The Overnight Student by Dr. Michael Jones (PDF ebook)
This long out of print and almost legendary book was highly recommended by Dr. Arthur Robinson (The Robinson Curriculum) as one of the very best methods of mastering lessons for older students through adults. The simplest method of mastering ANY subject, explains the book, is that the student become an oral teacher of an imaginary class.
Read a great article explaining this technique and how it works here.
Then… get your jr. & senior high students to try it.
This resource is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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oh heavens, I’ve done this for years. Never knew it was a “technique”. Just thought it was common sense.
GREAT looking update to the website! Keep up the good work, and THANKS for all of the wonderful resources.
WOW – love the new look – you guys have sure been hard at work. We’ve been loving your resources for ages and you just keep getting better and better. THANKS!!!
LOVE the new look!!!!!! Thank you for such a great website! My daughters and I love it!
Like the new style.
Thanks again!
@Annette – yeah, I had the same feeling reading the description. So… it turns out it’s a technique.
The only difference is that I did not pretend I was teaching it to some imaginary class, I actually found someone who’d listen (usually classmates who never took the trouble of reading the lessons themselves) and tried to “teach” them. I worked every single time, and not only in my senior years, I did this since first grade.
Thank you for this resource! I’ve been trying FOREVER to get my sons to do this, and they’ve been totally resistant. Now, after I made them read the book, they’re ready to start doing it – you know, since an “expert” says it will work!
(Although my oldest did catch me: “Mom, you made us read this then teach YOU what it’s about – you made us do what it said!”) ha ha!
This out-of-print book is the backbone to Gary North’s outstanding study course for high school and college students (see http://www.garynorth.com). I am so excited you were able to locate and share it with us–thank you so much!!! Hard as I’ve tried to find a copy for my jr. high schooler, it’s been elusive, so I am truly grateful you shared it. God bless you for all your hard work.
Yes, I tell my kids to pretend they’re teaching they’re stuff to someone else. This must be similar to the “narration” that Charlotte Mason teaches. But I don’t do that regularly with them.
I just passed this on to a cousin doing further education, and my son who will be starting further education soon too. Thank you so much!
Downloaded the “Overnight Student” and left it open but minimized. DH while checking his email opend a PDF attachment and thought “Overnight Student” was part of HIS attachment. He read it before I did and nearly melted down when he couldn’t find it again in HIS email. He LOVED IT!!!! Says EVERYONE MUST read this!!
Thanks HSF for this AWESOME resource!