[BenkyouKami 2.1] Strategic Meeting

After that, for one week days passed as if nothing happened.
Makoto was uncommunicative as usual, without conversing or even greetings, concentrated in the class lessons so that he could come back home quickly to do houseworks.
Madoka became anxious, wondering if the event at that day was just a dream.

In the evening, an email arrived.
It was from Maho.

『The strategy is to be decided. If you have the time, tomorrow afternoon please come to the house at approximately the same hours as before. Looking forward to see you. Maho.』

“Yay! Finally it begins. What kind of strategy…”

Maho’s email continued.

『PS: Bring the report card and tests from Junior High School time. it is necessary to get an accurate grasp of the situation. (*^_^*)』

“Aaaa…..”

That’s right. It is necessary….how embarassing.
Are they still remained?
Madoka began to search the room.

The next day, after club she went to Ichiyanagi’s house.
Her mind was unsettled, she rushed at slightly faster pace. When arrived at the front door, her breath was still gasping. She rang the doorbell with hands that slightly trembled.

Ding Dong!

“Yes…”

Listening to Maho’s cheerful voice, Madoka also calmed down.
Opening the door, Maho invited her to come in with a smile.

“I was waiting for you. Come, come in.”

“Excuse me.”

She was guided to the kitchen table, that day there’s dinner for three persons.
The meal that day was Seared Bonito.

“Club activities always go on till late, I’m sorry about the usual dinner time…”

“It’s fine, I also want to participate now, because I similarly have just came back from work as usual. Well, first of all, let’s eat.”

Madoka was told to wash her hand, that day too she obediently ate.

“Itadakimasu!”

For a while, silence reigned along with sounds of eating dinner.
Today was rightly delicious.
In the Seared Bonito, there was slight taste of garlic and ponzu sauce.
As if there’s some secret seasoning.

Makoto-san is really skillful, Madoka was impressed.

Then Maho-san spoke.

“Actually, Makoto’s grades in the old days was also bad.”
“…! Really?!”
“Although I said that, it was only in elementary school.”
“….yes…”

Madoka tilted her head, didn’t know what to say.

“You know, you can learn things in kindergarten, a child can receive early education, there are many who did so (although without it is also fine). But we did not, so there was fine difference in hiragana used at the time when he entered elementary school.”

“Yes.”

“I think this child even thought that he couldn’t study. However, since he was little, I thought there was no need for cram school or tutor…also, there was no money…well, kids should just play, that was what I thought.”

Although there was mutterings about monetary problems in the middle, apparently Maho-san was indeed didn’t instruct Makoto to study.

“Because there was no workbook or exercises, this child of mine just repeatedly reading the textbook aloud and write them out on notebooks. After doing that, his grades gone up, he was also seemingly happy because praised by his teacher, since then he always read the textbooks again and again.”

“….It is so different with me.”

Madoka was the type of kid who liked to play outside.
Although she couldn’t study, she didn’t remember having worried about that.
While patting Madoka’s shoulder, Maho-san continued talking.

“I understand your feeling, it’s okay. What I wanted to tell you is another matter. I’ve done strategic meeting with Makoto, discussed, also told Makoto to research many kinds of study methods, there are many things we learned from there.”

“…..?”

“The first thing is, don’t worry although you started late. Rather, for this child, starting off with bad grades was a good thing. Human, when they grew and being praised, feeling of happiness will be carved strongly in their mind. Things like that are really important, you know!? One of the things that motivates this child, is this kind of experience.”

“Yes”

Madoka nodded.

“Because of that, Madoka-san too don’t worry of being late. Rather, it likely will be difficult for people who had good performance earlier but then got worse. They could lose motivation and give up. Although late, but people who were active due to their own motivation, their growth is truly amazing. This time, because Madoka-chan also has something similar, be more confident.”

“Yes. I understand. Thank you very much.”

In response, Madoka lowered her head.
Maho raised her two fingers.

“The second thing is praises. For Makoto too, in the beginning, being praised is very important. His self-confidence increased, studying became enjoyable. Because it was fun,he studied again, and got praised again. That there is a good teacher is important, but praises is more so. Therefore, when Madoka-chan shows a good grades even a little, we will praise you with all our might.”

Listening to those words, Madoka became happy.

The truth is, knowing that there will be strict special training, her feeling became a little bit anxious.

In the past, she almost never got praised, so she’s looking forward to it.

“The third is, repeating something over and over again. About this matter, I’ll probably have Makoto talk about it.”

Makoto extended a notebook to Madoka, showed it to her.
He drew an unusual hexagon there.

“In our head, there are nerve cells.”

…Excuse me?

Makoto was still expressionless as usual, but started to talk about something out of this world.

“From nerve cells come out projections, when it is connected to other nerve cells, there will be understanding and memory.”

“….Yes…”

Without caring about anything, Makoto continued his words.

Anyhow, he’s only looking at the notebook.

“These projections will grow if combined with stimulus, but if the stimulus shrinks, then it will disappear. In order to extend the projections, tying it firmly with the nerve cells, the most effective way is by repetition.”

“Yes.”

“A long time ago, Ebbinghaus the Psychologist was known because of the discovery of this forgetting curve.”

While saying that, Makoto drew a curve that seemd like a quarter of a circle.

“Memory will soon be forgotten, only a small quantity will be remembered. To make it into a strong memory, repeat it immediately after, repeat it before asleep, repeat it one week after, repeat it after one month, repeat it after one year, that kind of repetition is effective.”*

“Oh my God! repeating it so much?”

“…The exact data doesn’t exist. There are many theories, repeating 30 times, 100 times.”

Madoka became crestfallen and dropped her shoulder.

“Shisho…that’s impossible.”

“Shisho?”

For the first time, Makoto raised his head, meeting Madoka’s gaze.
In haste, Madoka continued her words.

“Ah, although I called Kamisama, but I think, because for me, you would teach like a honorable Shisho….”

Makoto’s face became confused, but after a short time, he dropping his gaze to the notebook again.

Is that mean, it is OK?

“Although for the first time will be given time 30 minutes, for the second time will approximately be 15 minutes, the third time 10 minutes, so the time it takes will be shortened, you don’t have to worry so much. Because the time span will continually be shorter, I am even afraid you will give up.”

“Is that so…”

“Well, despite of Makoto’s difficult explanation, in conclusion repetition is important.”

While laughing, Maho concluded.
Madoka too, nodded.

—————

TL & TLC notes:
*Truthfully, we don’t completely understand what Makoto said here (and in the next chapter), so if you have any thought on it, feel free to comment ^^