REAL Thinking & Learning to Be More
NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the ‘REAL Thinking & Learning to Be More’ Newsletter, your weekly source of inspiration during school terms. The REAL Thinking & Learning to Be More newsletters are dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding and awareness in crucial areas, such as:
- Key concepts in thinking and learning.
- Insights from cognitive science and learning science.
- Strategies for growth as a thinker and learner.
- Effective Learning Teaching Support Material, and more.
My passion is to delve into these subjects through thoughtful reflection, reading, and research. I aim to share compelling insights and ideas that can inspire you to become more aware, metacognitive, knowledgeable, and empowered in your journey as a learner, parent, educator, or professional.
Join me as we explore the power of deliberate and REAL Thinking and Learning—a path to personal growth and development. My mission is to help you ‘Be More’ in your learning journey.
- In 2023, we delved deeply into Learning Teaching Support Material (LTSM), providing valuable resources and insights.
- For 2024, our newsletters embraced the theme ‘Mini-Lessons to Be More,’ offering concise, impactful lessons to enhance your learning experience.
- This year, 2025, will focus on an exciting theme, Be the CEO of Your Brain’. Not everyone can be the CEO of a company, but we can all be the CEO of Our Brain!
Discover the latest issue of the Real Thinking & Learning to Be More Newsletter. If it resonates with you, sign up to receive future editions directly in your inbox.
REAL Thinking & Learning to Be More…
Aware, Metacognitive, Knowledgeable, Equipped & Empowered…
Past Issues of the ‘REAL Thinking & Learning to Be More’ Newsletter.
2025 NEWSLETTERS: Focus on ‘CEO of My Brain’
13 Novenber 2025: Awareness of Self-Change: The Renewal of Learning & Living
6 November: Feeling of Competence: The Power of Learning & Living
30 October 2025: Feeling of Challenge: The Fuel of Learning & Living
23 October 2025: Inner Meaning: The Heartbeat of Learning & Living
16 October 2025: Goal Orientation: A Compass for Learning & Living!
24 September 2025: Proudly OT: 80 Years for the Profession, 46 Years for Me – Celebrating OT Week with a Special Offer!
18 September 2025: From Blobs to Breakthroughs: Snippets Worth Revisiting
11 September 2025: The Traffic Lights of Writing: How Signal Words Help Reading and Learning
4 September 2025: Selective Attention in Action: From Blobs to Quizzable Notes
28 August 2025: The Search Engine and WHO/WHAT Strategies: Two Key Strategies to Find Main ideas
21 August 2025: The Say, Clap, Think, Test Strategy: A FunWay to Master Definitions with Precision and Accuracy
14 August 2025: What did I Learn Today? The Daily Retrieval Habit!
7 August 2025: Past the Tip of the Iceberg: The Deeper work Begins
31 July 2025: “Why Am I Here?” What Learners Say in Their Very First Session
24 July 2025: Effective Thinking and Learning Skills Help You to Become the CEO of Your Brain—No Matter Your age!
26 June 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #8: Your Backstory Doesn’t Have to Be Your Autopilot!
19 June 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #7: When the “Cheese” Moves—Will You?
12 June 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #6: Cognitive Education is not for the Faint-Hearted!
5 June 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #5: Look Deeper Before You Label!
29 May 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #4: Use Your Thinking & Acting Wheels!
22 May 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #3: The Power of Regret Can Move Us Forward
15 May 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner #2: Sometimes Life Itself Becomes the Teacher
8 May 2025: Letter from a Lifelong Learner
17 April 2025: Early Bird Enrollment for CEO OF MY BRAIN’ is Open!
10 April 2025: Get Ready! ‘CEO of My Brain’ Enrollment Opens Soon!
25 March 2025: Exclusive Preview: ‘CEO of My Brain’ Course—Your Sneak Peek Awaits!
13 March 2025: Are YOU Giving YOUR Power Away?
6 March 2025: You Always Have a Choice in Your BANI World!
27 February 2025: Are You Equipped for Your Own BANI World?
20 February 2025: CEO of Your Brain or Outsourcing Your Brain? What are You Doing?
13 February 2025: Thought Integration: A Key Control to be the CEO of Your Brain
6 February 2025: Beating Backend Breakdown & Faceclip Fever: How I Took Control—So Can Can You!
30 January 2025: What’s the Formula to Become the DELIBERATE CEO of Your Brain?
23 January 2025: Become the DELIBERATE CEO of Your Brain
17 January 2025: Not everyone can be a CEO BUT…
2024 NEWSLETTERS: Focus on Mini-Lessons to Be More
28 November 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Reflecting on the Journey
21 November 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Embracing AMOR FATI & Trusting God’s Goodness Running After me
14 November 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Grace & Only Grace
7 November 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Be Loving, Give Love & Love without Measure
31 October 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: IKIGAI – Reason for Being
24 October 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Choices – Think Deeply About It
17 October 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Life is a Journey
10 October 2024: Memorable Metacognitive Messages: Embrace Impermanence
12 September 2024: Beyond Matric: 50-Year Reunion for the Kwagga Class of ’74
5 September 2024: Beyond Grades: Reflecting on the Worked Example Effect
29 August 2024: Beyond Grades: Reflecting on the Modality Effect
22 August 2024: Beyond Grades: Reflecting on the Redundancy Effect
15 August 2024: Beyond Grades: Reflecting on the Split Attention Effect
8 August 2024: Beyond Grades: Reflecting on the Transient Information Effect
1 August 2024: Beyond Grades: Leveraging the 3 Types of Cognitive Load for Student Success
22 July 2024: Beyond Grades: Reflecting on Cognitive Load Theory for Optimal Teaching, Thinking & Learning
28 June 2024: Quick Reminder: Metacognitive Learning (MCL) Coach Training is available in July & August 2024!
6 June 2024: Secrets from Half a Century of Learning. DON’T MISS THIS!
30 May 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Creating Bridges for Better Understanding with Bridge Maps
16 May 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Visualizing Sequences, Stages & Steps with Flow Maps
9 May 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Whole-to-Part Relationships with Brace Maps
25 April 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Mapping Similarities and Differences with Double Bubble Maps
17 April 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Describing in a Fun Way with Bubble Maps.
11 April 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Understanding Big Ideas with Circle Maps.
19 March 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Why Silent Mini-Lesson Videos?
14 March 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Better Understanding with “Traffic Lights of Writing” [aka Signal Words]
7 March 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Jump-Start Retrieval Practice with Quizzable Notes
28 February 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: A Simple Strategy for Precision & Accuracy with Definitions
22 February 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Help your Working Memory with this Strategy!
15 February 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: It’s FREE! Follow & Share!
8 February 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Spaced Retrieval Practice with a Simple but Powerful Strategy
1 February 2024: Mini-Lessons to Be More: Learn from Feedback
24 January 2024: Less to Be More in 2024
2023 NEWSLETTERS: Focus on Learning Teaching Support Material (LTSM)
30 November 2023: Mapping as Learning Strategy: Desirable versus Undesirable Difficulties (Part 3)
23 November 2023: Mapping as Learning Strategy: Desirable versus Undesirable Difficulties (Part 2)
16 November 2023: Mapping as Learning Strategy: Desirable versus Undesirable Difficulties
2 November 2023: My Preferred Learning Strategy I Teach All Learners
19 October 2023: 6 Links for Easy Recap: ADHD-Friendly Learning Teaching Support Material
21 September 2023: 10 Reasons Why Learning Outcomes are Important for ADHD Learners
7 September 2023: One Logical Thing that ADHD -Friendly Learning Teaching Support Material Must Have
24 August 2023: The First Essential Thing ADHD-Friendly Learning Teaching Support Material Must Have
10 August 2023: [Interesting Formula] Diagnosis of ADHD/ASD + ‘ADHD’ Books & Notes = Problematic Combination
28 July 2023: 3 Reasons Why ADHD-Friendly Learning Teaching Support Material is Essential.
12 June 2023: Colour in Learner Workbooks. 3 Things NOT TO DO!
2 June 2023: Exam Time! And Cognitive Overload is a Reality! What Can You Do?
22 May 2023: New Course and Big Sale! Better Learning Teaching Support Material – HOW & WHY?
11 May 2023: Create Learning Teaching Support Material to Enhance Learning – HOW?
27 April 2023: The Only Source of Knowledge is Experience. What do You Think?
14 April 2023: Always Write Parallel Lists! Do You Know What it Means?
23 March 2023: Have You Tried Alternatives to Bullets in PowerPoints or Notes?
9 March 2023: Bullets in PowerPoints and Notes: How Many to Avoid Death by Bullet-Point?
23 February 2023: 2 Easy Strategies to Improve Readability in PowerPoint Slides!
9 February 2023: 2 Things to Avoid on PowerPoint Slides that can Help Learners
26 January 2023: Do you have an Expression of Intent? We all need one!
27 October 2022: Time to Think About ONE Important Thing to Focus on in 2023.
29 September 2022: My New Online Course: Are you Cold, Lukewarm or Interested? Find out quickly!
25 August 2022: 7 Guidelines to become a really competent Tertiary Student
23 August 2022: Want affordable Lifelong Learning & Self-Education?
11 August 2022: One Powerful Effect when Common Sense is linked with (Cognitive) Science
22 June 2022: Be a More Growth-Oriented Adult with a 7 Step Process
1 June 2022: What is “The Strangest Secret”?
19 May 2022: How 4 Core Regrets can Help You.
12 May 2022: Can You Really Learn and Learn How to Learn at the Same Time?
Let's Get Started
Contact Info
Estelle Brettenny
For Intervention, assessment or training
Phone
082 430 7956
E-mail us
Address
1 A Stepping Stone Street,
Everglen,
Durbanville,
7550
For more information about my courses you can go to the Courses page on this website.