Elevate your Education: An Interview with Kirun Goy
With the school year scheduled to begin shortly, numerous assignments, tests and heavy amounts of studying are waiting at every students’ doorstep. Given that learning is a lifelong skill, taking the time to find which techniques suit you will reap numerous benefits. ISSIA is working in collaboration with Mr Kirun Goy of Elevate Education, Singapore to bring you a concise guide of effective study techniques for you to boost your performance in preparation for the upcoming academic year.
Mr Goy says, metacognition, the art of learning how to learn, is a fundamental concept in the current day as it allows you to adapt to things that change. The prefix “meta” means more comprehensive, suggesting that “metacognition” is the awareness and understanding of one’s own thinking. In the case of education, metacognition refers to the assessment and evaluation of one’s learning. The whole idea of learning is to stay current, which is why governments around the world are constantly investing in education. He says, if you have a remarkable framework and skill on how to learn, then, you can learn anything, be it science, language or any other subject.
According to Goy, effective learning is the balance between hard work and right work. To achieve this, he advises students to be aware of how they spend their time. Goy encourages students to use a time-tracking app just for a week to understand how they spend the 168 hours. Another piece of advice that Goy has to offer, is making sure you work on the right things. It is imperative to manage time effectively for maximum productivity.
When asked about Notes, Mr Goy says that it’s advisable for students to write their own notes in order to aid memory retention and for consolidation. However, he says that students must be wary “that the purpose of notes is for understanding, not just for memory”. When it comes to notes, “Less is More, condensing notes is important so that they [the notes] are just what you need”. Selectively highlighting notes helps your brain to recognise key content.
Talking about memory retention, Goy swears by the Spacing Effect, a concept coined by Hermann Ebbinghaus, “you are more likely to memorise the information if you space the learning out, instead of trying to learn everything in one go”. He also encourages students to be active learners through application of their learning as opposed to merely re-writing or re-reading one’s notes.
When it comes to stress and mental health caused by the exam, Goy emphasises the importance of preparation. “Preparation is key, as it will decrease the amount of stress you feel because you know the content”, he says. Another thing he recommends is a visual track record of your achievements and progress over a period of time, as it leads to sustainable motivation for the student. Talking about managing stress on the day of the exam, he advises students to breathe, “the conscious focus on breathing can be really important. A really simple tip to keep in mind if you are feeling stressed, is taking five deep breaths.” Goy adds, “you’d be amazed at what happens when you’re able to focus on something other than what’s in your mind. Additionally, he also vouches for the benefits of aerobic exercise, such as running and biking, for its role in serotonin production, ultimately leading to lower stress levels. However, he does jokingly acknowledge, “Students hate exercise, they are forced to do it”, and for this, his recommendation is to start small and gradually increase the intensity as you grow more fond of the activity. For me, playing badminton is a means to escape everything around me. My regular training sessions are the best way for me to de-stress and maintain my health. In many ways, I believe that active participation in physical activity over time will definitely change one’s attitude and mindset, two factors that play a crucial role in one’s education.
Apart from physical activity, he also advises students to identify and understand their stress symptoms. “Understanding when stress hits you and what it looks like for you means that you can recognize it quicker and take action to address it [the stress]”. He also reinforces the idea that it’s alright to feel vulnerable or have a bad day. During times like this, he encourages students to share their feelings with loved ones.
With regards to the current situation, the Covid-19 Pandemic, remote learning has found itself as a major aspect of our new-found normalcy. Firstly, Goy applauds the teachers and parents for their consistent support for students all over the world. In terms of his preference, Goy says he would prefer to be in a physical classroom because it promotes valuable emotional connection. However he also acknowledges that the future of education is an amalgamation of both methods, physical and remote learning. Speaking about the role of parents in their child’s education, he encourages parents to establish a structured environment and timetable with the inputs of their children, allowing the student to feel a sense of balance within their routine.
As a final takeaway, Mr Goy wants students to apply their learning outside the classroom, by making connections between various subjects. Goy wants students to know that “If you are able to integrate and see things as a collection or a system as opposed to individual discrete units, your learning is a lot more fruitful and fulfilling.”
On behalf of ISSIA, I would like to thank Mr Kirun Goy for taking the time to share his valued experience to assist our readers in their educational endeavours. On a personal note, this interview has allowed me to introspect on my own approach to learning and studying. It has given me the valuable opportunity to revamp my mindset and organise myself in preparation for the new academic year.
For more information on Elevate Education, please visit https://us.elevateeducation.com/