Transforming Deficiencies into Superpowers using the FLASH Method #studyhacks #studymethod #recall

Mercedes (00:01.473)
Welcome to season two, episode five of FTCE seminar, a teacher certification podcast. I'm your host, Mercedes Musto. Today, we're taking a look at a study hack to help you prepare for the FTCE exams. Joining me today is Kim Para, an elementary school teacher who used the flash method to prepare for her teacher certification exams herself.

Kim (00:02.254)
You go girl, get her done.

Mercedes (00:31.668)
Hey Kim, welcome to the podcast.

Kim (00:34.744)
Thanks for having me Mercedes. I love being here and I love talking about how to hack your brain. So thank you for that.

Mercedes (00:40.961)
That's awesome. Brain hack. I've asked Kim on the show today to talk about her experience with the flash method. Like I said, she's used the flash method to prepare her for her own exams and she's helped lots of students use this method to succeed. So let's get right into the flash method, what it is and how it's done. Kim, okay, now describe what is the flash method and how did this method help you prepare?

for your own teacher certification exams.

Kim (01:13.824)
Okay, so the flash method was developed a couple of different ways. Everybody uses flashcards, you know, in their study, cramming sessions, right? So I used them early on with my child to help him better read. And I noticed that when we stayed on a word longer, that my child was able to pick up not only

the word itself and how to read it, but also how to spell it. So it kind of started connecting me to, hey, maybe there's something to this card method. Maybe I could put more information on the cards as he was learning to spell and read. And so early on about the time my child was two or three, I started putting little definitions about.

you know, along with the spellings of the words. And so not only was he reading, but he was picking up little tidbits of information at the same time. So I kind of knew that that, you know, that that was going on in the mind was really spongy, but then it carried over when I got older and started in college. And I'm, by the way, I'm dyslexic, highly, highly dyslexic. I have trouble spelling words and I have...

layer of ADHD, which means my mind flops around like a fish at any given moment. So I have to highly medicate with caffeine in order to stay focused even on this conversation right now. So with that, you know, you just have to learn how to deal with it and operate in different.

ways and you know figure out your modality of how you can optimize and use your brain the best but anyway back to the flash method

Kim (03:02.606)
So I learned that by flashing the information over and over again, about in between 10 and 15 times was my sweet spot. So as I was trying to learn about, you know, those teacher tests that we have to take, whether it be praxis or entry level into the master's program or whatever, I would stick the keywords on a flash card. So let's say that you wanted to remember helium.

and you wanted to know the scientific term. So you would put helium in the middle of the flash card in big capital letters and then you'd put its call sign in scientific terms, know, big H, little E, and then the number for helium.

So you would write that on there and then under helium you would write its processes of what it was used for. So they use it in lasers and they use it in different ways and it's very present in sun and stars. So maybe I might write that at the bottom to kind of clue me in on its applications and its uses. So I would flash.

exactly what I just told you on that card for 10 to 15 times and let's say I came across a question on the entrance exam for getting my masters or whatever. I would be able to clue that in just on the word helium.

it would balloon out around the rest of that information and I would be able to suck that in and apply whatever was necessary in order to get an A on that test.

Mercedes (04:48.924)
I'm visualizing this because this is different than flash card methods that I've grown up with because in the old method it is you have like helium on the front and then on the back you would have all the other stuff but that but they're not connected and so I'm visualizing that the memory

Kim (04:56.941)
Right.

Kim (05:08.355)
Right.

Mercedes (05:13.198)
a trick that you're using, which really makes sense to me because I have heard it in memory recall and retention research that you take a picture.

Kim (05:28.014)
Mm -hmm. Right.

Mercedes (05:28.186)
of the whole page and then everything on that page your brain associates and then you describe the picture and that's how you remember helium, everything it's used in, it's a scientific notation or everything about helium that you need to know on the front of that card.

Kim (05:51.064)
Right.

And through that, you would be able to elaborate everything that you've read on the subject matter, just using those keywords. So you actually are able to dip in to that brain of that moment when you really took a deep dive into that information. And so a lot of the students that I've helped, you know, said, you know, how is your recall so good? I mean, you've got ADHD, you've got dyslexia, you've got learning disabilities. And I said, well, this is, this is the hack.

this is what you're looking for, this is their anchor into this information that you needed and it just balloons out and we've watched students go from like 75 on their test to like 90 % or higher just by using the method and through the intervals let's say that you had a test you were studying for let's say four weeks out you know that would be optimal.

to get a really great grade on it. So you would backtrack from there and decide, okay, well, five days a week, I'm gonna study once in the morning for 10 minutes on 27 different problems or whatever, and then maybe two more times in the afternoon and evening. And what you would be doing is you would be taking that picture.

over over over again, rapidly. And it doesn't even take like a lot of sticking. All you're doing is saying the information to your brain and you're rooting it in a short -term memory. And then over time, you're actually rooting it into a long -term memory. And if you write it, you're actually storing it in three places in your brain. So you're building a neural network, which is really ground rooted and anchored in there. And it's able to

Kim (07:38.654)
to do this tremendous recall of great detail. And a lot of people say, well, you're making a photographic memory. And I'm like, well, sort of. It's not finite. It's not as detailed as I would like it to be. But when I study in this manner, I annihilate that test. I optimize. I get one of the top grades because I'm able to like.

basically look inside my own brain and in the memory bank and go, okay, this is what I remember and this is what I've triggered through, I wouldn't call it rote memorization, but a way of like you said, taking a picture and then doing that immense recall.

Mercedes (08:30.079)
I think that you said to just to unpack this, many great ideas here. when let's say I students, I have a lovely student right now who is studying for her social studies portion of her elementary exam. And it's so much information that I thought.

Kim (08:50.04)
Yeah.

Mercedes (08:55.132)
this would really work for her, right? Because she could take the index card and then she could write, let's see, judicial system or judicial branch. then around the keyword judicial branch would be everything she needs to associate with it. And then through repetition of, and this is what they use also in advertising, which is very interesting, this connection.

Kim (08:58.21)
Thank

Kim (09:16.504)
way.

Mercedes (09:25.018)
its exposure to the index card, exposure, exposure, exposure times frequency, which is repetition, equals recall. And so I'm, and I really want to go into that you talked a little bit about

Kim (09:38.286)
Right.

Mercedes (09:49.987)
dialing it back. let's say your test is in four weeks. So it's like August right now. Let's say you're taking that test a month from now in September and you really need some foresight. I wonder if we're all taught this. I'm not really sure, but it's such a good idea.

Schedule your test and then go back and start scheduling yourself these flash method sessions so that you can prepare for your exam. Instead of cramming, I think cramming is probably one of the worst things. If you're cramming for a test, then you are not prepared.

Kim (10:17.08)
Mm -hmm.

Kim (10:29.838)
In essence, can cram this. It's just not going to be as effective. You're going to hit the 80 % mark. But a lot of us have invested so much time and money into our...

into our college, you know, our universities, that you really can't afford to put up $350 for an extra praxis. So that's your hard -earned money. That's your hard -earned time. So it's best to plan in advance if you can, if you're trying to optimize. some, you know, places look at your GPA and it's no joke. I mean, you're competing against thousands of other people. So why not make the most of it and do some

plenty.

Mercedes (11:12.72)
Absolutely. Yeah, there's something else that you talked about that on a little bit of a sidebar, but I think it's so important. We talked a little bit before the show about your dyslexia and ADHD and about overcoming these learning challenges. So a little bit about your own learning journey and just, yeah.

Kim (11:27.63)
Mm -hmm.

Kim (11:37.696)
So, yeah, so I've learned that since I came up with a method that it's that I don't really have learning deficiencies. I have what's called neurodivergence. And so I've had to learn to adapt and use these more as tools and to redefine them and reshape them into something that's useful. So as I'm conquering all these learning deficiencies, I'm actually learning

that it is a superpower.

And because I'm able to overcome them and help others overcome them, we're not really seeing these in kids or in adults or alike that have dyslexia and ADHD. Even those together are really challenging. But once you learn how to adapt and use those flashcards and flash them and activate the different parts of your brain, I literally, you know, when we get done with a coaching session, I rewire your whole entire brain.

So it's optimized. So it's no longer a deficiency, it's a superpower once you learn how to use it.

Mercedes (12:47.378)
I love this is exactly what pre -service teachers and anyone who's studying needs to know. It's learn how you learn and find out what your superpower is. So your deficiency, could be your superpower once you transform it, once you learn how you learn. That's so metacognitive. You got to think about what you're thinking about.

That's really exciting to me. I definitely have learned that I'm an aural learner and I can listen.

And I can, I could do a whole lecture and then I pretty much just like zone out and write while I'm listening. And somehow that records right into my brain. And, but that's the thing that you're saying is that we must learn how our brain is wired and then strengthen the strength, strengthen those wires. I think that was okay. So I,

Kim (13:30.382)
Thank

Mercedes (13:48.616)
I did want to touch base on this one thing that you mentioned that I really can get on board with and we talked about this a little bit is that countdown calendar. Can you explain about the countdown calendar and the flash method? You talked a little bit about it, but what's the benefits of getting content from the short -term memory into the long -term memory using that countdown calendar and the flash method?

Kim (13:57.592)
Yes.

Kim (14:15.342)
Okay, so let's say we wanted to take a praxis test and we knew that we already failed at once and you know that was $350. So we put that on you know our calendar that we're going to take it 30 days out. So we don't want to over do it so we schedule ourselves five days and you might skip a day in between but I found that the flash method works best with five days straight and then two days off.

off. So whatever, you know, time or essence, you're going to need a break or whatever, you know, only take one or two days off in between. And then gear up and make sure that you hit it in the morning. You give yourself a break in the middle of the day and then hit it in the afternoon and then maybe once again in the evening, especially if you have learning deficiencies or dyslexia like me, then you're going to really need that time to incubate and get those

just get that rewire going in your brain.

Mercedes (15:19.121)
This is okay. So incubate is the key and giving yourself your brain time. And so I'm thinking, okay, so you schedule the test a month out and then you, you guide yourself, be your own best teacher. You guide yourself through five days a week, preferably or as suggested. And then about, about three or four times a day, your

Kim (15:45.595)
Yeah, and if you've only got time for two, don't sweat it. Like you can still do it in two sessions. Like let's say...

Mercedes (15:50.127)
Okay.

Kim (15:56.174)
10 to 20 minutes each. mean, once you get the flash cards, what you're gonna put on them down, it shouldn't take you, maybe the first session should take you about 20, 30 minutes, but the next one's only gonna be about 10. And the next one after that, five. And so what you're doing is you're just, you're making this groove in your brain and you're actually making it deeper like you would a groove on a record.

record player scenario. So what you're doing is you're creating sound, you're creating a memory, you're making it hardcore once you repeat it. And then the more grooves that you make and more neural networks and effort that you're putting towards it and you're writing it, all of this is stimulating your brain in a higher capacity than you say reading it over and over again in paragraph four.

Mercedes (16:49.157)
Yes, yes, absolutely. I, I got to soak this all up. Hey Kim, advice going forward. So before we wrap it up, what advice do you have for new teachers or pre -service teachers or alternative certification teachers, especially those who are preparing for their certification exams?

Kim (17:14.326)
I would say prepare, prepare, prepare, plan, plan, plan. I would also prepare if you fail. Failure is part of the process. There are friends of mine that cried over somebody's praxis test. And they would come to me and say, how do I get over this? the first thing is the mental block of realizing that failure is part of the equation. But once you do, I

mean, just take it as lift off and juice for the next go round and know that you've got to do some self talk. You've got to be some cheerleader to yourself and you've got to get ready for the battle because like I said, I have ADHD off the chain. They wanted me to come in at seven in the morning where I'm not even optimum yet. I don't even start really thinking really well until nine or 10 o 'clock. So you've got to prepare for, you know, that time sequence sometimes when you can only drop in whatever.

over time, you've got to adapt, you've got to forgive yourself and you've got to keep moving forward no matter what. If you want to teach, you've got to put your balls out there. You've got to, every day you've got to hit it because every day there's challenges with everything that you do. So my advice is to plan. If you really want extra help, I'm easy to reach.

website, can just drop me a line, email me, but I can coach you into thinking that you can do anything because I am the 20 year student. I had to stop and go so many times because of my deficiencies and the challenges of raising my child that was autistic and ADHD and a host of other things. So I am the poster child of Yes You Can.

Mercedes (19:05.187)
Yes, that is, you know, this is the teacher attitude that I always worked with a few students who did not pass their teacher certification exams and they had to prepare to retake them. And that's exactly what we talked about. It was like.

Like you've got to be an overcomer and have an overcomer mindset and go out there and keep going and get it and set yourself on fire about it. Because also when you're going into the classroom and you understand that failure is part of the process of learning and you understand what it's like to overcome, then you are the best teacher for all the students who are also experiencing the learning process as

and its glory and its triumphs and its tasks and trials.

Kim (20:00.162)
That's it.

Mercedes (20:01.785)
I asked Kim to be on our Feature Teachers series because I want you to have all the access to all the tools and knowledge out there so you can prepare for your FTC exams or any exams that you're studying for and pass those tests. Kim used this method to pass her own exams, so try out this learning style and see what works for you. Hey, Kim, thank you for sharing your experience with our listeners. Where can our listeners find you on social media or what's your website?

Kim (20:31.382)
You can find me on Facebook for this particular dial -up. It's under Para Education Solutions. And I'll send you that link in a hot minute. And also you can find me on flashcardread .com. And that's my kid website to help parents teach their kids how to read faster and better. If they have dyslexia or ADHD, you know, I'm your girl.

It's easier than it sounds. You know, we're teaching kids how to read in like 10 minutes a day, so it's kind of insane. We watched him go from zero words to being able to spell and read at the same time in about three days. So we've seen tremendous progress and so anything is possible and just know that we barely scrape the surface of understanding how to learn best. And so if you've got an idea, get your balls out there.

try some things as best you can because I want to be honest with you, we really don't know what we're doing.

in teaching. hate to say it, but you being a teacher, I mean there's a good 20 % of the population that they can't reach yet. So you're gonna have to try some things. You're gonna have to get dirty, you're gonna have to get down. It's, you know, and we'd love to have you. I'd say don't give up, keep going, and if you need to reach out to me and pick my brain, I would love it because I love helping kids and teachers.

Mercedes (21:37.436)
Hahaha.

Mercedes (22:01.732)
That's awesome. love there's a few things. Rise and grind is one of my favorite things is rise and grind. It's a new school year. And the other one is show all the way up. Show all the way up for your kids because that's what teachers do. And Kim, thank you for coming on the show.

This is your host Mercedes Musto. Join me again on FTCE Seminar, a teacher certification podcast. This podcast is listener supported and contributions can be made via the listener support link on Spotify or hey, you can buy me a copy on ftceseminar .com.

Kim (22:39.832)
Cool.

Mercedes (22:40.365)
Alright.