NOTES TO THE STUDENT
Dear Student,
This program is designed to build your ability to hold numbers
in your head and to manipulate numbers in your head. When you are
good at this, you will often be able to find the answer in less than
one second. The object is to learn to count in your head. You may
use your fingers to help you if you want and you may count out loud
at first if that helps you. But remember the ultimate goal is to
count in your mind using as little mental pronouncing as possible.
Use mental imaging instead. You can imagine numbers or you can
imagine fingers, or you can imagine groups of objects, or you can
use a combination of mental images and methods.
The more you work with the program, the more ideas you will
get for taking "shortcuts".
REMEMBER THE REAL GOAL HERE:
We are trying to increase your ability to focus your mind
and keep it focused. We are trying to increase your ability to
keep your place in the process.
AVOID USING A CALCULATOR!
DO NOT WRITE THE ANSWERS DOWN AND COPY OFF YOUR WRITTEN LIST
OF ANSWERS!. We are NOT trying to learn to COPY faster. We are
trying to learn to THINK MORE CLEARLY and to THINK FASTER.
DO NOT DELIBERATELY MEMORIZE THE ANSWERS!
In due course you will automatically remember some groups of answers.
That is ok. BUT DO NOT JUST GUESS. If you are not sure what the
next answer is, then stop and figure it out. IF POSSIBLE, FIGURE IT
OUT IN YOUR HEAD.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR OWN PROGRESS.
If you are a first time user, I strongly suggest you start
from the beginning and practice all the skills.
Select the "S = Start option" on the == MENU == page.
This will automatically create your assignment for you.
Each time you master your assignment the computer will treat
your practice like a test and allow you to save your score.
The computer will then automatically create your next assignment.
Any time you are not sure what your assignment is just select
the "S = Start" option on the == MENU ==.
Continue in this manner through the entire course.
Do not skip around. Do the levels in the assigned order.
You will get some alertness surprises along the way. We
expect you to discover how to proceed without help from anyone.
Remember this program is designed to challenge mental barriers.
There are alertness surprises built into this program. There are
also patterns for you to discover. As you proceed the alertness
surprises and the patterns to discover become more complicated.
You are expected to overcome your frustrations and discover what
is needed without help from anyone. YOU CAN DO IT. Thousands
before you have gone through the same mental torture and
succeeded. Learn patience and persistence. Learn to think
independently. Gather data, compare, analyze, evaluate, and
organize. Organize your thoughts and organize your work.
Remember we are trying to achieve accuracy and speed. When
the computer gives you a choice to take a test or just practice,
always choose to practice. As you practice you will discover
weaknesses. Keep practicing each skill until you achieve a
practice score of 100 %. Once you achieve a practice score of
100 % then the computer will automatically count it as a test
and allow you to save your score.
To find your next assignment, just select the "S = Start"
option on the == MENU == again.
Some skills have more than one level of difficulty.
For instance DIVISION.EZ3 means DIVISION level 3.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE ORDER OF ASSIGNMENTS AS
CHOSEN BY YOUR COMPUTER. Don't skip assignments. If you are
having trouble achieving a practice score of 100 % on your
assigned task, then THAT IS WHERE YOU HAVE A MENTAL BARRIER.
Do not avoid your mental barrier. Face it. Persevere.
The computer will automatically keep track of the tasks
you have finished. The computer will also automatically show
you the next assignment to master.
When you achieve a practice score of 100 % the computer
will count it as a test and allow you to save the score. The
computer will ask for information in order to properly file
your scores.
Once you have reached 100 % on a practice skill, go on to
the next skill. Do not waste time by going back and repeating
tasks you already have accomplished. Push yourself to move
forward.
After you have saved some scores, you can go back and see
your scores at any time by selecting "L = LOOK AT YOUR SCORES"
on the == MENU == page. Then select your choice from the
"Score Display Menu".
Your scores will show
- the name of the test you took
- your percentage score
- the date and time you took the test
- a list of the items you got wrong
Your teacher or tutor will use these scores as a PROFILE
to help him select appropriate areas for you to work on some
more.
While practicing, when you have difficulty with an item,
you will get the same item back but with different numbers.
Try several times if necessary. The program is designed for
you to help yourself first. Try to solve it yourself.
REALLY TRY! If there is an "H" option, try reading the help
file.
The program is designed for you to help yourself first
but if you have made a sincere, persistent effort and still
cannot solve the problem, ask someone to help you. That someone
does not have to be a professional teacher. Many times a fellow
student can give you the help you need to be able to continue.
Take charge of your own progress...
What would you do if there were no teacher around?
You should practice at least one hour a day at least twice
a week. Practicing at least one hour every day is better.
The hour can be done a piece at a time. Work a while, rest
a while, etc.
If it takes you more than four months to finish all the
skill levels, you have a weakness in speed or perseverance.
If you have been working for four months and still have not
finished all the skill levels, I suggest you stop trying to
push forward and instead try to build speed and perseverance.
To build speed and perseverance start the process all over
again from the beginning.
Often times it is slow thinking speed that is the mental
barrier. Mental speed is a function of spaced repetition. If
you have not finished at least one hundred assignments by the
end of nine weeks, then I strongly recommend you start the
entire process all over again from the beginning. This should
be done every nine weeks until you can finish more than one
hundred assignments within a nine-week time span. This can
be easily done by choosing to save your new scores with a
different first name. (For instance, instead of DAVID use the
name DAVID2.
Advanced students should also start over again from the
beginning but every eighteen weeks instead of every nine weeks.
An advanced student working forty-five minutes per school day
should be able to complete the entire computerized portion of
the PLONSKI MATH METHOD within eighteen weeks
Remember, it is important to start the program all over
again from the beginning every nine weeks. But save your new
scores with a new first name.