This
New York Times article reveals what good research shows actually works when studying. Result:
Moving locations and mixing up what you study. Not the usual advice! But very much in line with what goes on in a Montessori classroom!
I love what it said about cramming:
"Cognitive scientists do not deny that honest-to-goodness cramming can lead to a better grade on a given exam. But hurriedly jam-packing a brain is akin to speed-packing a cheap suitcase, as most students quickly learn - it holds its new load for a while, then most everything falls out.
“With many students, it’s not like they can’t remember the material” when they move to a more advanced class, said Henry L. Roediger III, a psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis. “It’s like they’ve never seen it before.”" (emphasis mine)