chapter 6 learning log

What?

This chapter was about how the learning process works and strategies that work and don’t work for students to learn their material. It went through the model of human memory to explain in some detail how information is stored and how to retain it. Cramming is ineffective because it is only stored in short-term memory. However, mnemonics, memorization through association, practice and relating new knowledge are all great ways to help move knowledge to long term. Not all students are the same so taking time to implement different tactics will aide each student succeed.

So what?

In order to help our students retain the most information and to benefit them the most, we need to be creative in our tactics. I know that many of the facts I learned when I was younger were because teachers made songs to go along with the facts. For example the Fifty Nifty Untied States, the books of the Old Testament and the quadratic formula are all creative ways different teachers of various subjects have helped me remember this information. I am lucky that I get to work with music because it is one of the easiest ways to remember things.

Now what?

I am so excited to teach because there are so many ways to make teaching exciting. Even if I don’t get to teach music and end up with a theory class and another subject I didn’t plan on, I will be able to make learning fun and engaging. Memorizing facts doesn’t have to be so difficult. As we saw in class, using mnemonics was a fun and easy way to learn Kohlberg’s stages of development.