Question

Now that those ears are actively sending messages to your brain–you’re listening, right–it’s time to ask questions.

Let’s check what’s going on in our brains when we listen. Sounds go straight to our temporal lobe, where our gatekeeper, the hippocampus, decides whether or not to let them in.

(By the way, you can find the brain parts in a diagram here. By the way, Part 2: hippocampus comes from a Greek word meaning sea monster.)

Once the sounds get past the gatekeeper, they could end up anywhere. But first, they go to our short-term memory, where they may not last long. Short-term memory only lasts a short time–mere seconds if we don’t do something with the information.

Let’s say your teacher shares something important, like what you must bring for tomorrow's class picnic. Their voice has made it past the hippocampus, and now it’s balanced in your short-term memory.

Before you forget you’re bringing sandwiches, you must push the information to your frontal lobe, where you make decisions and ask questions. What is the best way to do that?

Repeat it to yourself: ‘I’m bringing sandwiches.’

Then, raise your hand to ask a question. Something like: ‘What fillings would everyone like?’ Or, ‘How many should I bring?’ Or, ‘Wholegrain bread or white?’ And, most important: ‘Does anyone have food allergies?’

By asking questions, you will reinforce the memory of what to bring. It will also activate your critical thinking skills.