Memory Training by Mark

Memory Training by Mark - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

From high school to graduate school, students are loaded with information to the point of overflowing- but does anyone ever ask: how much does the average student retain? This fundamental question seems to get missed even though it provides the very basis for teaching anyone to begin with. How productive would it be to tutor someone who is incapable of forming a memory of his or her lessons? I believe that in order for American high schools to hold a more fertile ground for education, there needs to be a curriculum which addresses memory training.

The methods for memory training were once employed more widely than today. In 55 BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero wrote “De Oratore” which describes, in his view, the ideal orator. Cicero believed that any great speaker must be able to deliver his speech, whatever the length, by memory only. Cicero writes, "…only those with a powerful memory know what they are going to say, how far they will pursue it, how they will say it, which points they have already answered and which still remain". A strong memory was crucial for serious intellectual discourse.

According to Cicero, the art of memory is credited to Simonides of Ceos. As legend has it, Simonides was a guest at a wealthy nobleman’s house. After reciting a poem, Simonides was called outside, when suddenly the roof of the house collapsed. There were no survivors, save for Simonides. Family and friends dug through the rubble to give a proper burial to their loved ones. Sadly, the bodies were so badly crushed, that no one could determine who was who.

That’s when Simonides made his discovery: by tracing back through his steps in his mind, he could recall where each victim was standing before the incident had occurred. This sparked the notion that any person could train their memory by creating a “memory palace”. First, imagine entering a familiar place (indoors or outdoors). Next, put a shocking or memorable image in one area so that it can be remembered. Continue assigning memorable images throughout a journey in your mind. In order to recite your memory, simply restart the journey.

There has been no limit found on the human capacity for memory, so forming the right kind of images will enable lifelong memories. By assigning colors, scent, taste, and absurd images, memories can be made more “sticky”. It’s rumored that Cicero, would deliver magnificent speeches on serious matters using raunchy and ludicrous images in his mind. As silly this may seem, it allowed Cicero to build sound memories which were key in gaining his thorough knowledge of philosophy and law.

In 1956, Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist, spearheaded a group which helped develop the different classifications of intellectual behavior important for learning. The finished product was Bloom’s Taxonomy Pyramid, which contains six levels- each level containing fundamentals necessary to progress to the next. At the very base of the pyramid is “Remembering”. The idea is that recalling information leads to understanding it- which later enables a student to apply, analyze, evaluate, and create new information.

As important as memory is for learning, it also provides the recollection of a full life. Joshua Foer, winner of the World Memory Championship in 2006, wrote a book on memory training called “Moonwalking with Einstein”. Foer argues, “Monotony collapses time; novelty unfolds it. You can exercise daily and eat healthily and live a long life, while experiencing a short one… Creating new memories stretches out psychological time, and lengthens our perception of our lives”. Strong memory anchors can allow us to appreciate our experiences of life more deeply, even after they have passed.

Memory is the backbone of learning, yet American high schools seldom dedicate any time to it. As society has become more dependent on computers, its ability for memory and attention span has atrophied. It’s time to take a serious look at the structure of our education system, and consider a better foundation for students by adding the creative art of memory to our high school curriculum.