How My Approach to Learning Changed Thanks to a Study Method I Learned from My Child
Around this summer, I began studying bookkeeping in earnest, a subject I had been interested in for some time.
Actually, I had tried to study bookkeeping once before, about ten years ago. Since keeping a household account book was a hobby of mine, I started it with the lighthearted assumption that it would be easy to pass. However, when I actually tried it, I encountered many difficult terms and complex calculations, so I ended up giving up at that time.
There was a specific trigger for my decision to try again this time. It was the fact that my own child took the bookkeeping exam and passed it brilliantly! I was surprised, thinking, 'Wait, you can pass that easily!?' That motivated me to ask them about their study method and try studying bookkeeping once more.
The study method I heard from my child was actually very simple. It involved buying one workbook or textbook and just repeatedly solving the problems in it. Honestly, I had never used such a method before. I thought that solving things repeatedly sounded a bit boring, tedious, and not my style. But knowing the fact that my child passed using that method, I was surprised that 'you can pass with such a simple method!' and decided to give it a try, even though it wasn't my preference.
When I actually tried that method, I initially thought that solving things repeatedly was quite tedious, but I found it surprisingly interesting. I was told that I didn't need to try to memorize everything perfectly from the start. I was taught that the trick is just to keep solving the problems, so I followed that advice. Then, around the third or fourth time, I realized, 'Oh, I actually remember quite a bit!' What surprised me was that even without trying to force myself to memorize, I could feel the information being etched into my memory little by little through repetition. I was moved that I could really learn with such a simple method. It's the first time I've had the feeling of remembering things even after time has passed, and it's very fun to feel various information accumulating in my brain.
My study method until now was more of a cramming type, where memorizing right before an exam was the norm. My child taught me that this is short-term memory. They explained that with short-term memory, you forget things quickly and they don't get etched into your long-term memory. To use an analogy, they said you remember someone you've met many times for a few minutes better than someone you've met once for a long time. I thought that might indeed be true. My child apparently learned by repeating things a few times, but since I'm not used to that approach, I'm thinking of doing it at least ten times.
Actually, I haven't decided yet whether I will take the bookkeeping exam. Originally, it seems that setting a goal and studying with repetition helps maintain motivation, but my purpose this time was to be able to read financial statements rather than getting a qualification. In that respect, I feel that my understanding is progressing, albeit slowly. Above all, I was able to realize that if you have the motivation, you can start studying at any age, and I think that might be the biggest takeaway.
As for future steps, since I only understand the simple parts of financial statements so far, I'm thinking of buying a Level 2 bookkeeping workbook to learn more. However, since I am still continuing my Level 3 studies, I want to first make sure I learn enough to pass that qualification. Although it felt difficult at first, my understanding has deepened little by little through repeated practice, so I intend to continue my studies.