Our memory is the most intricate system that we have as it relates to remembering things. The memory that we hold in our brains is there because we have found a way to associate new things with our previous experiences.
James states that "Whatever appears in the mind must be introduced; and, when introduced, it is as the associate of something already there" (pg. 59). In education, we tend to introduce new topics to our students. For example: I am teaching my students about algebra in my class. But before I can teach them algebra, I need to refresh their memory on the basic concepts of math (numbers, symbols, expressions, etc.). Once I have refreshed, then I can connect their previous learning to the new concepts that we will be learning. A great icebreaker would look something like this: In math, we tend to solve problems like 5 + 4. Basically, we are adding 5 + 4 in order to get 9. Well, in algebra, we tend to use numbers and variables in a mathematics equation. So 5x + 4x is an expression. Since both terms have the same variable, we can add 5x + 4x to get 9x. But in all things, if you do not connect new concepts with previously learned information, the student will not be able to grasp the information that you are presenting in the classroom.
James spoke about memory in this talk. Too often, teachers try to introduce new concepts and then they get upset when students are not able to retain the material that has been presented. The question is: how can we connect new learning to old learning if we do not know what the student has learned in the past?
Great connection here between memory and the importance of assessing students prior knowledge. Good teachers assess prior knowledge to facilitate the connections that can be made between new and previous content. Is memory the same as learning?
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