Secret to Success: Long-term Memory

At this point in the pandemic, we can see that “educators are looking at a long game, perhaps three or more years during which schools must do their core work better.” As the Los Angeles Times points out “[i]f we simply return to pre-pandemic methods, that won’t happen — because before the pandemic, we weren’t really following the science.”

What does the science tell us? “Shift to include much greater emphasis on the knowledge of facts…’The very processes that teachers care about most,’ like critical thinking and problem solving, ‘are intimately intertwined with factual knowledge that is stored in long-term memory,’ writes Daniel Willingham, a cognitive scientist at the University of Virginia.”

Long-term memory is built from repetition and chunking of information. Moreover, students can use their long-term memory to create connections between mastered concepts and novel material. Without a robust long-term memory, students can struggle to fully grasp new topics taught in accelerated programs, which many schools are using this year to catch students up.

With a strong phonics-based reading program and an emphasis on chunking and automation in math, Gideon provides a stout curriculum that develops students’ solid long-term memory. Additionally, we pride ourselves on the systems and support for center directors to individualize the program for each student.

Find the LA Times article here.