate and enable him to extend the list to any length.

A boy, who often went away to school without bringing in his wood, made a picture of himself running out of the door to school, when slipping off the porch he sailed through the air and landed on the wood pile. The next morning, when he went out of the door and across the porch, his picture flashed into his mind and he stopped and brought in some wood before leaving.

A girl had formed the habit of throwing the towel on the chair instead of hanging it up. She made a picture of herself throwing down the towel when it became entangled in her feet and tripped her up as she walked away, throwing her headlong.

Reminder pictures of this kind must be visualized by the child, even if suggested by the parent. Do this pleasantly and even playfully, being careful not to arouse the antagonism of the child. If he is stubborn in the matter you can gain nothing, unless you secure his co-operation and pleasant interest. To keep these pictures in mind and to use them at every opportunity will aid in forming correct habits. Make them startling and interesting, and when possible, put real feeling into them. Induce the child to feel the pain of his fall; feelings give life and power to visualized pictures.

A boy was told to stop at a neighbor's and deliver a note for his mother on his way to school. He pictured the front gate of this neighbor's fence swinging out and stopping him. He tried to go over the gate and the more he climbed, the higher it became. Seeing the gate as he passed on his way to school reminded him of the note.

A tablet was needed at school and had been forgotten several times. A picture of the tablet barring the door of his home, so that he could not get in, reminded the boy to go at once to the store and make the purchase.

On her way to church a girl was given a message to deliver to a certain lady, after the service. She pictured herself trying to get out of the door of the church, but the lady blocked the way refusing to allow her to crowd through. When she started out, seeing the door, which was part of the picture, it reminded her of the lady, and she delivered her message.

Beware of Procrastination

One of the most subtle foes of a good memory is procrastination. Like conscience, memory can be dulled and almost ruined by continual disregard of its suggestions. Failure to act when reminded ruins what memory power you have and retards your progress and further development.

A Reminder picture will suggest an errand or duty one--two--or more times, but there is an ever increasing lapse of time between each reminder.

To Procrastinate--to put off doing the thing will dull the suggestive power of the memory. It will clutter the mind with undone things which will cause mental worry. It will weaken the will power.

To Act--to accomplish the thing at the first suggestion quickens and improves the suggestive power of the memory. It clears the mind for new thoughts and plans. It relieves the nervous strain and increases and strengthens the volitional power.

It is the child's memory you wish to improve and this can only be accomplished by his effort. You must help, of course, but do not do too much, merely suggest. Get him to imagine and visualize his own pictures, it will be better for him to make the effort than for you to make it for him.

Attention and Memory

The subject of Attention and Concentration has been discussed in the former book, but it will be well to note their relation to memory and how we are using them here.

We have introduced motion into the mind's eye picture to strengthen its impression; the result comes from a prolonged period of attention. In the exercises for cultivating the power of attention we used the method of change, or motion. It produced prolonged attention, which results in memory. Exaggeration and the unusualness of the imaginary picture inspires that quality of involuntary attention which helps to produce concentration.

The quality of the stimulus to the attention is improved by introducing anticipation, pleasure, or their opposites. The clear, vivid, mind's eye picture creates a greater quantity of attention, and if the objects are familiar they add to the possibility of clear visualization.

The attention should become fixed upon the picture and this can not be done if they follow too rapidly. Take time to make the impression and for best results become as much interested in it as possible. Every means which results in prolonging or intensifying the attention improves the scope and accuracy of the memory faculty.

The Child's Code List

For further practice in learning lists of words, by visualizing the objects, use the one following. These words are selected to conform to special requirements, and form a complete code which is to become of great value later. It should be learned thoroughly so that each word can be recalled quickly and in exact sequence. Use this list now in preference to the previous one, as this one is to be used in future, and the other will not be. Learn ten at a time and review them, then take the next ten, joining them to the last word of the previous ten, thus making an endless chain of the one hundred words.

Child's Code List

Tie Dot Net Meat Heart Snow Town Nun Moon Horn Home Dime Enemy Mama Army Wire Deer Nero Hammer Rower Wheel Towel Nail Mail Roll Sash Dish Hinge Mush Roach Egg Duck Ink Mike Rock Ivy Taffy Knife Movie Roof Whip Tub Knob Mop Robe Toes Nose Mouse Rose Lasso

Lady Shed Kite Foot Bath Lion Ocean Cane Vine Pony Limb Jam Gum Foam Bomb Lair Chair Car Fur Bear Lily Jail Glue Veil Pail Ledge Judge Cage Fish Beach Log Chalk Cook Fig Book Wolf Chief Coffee Fife Beehive Lap Ship Cap Fob Papa Ashes Goose Office Puss Daisies

The Game of Code

A game to develop accuracy and rapidity in the use of the words of this Code List. Cut one hundred cards about two by three inches, or the size of game cards. On one side of each print a word of the Code list.

Shuffle the cards, deal ten to each player and let the balance become a draw pile. The one to the right of the dealer plays into the center of the table any card which is the first of a series of ten Code words as printed in the lists above, for example--Tie, Dot, Net, Meat, Heart, Lady, Shed, Kite, Foot, Bath. All first cards as named must be played first, then the cards containing words which follow consecutively in the list must follow. All cards held by the player which can be played on any series started on the table must be played in their proper turn, including those in the played reserve piles.

If a card is played out of its proper sequence the first one noticing the mistake calls "Code" and shall be entitled to give a card from his hand into that of the player, who must correct the error and cease playing.

When a player has completed his turn, has played all possible cards, or has been stopped, he will place one card face up on the table in front of him as a reserve pile. Each player is entitled to six reserve piles, each lying face up and side by side. When a player cannot make at least one play, he shall draw into his hand from the draw pile until he can play or until the draw pile is exhausted. Each plays in turn until some player has played all the cards from his hand, which entitles him to the game. Any player who completes a series of Code words, puts on the last word of the series of ten, takes away the set and these can be shuffled and added to the draw pile if necessary.

The winner is entitled to one point for each card left in the hands and reserve piles of the other players. The score of the game can be set at any point above 200, and the first reaching this takes the set.

Remembering Errands

After the child has become familiar with the Code List he will be able to use the words in a very practical way in remembering errands and lists of groceries, etc. The objects of the list can easily be recalled in exact sequence, and can now become Mental Hitching Posts to which any errand or runaway idea may be safely hitched for future usefulness. The thing to be remembered can be pictured with the object of the Code list and when wanted it is simply necessary to recall the word of the Code list and it will in turn recall the thing visualized with it.

Let us take a practical example. You are sending the child to the grocery store with an order. The first item is a loaf of Bread. Have him picture this with the first word of the Code list, Tie. Take the Tie and bind the loaf of Bread with it, tying a huge bow with the ends moving in the wind. See this picture clearly, the color of the tie and the shape and details of the loaf of Bread. Of course the Child is to make his own picture wherever possible. A boy would probably use one end of the tie around the loaf and swing the other over his shoulder.

The second item is a package of Matches. See the box lying on the Snow, which is the second word of the Code. Let the box be open and some of the Matches burning, see the black ends of the Matches in contrast with the white snow.

The third item is a box of Raisins. The third code word is Home. See the box open and the Raisins spilling all over the Home.

The next item is Potatoes and the code word Wire. Have him imagine a sharpened wire on which he is stringing the Potatoes.

The next item is a glass of Jelly and the next code word Wheel. See the large Wheel run over the jelly and break the glass.

The next item is Flour and the code word Sash. Drop some Flour over a new red Sash.

The seventh item is Coffee and the seventh code word is Egg. Break the Egg and spill it all over the Coffee.

The eighth item is Butter and the code word ivy. Hang the Butter on the Ivy and see it swinging there.

The ninth item is Soap and the ninth code word is Whip. Stand the soap on end and strike it with the Whip--see the lash wind around the Soap.

The tenth item is a can of Corn and the code word is Toes. Let the boy imagine himself balancing a can of Corn on his Toes.

The Visual Result

A picture of what is now in the mind should show a systematic filing of ten grocery items, each hitched by picture to one of the familiar Hitching Posts. The pictures may be somewhat like the following:

Have the child run over the code words and tell the item that he sees pictured with each. If the items are recalled once that is all the review necessary if they are to be used in the same day the pictures are made. He will be able to go to the store any time that day and by recalling each word in its proper order will recall the ten items just as they were pictured.

Another Practical Application

The same method can be used to fix in mind a list of errands which are to be done at different stores and at different times. It is simply necessary to hitch the errand to the Hitching Posts by picture and then recall the Hitching Posts in order, each will remind you of the errand visualized with it.

For practice, have the child begin with the second series of code words and picture the following errands with them. Review them once and after a few hours see how many he can recall.

Errands for Practice

Dot--Buy some stamps. Town--Get toilet soap. Dime--Buy fish. Deer--Go to the Hardware store. Towel--Have shoes repaired. Dish--Get a spool of thread. Duck--Get some meat. Taffy--Get a Victrola record. Tub--Stop at the jewelry store. Nose--Buy some writing paper.

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