Long-term memory is the goal in schools. Here are a few ideas to help foster that goal.
- Teach students how to explain their thinking to themselves and others: What are the key elements I should remember about this topic? Can I find tricks or rhymes or illustrations or key words that help me remember details? Can I look at this topic from a different angle or perspective?
- Take brain breaks: A movement or conversation break of 2-4 minutes every half hour helps energize thinking and refreshes the brain. Let students move/stretch within a small area and/or talk with fellow students, sharing one important tidbit of information about the current topic being discussed.
- Use K3: What do I already know? What do I need to know? What else do I want to know?
- Think-Pair-Share: Can I teach what I learned to a friend, classmate or adult? When we can encapsulate ideas and share them in a thoughtful manner, we probably understand them. We can also go back and fill-in the breaks in our thinking by rereading or revisiting the topic.
- Create a survey or make a graph to explain the topic. The act of creating a visual will often help ‘see’ a topic or can show where we have holes in our learning.
- Stay tuned for my next newsletter where I will address other ways to actively engage students.