How a Pop-Up Book Unlocked Asha’s Academic Potential
Discovering your unique learning style can be the key to unlocking your academic potential. Whether you thrive on visual aids, prefer auditory information, benefit from hands-on experiences, or find yourself somewhere in between, tailoring your study techniques to match your preferences can make a significant difference in your educational journey.
For Asha Bhat, a Year 9 student, understanding her learning style proved crucial during a recent module in her Religious Education class. The module, titled ‘The Human Search for Truth,’ delved into the human yearning for truth and the pursuit of unanswered questions, also known as human heart questions. Through God, these answers are unveiled in various forms like parables, narratives, or poetry. The class analysed three narratives from Genesis: Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-16), Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6-9), and The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). Each story was explored through key focus questions:
- Bible Reference/ Literary Form
- Key Events
- Key Messages
- Truths Revealed about God
Towards the end of the module, the students engaged in source analysis, focusing on scripture and interpreting and structuring responses through images.
Gemma Sharp, Asha’s Religious Education Teacher, was impressed by Asha’s approach to studying. The class was encouraged to take clear and organised notes on each story, and Asha took this advice to the next level.
When asked about her inspiration for creating a pop-up study book, Asha explained that traditional note-taking methods weren’t as effective for her. She wanted to find a new way to study, so she brainstormed her strengths, and pop-ups came to mind. Thus, she decided to make a pop-up study book for the Genesis stories.
The process of creating the book brought Asha great joy. Despite the time-consuming nature of making each pop-up, seeing the pieces come together excited her. For each story, she made a pop-up and included a page of notes.
The pop-up book proved to be a successful study tool for Asha. Unlike plain notes, the pop-ups helped her visualise the stories better, leading to improved retention. Before creating the book, she struggled to remember the events in the stories, but after crafting the pop-ups, she could clearly see the narratives, which enhanced her memory.
Creating pop-ups was not entirely new to Asha. Although she hadn’t made pop-up books before, she has been making pop-up cards since she was little. While she may not consider herself skilled in drawing or painting, she expresses her creativity through pop-ups. Asha learned the techniques for creating pop-ups by researching various methods on the internet. Over time, she has honed her skills and enjoys experimenting with different cutting and folding techniques.
The dedication and effort Asha put into her pop-up book are commendable. Each pop-up took around four hours to make, resulting in a total of approximately 12 hours of work. This investment in her unique study tool undoubtedly paid off and made a significant impact on her understanding and retention of the subject matter.
Asha’s experience highlights the importance of recognising individual learning styles and finding creative ways to enhance the learning process. Tailoring study techniques to suit personal preferences can lead to more efficient and enjoyable learning, ultimately unlocking one’s academic potential.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
