© Please note: The following article is copyright protected. For permission to use in part or whole, contact Susan J. Jones <sjjones1@mac.com> . All use must include credit to the author and inclusion of author's website <www.susanjjones.com>.
Have you ever wrung your hands in frustration over the inattentiveness of students? Ever said to yourself, "If only these children could stay focused I could really TEACH them something?"
Well, you’re not alone. The traditional delivery of instruction was well-suited to the idea of covering huge amounts of content or a multitude of skills in a defined period of time. Much of the learning was rote or lecture, and required recitation and testing to determine if mastery had occurred. But did we really "learn" the vast amount of content to which our brains were exposed -- And is this brain compatible?
The simple answer is no. And the simple reason is that demanding full, constant and focused attention to new ideas and skills is contrary to the way the human brain plants long term memory. Attention is only one part of the learning process; human brains need to rehearse, review and retrace, as well. Let’s see why.
The Ingredients of Learning
novelty --> attention --> learning --> long term memory
The brain requires novelty and stimulation to capture the attention of the brain. As long as nothing else comes along more interesting, important or urgent, the brain pays heed. Such attention is a product of consciousness or working memory, in the frontal cortex of the cerebellum. Here, a thought is held for approximately 18 seconds and then discarded: unless the brain finds reason to manipulate the thought or rehearse it.
This is where the skilled teacher demands discussion of an idea, creation of a product, or manipulation of information to reach the next level: learning. At this point, a memory is established through the creation of a cerebral code, or a brain circuit comprised of a unique combination of neurons, or brain nerve cells. Neurons that perceive and process color, lines, and angles connect with those that process nuances of timbre to enable the brain to witness, let’s say, the playing of an oboe --and thus "learn" the identity and sound of the instrument.
But learning can be fleeting (Ever crammed for a test, only to discard the material permanently from your brain afterward? Why not? You’ll never use that stuff again!). If a brain never retraces a newly-learned circuit, the "memory" will be lost forever. The probability of retention is directly related to how new information and skills are presented and manipulated:
Memory at its Best: Connectable, Retrievable, Adaptable
But our final target must be long term memory:
- o encoded with emotion
o connected to prior experiences to "make sense"
o retrievable for later use (easy to find, circuits having been retraced frequently)
o adaptable to new situations.
Learning long division is great, but committing it to long term memory so that years later (perhaps at age 40 while standing in the grocery store) I can use my skill and knowledge to function in a new situation -- is essential.
Classroom Applications
Full attention to novel ideas, then, must be demanded only part of classroom time. We must inject manipulation and review routinely and frequently in our teaching, to deepen memory traces and entrench important learning: creating retrievable, long term memory. Not just presentation of ideas, but varied rehearsal. Ask children to:
- o read articles reinforcing content or skills
o view a video dealing with the topic
o complete projects that require manipulation of ideas or practice of skills
o fill in a worksheet covering material
o peer teach
o journal write
o participate in whole-class discussion
o do group work to practice or use skills
Rich Planting of Ideas & Skills + Rehearsal = Long Term Memory. It’s the brain compatible way!
© Susan Jones 2001
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