• Welcome
• Products
• Associate Authors
• Mind Map Tutor Blog
• Facebook Page
• Twitter
• Focus of the Month
• What's Coming
• Communicating with us

1. Welcome

While the Northern Hemisphere is starting the new academic year, both Northern and Southern Hemispheres are approaching the last quarter of 2011.

For both groups, it is an opportune time to confirm that your learning process is adequate for your needs.

This month I would like to focus on the use of principles when learning.

2. Products

So don't delay. Download Xmind today and start Mind Mapping!

You could also download the basic edition of iMindMap, which is also free. iMindMap is the official Mind Map Software endorsed by Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Mapping, and creates beautiful, organic, colourful Mind Maps.

Learning Management Program

A ten step program divided into Four Sections that gets you learning faster and easier. The program takes you through four important stages:

• Preparation
• The Skills Needed
• Application of the Skills
• Keeping Sharp

English Grammar Mind Map Tutor

Having a good knowledge of English Grammar is essential for all learners, if your learning medium is English. If English is not your mother-tongue, then this is also a great guide for you. The Interactive Mind Maps allow you to add your own examples and thoughts, making you the centre of the learning process, which is the best way to learn.

Othello Mind Map Tutor

The first of our Shakespeare series, which allows you to learn Shakespeare in a unique, holistic and visual way, providing you with everything you need to know about plot, background, characters, themes and more...

3. Associate Authors

By sharing your knowledge, you can grow personally, help others, and even create a permanent passive income stream.

Take advantage of our growth and expertise in the Mind Mapping and Learning marketplace and start your own online business with hardly any capital outlay.

The concept is simple.

• You create the Mind Maps according to our strict criteria.
• We market and sell it.
• You earn immediate passive income.

4. Mind Map Tutor Blog

You can follow our blog by subscribing via RSS Feed, Email, Facebook, or Twitter to get regular updates. Most of the topics are also highlighted on our Facebook Page, where you can comment instantly and get great feedback from us and others.

You can now also comment on our blog using Facebook comments.

Some highlights from our Blog last month:

One sentence summaries of the best productivity books

Mind Map attempts of a five year old

Knowledge Management Definition and Solutions

Mind Maps for study, memory and to plan your activities

And lot's more...

www.mindmaptutor.com

5. Facebook page

Facebook is great for updates, as it is unobtrusive and you can give immediate feedback.

Please promote our Facebook Page to you friends and family.

It is a great way for them to stay updated with the latest information on everything you need to know about creating and using Mind Maps to learn faster and easier.

All updates to our site, as well as our blog, are posted to our Facebook Page, so you will always be informed of what's happening.

Make learning and using Mind Maps a part of your Social Experience. In this way learning and growth becomes a natural part of you life and stops being a laborious effort.

As information on Facebook is fed in bite size chunks and you only read what catches your eye, you are in complete control of the situation.

6. Twitter

I am very active in the online Mind Mapping community, you will get updates and links to important information as I come across it.

Twitter is the fastest way to get information into the market. If you haven't tried Twitter yet, give it a go. The great thing about Twitter is that you only have to read what you want to, as it just gives you the headlines. The information also comes to you, so you are only receiving information that you want to receive.

If you don't like the source - kill it, and it's instantly removed.

Twitter can be a great time saver to give you the information when you want it and how you want it.

We publish all of our Blog feeds to Twitter so that you can simply browse the headlines and only visit the page if you like what you see.

7. Focus of the month - Focus on Principles

'As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble' - THOMAS WALDO EMERSON

Often, even complex topics can be broken down into a few simple principles. Let's have a closer look at our learning process as an example of how to apply the use of principles to a subject area.

Step 1. Preparation Before embarking on learning a subject, ensure that you are adequately prepared. Our preparation list includes vision, motivation, goal setting and time management.

Preparation is the principle. What methods would you apply to feel adequately prepared?

Step 2: The Skills We believe that there are certain skills that you need to acquire to make learning easier and more effective. Without spending some time on learning the skills, you can spend an unbelievable amount of hours learning - and relearning - the same thing and still not have it in long term memory.

We believe the skills that you require are reading skills, note taking skills and memory techniques.

What skills do you think is needed to learn effectively? How good are those skills? Are you applying them?

Step 3: Application Now that you are adequately prepared and armed with the necessary skills, it's time to apply it, using a method that works for you, and preferably one that follows a repeatable process.

We have put together a process that has been tested and proven to work. Do you have a process?

Step 4: Keeping Sharp There is no doubt in my mind that a healthy mind and a healthy body are key ingredients to peak performance - and this applies to both academic and physical achievement.

The days of all brawn and no brains, or vice-versa are gone. All top athletes now focus on mental health as well as physical health. The top brains also focus on an exercise routine and diet.

Do you have a holistic program to feed your body, mind and spirit?

Conclusion This short article shows you how principles can guide you when learning a complex topic. Using Mind Maps is the most effective way for you to extract and record the principles and also the best tool to help you remember them.

With practice, recalling the principles will automatically trigger the details.

Try practising the use of principles by taking any subject you know and breaking it down into its major principles or ideas. Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Mapping, calls it Basic Ordering Ideas because the principles can often be ordered in a structured way.

If you don't want to start with something complex, you can start with the next movie you watch. After all, even a movie is created using 'storyboards', which highlight the main principles.

Why don't you try a Mind Map Storyboard, highlighting only four themes of the next movie you watch? You may be pleasantly surprised!

8. What's coming...

9. Communicating with us

You can also comment on any of our blog posts using Facebook comments. The choice is yours.

Till next time...Starting breaking subjects into basic principles

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