| As a teacher, I stopped saying, "Come on, try | | | | covered, connecting similar events, finding a way |
| harder" to students a while back. Not because I | | | | to tie what they need to know with something |
| thought theywere actually trying their hardest at | | | | they already know. Using rhymes, drawings, |
| the time (many don't to this day), but because I | | | | phrases, anythingto make the information stand |
| learned that it isn't always possible to know who | | | | out. |
| is trying and failing and who isn't trying at all. | | | | You know, typical strategies that help kids lock up |
| Kids are great at hiding behind facades and it's | | | | information in long term memory. |
| always cooler to come off as someone who just | | | | It was pretty obvious that Johnny couldn't |
| doesn't care rather than someone who tries and | | | | memorize because no one ever showed him how. |
| fails. | | | | It's not surprising. No one showed me how. And, |
| Which leads me to the subject of memorizing. | | | | I'm sure, no one showed you, either. |
| There are many kids at the high school level who | | | | That's why the adult "Improve your memory" |
| can't stand the thought of committing things to | | | | market is a multi-million dollar operation. Every one |
| memory. They would rather load their ipods with | | | | trying to learn what they should have learned |
| classical music (Ok, maybe not that extreme but | | | | when they were in school. Only now, it costs |
| you get the point!). | | | | money. |
| Since teachers spend time doing cafeteria duty, | | | | Schools, unfortunately, don't spend a lot of time |
| I've had many chances to ask my students why | | | | teaching kids how to commit things to memory. |
| they hatememorizing so much. They were very | | | | An individual teacher may give a tip for an |
| honest in their responses, "Because I can't | | | | assignment every now and then, but in general, |
| memorize!" | | | | kids are expected to come back the next day |
| Many are convinced they have a bad memory | | | | with the information safely stored in long term |
| and will even bring up stories from 5th and 6th | | | | memory. |
| grades in which they tried and tried but, "It just | | | | If they find a way to do it, then they get good |
| doesn't happen." | | | | grades and everyone is happy. If they don't, and |
| Being their teacher, I needed to know more so I | | | | they struggle, and that struggle lasts a few years, |
| would ask, "How would you memorize if you | | | | then you get what I see in high school. |
| absolutely had to?" | | | | Kids want no part of the "memorizing thing" |
| And their answers, over a period of time, slowly | | | | because they've had enough of the frustration. |
| lead to the same conclusion, "These kids have no | | | | It's a sad tale because it's a fixable problem. |
| idea how to memorize." | | | | However, for the time being, it's a problem many |
| They would tell me about repeating things again | | | | parents have to fix on their own. |
| and again, making flash cards and reviewing the | | | | So when you get a moment, ask your child if |
| flash cards again and again. The looks on their | | | | they find memorizing easy or difficult. Manageable |
| faces said it all. This was not a pleasant | | | | or unbearable. And then, check their grades to |
| experience. | | | | see if their memorizing skills are paying off in the |
| Very few described any strategies for | | | | classroom. |
| memorizing: making associations to other material | | | | |