Memories Change Because We Change
After all this work (using Roy G. Biv), you'd think your students would have a near photographic memory. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Did you know that a person's memory is changing all the time due to new information and changes in beliefs and circumstances? Because we change, our perceptions of an event's circumstances change in relation to our lives. Ordinarily (unless there is trauma), memory requires repeated rehearsal in different contexts. It requires updating as well as new categorical input and associations. This updating engages creativity and thinking skills. Otherwise, we lose a memory, distort it, or even blend it with other memories. This is just a reality check. Memories, even when encoded properly, need maintenance and strengthening over time. We do not store memories like we store photographs or recordings. That's not how our brains work. Memories change because memories are in us and we change. Be patient. be forgiving, and remember the Roy G. Biv strategies.
SUMMARY
Memories are malleable. There are multiple pathways in the brain to encode memories: episodic and semantic (explicit and procedural and reflexive (implicit). Assume that your students will not "get it" the first time, and take the time to help them encode their learning. By using a variety of methods and empowering your learners to use their favorite strategies, learning will be more fun and effective. Use the Roy G. Biv system as a way to remember these seven helpful memory-enhancing strategies. A terrific side benefit is that your students' confidence levels will soar. So take the time to help students develop a terrific memory and recall system. It benefits everyone, and it will continue to benefit your students long after they leave your classroom.
You may have good hearing and still be a poor listener. Remember, kids care more about how well you listen to them than how well you say the lesson. Eric Jensen