| Recently, my son (in fifth grade) needed | | | | American Revolution that he could answer |
| to discuss the events that lead to the | | | | the question with details. |
| American Revolution. He sat at home and | | | | And he did. |
| went over all the major points: | | | | And he's only in 5th grade! Yet, this |
| - The Stamp Act of 1765 | | | | combination of memory and thinking is |
| - Taxation without representation. | | | | the cornerstone of learning at any age |
| - The Boston Massacre of 1770. | | | | and helps kids do better in school. |
| - etc. | | | | If someone could explain to me how my |
| Later, we discussed them and he showed | | | | son would have gotten a good grade on |
| me that he understood. | | | | his essay without knowing the facts, I |
| Yet, when I checked with him before he | | | | would love to hear it. |
| went to bed, he hadn't memorized the | | | | Want to know why? Because most of my |
| events (those mentioned earlier and | | | | students would love to stop memorizing |
| others). When I gave him clues, he could | | | | tomorrow. They hate it and wish they |
| explain each one very well. | | | | never had to do it again. |
| I began to wonder, "Will he remember to | | | | (Could it be that the ones that are so |
| put down all he knows?" It's not like I | | | | anti-memorization are really |
| could sit next to him and give him | | | | "memorizing-haters" from way back?). |
| hints. He's pretty bright but would he | | | | I agree with Dr. Mel Levine, author of |
| be able to show it? | | | | "All Kinds of Minds", who states, |
| It all comes down to memory in a lot of | | | | "Understanding + Remembering = |
| ways. My son needed to memorize the | | | | Learning." |
| points he understood so that the next | | | | Talk about hitting the nail on the head! |
| day he could recall them and include | | | | The real question is, "How do we get our |
| them in his essay. Then, he could | | | | kids to memorize more easily?" I really |
| combine the information with his | | | | believe that many hate memorizing |
| understanding and come up with a really | | | | because they can't do it very well. |
| strong essay. A lethal combination when | | | | Could you when you were in school? |
| done right. | | | | Here's the reason why not. Schools don't |
| So why are there some people that want | | | | teach memory skills. Kids go home and |
| to relegate memorization to the back of | | | | try to memorize on their own. Some get |
| the classroom? A second class study | | | | it but many don't. The ones that don't |
| skill. | | | | end up hating the process with a |
| Wouldn't it be more logical to say that | | | | passion. |
| we need to develop both memory skills | | | | So, I have an idea. Let's call a truce. |
| AND critical thinking skills? | | | | Let's teach memory skills along side |
| Let's face it. Solid thinking skills | | | | thinking skills. That way,kids are |
| depend on a strong memory. | | | | prepared to retain all the information |
| Being able to recall easily helps your | | | | they'll need later on when it's time to |
| child accessinformation in order to make | | | | do the thinking. |
| a point. | | | | I'm sure the results will astound us. |
| Let's go back to the example with my | | | | We'll have kids that call on prior |
| son. | | | | knowledge to make points, illustrate |
| He wasn't sure what the essay would be | | | | ideas with examples and back up what |
| about but he was armed with a lot of | | | | they say with facts. |
| information. He felt he knew enough | | | | Hey, that sounds like a plan! |
| about the events leading up to the | | | | |