| What is the relationship between Memory and | | | | a week; a six month old can remember the |
| Attention in the classroom? As a teacher, it is | | | | desired behavior without having done it for over |
| important to maintain the child's attention, but | | | | two weeks. The child's memory is tested at a |
| does memory have a co-existence in this field? | | | | young age and is able to remember what she has |
| Attention is seen as being important because, "we | | | | learned. Teachers will need to understand that |
| do not pay close attention to much of the | | | | repetition and challenges are so important and is |
| information to which we are exposed, typically | | | | proven at such a young age in this experiment. |
| only scant mental processing takes place, and we | | | | This information is hooked into the child's memory |
| forget new material almost immediately". If | | | | and is utilized by the child, his desired behavior. In |
| attention is important in retaining our memory, it | | | | order for the child to adapt he must rely on his |
| is important to understand what our memory | | | | knowledge and memory of how he has dealt with |
| does and how teachers should understand these | | | | situations in order to achieve the desired outcome |
| patterns and processing levels which determine a | | | | (Bee, 2000). |
| child's thought. One might suggest, "The best way | | | | As children get a little older there are many other |
| to remember new information is to consider it | | | | memory strategies that they are able to use. |
| thoroughly when you are first exposed to | | | | Some of these strategies are: rehearsal, |
| it-reflecting on how it relates to information that | | | | clustering, elaboration and systematic searching. |
| you currently know" (Feldman, 2000). A teacher | | | | Some of these strategies are utilized as early as |
| needs to learn how to keep the child's attention in | | | | the second year of life. The number of strategies |
| the daily lesson plans and focus on maintaining the | | | | that a child has in his repertoire would seemingly |
| child's long-term memory. | | | | correlate to the amount of information he is able |
| Memory is defined as, "the process why which | | | | to learn and process. As the child grows he |
| we encode, store, and retrieve information" | | | | increases the proficiency of these strategies, |
| (Fogel, 1991). This means that our students have | | | | thereby maximizing the efficiency of his learning. |
| to process 3 steps in order to remember the | | | | There are a few ways that we can help children |
| information taught in class. The teacher is in need | | | | to maximize their memories in order to aid in |
| of understanding these steps in order to | | | | learning. Research shows that when teaching |
| incorporate memory into their lesson plans. The | | | | children reading, developing good phonological skills |
| three main concepts of memory, also referred to | | | | will help students to accurately store and recall |
| as the memory storage systems, are Sensory | | | | words (Dixon, 2002). Most theories about reading |
| Memory, first thoughts lasting an instant, | | | | acquisition suggest that children must develop an |
| Short-Term Memory, information held between | | | | internal dictionary and store all the words they |
| fifteen to twenty seconds, and Long-Term | | | | have seen in order to read fluently (Dixon, 2002). |
| Memory, permanent memory (Feldman, 2003). | | | | Further research reveals that this type of |
| Understanding these three different systems can | | | | memorization actually makes it more difficult for |
| help a student move the information taught in | | | | children to recall words as their vocabularies |
| class from their sensory memory to there long | | | | increase (Dixon, 2002). The idea is that phonics |
| term memory. In order for this to happen a | | | | help children to associate words with something |
| teacher must move the information provided | | | | else that they can relate to easily making the |
| through all three different systems before a | | | | recollection process easier. There are other |
| students can retain the information to the fullest. | | | | studies that show that another way to help |
| Typically in a classroom, material is presented and | | | | children to expand their memories is to tap into |
| the information is remembered or not | | | | their autobiographical memories. This means that |
| remembered. Most teachers have not found out | | | | memories can be more easily accessed by having |
| the "secret" to placing information in their students | | | | children associate information with events that |
| minds without having them forget it before lunch | | | | occur in their lives (Wang, 03). |
| time. If looked back upon personal classroom | | | | In order to use some of these techniques a |
| experience, one can easily remember a few | | | | teacher must be able to hold the attention of the |
| specific lessons their teachers provided. For | | | | students in the classroom. The following are a |
| example, in 5th grade Ms. Ferrell had the class | | | | few tips for maintaining attention. |
| learn about the world by putting the students in | | | | 1. Speak with authority and don't be indecisive. A |
| news groups. Each student was to report on a | | | | voice of authority is always firm. |
| specific topic and they were then video taped. | | | | 2. Bring the class back into focus from distractions |
| How is this remembered? This project kept the | | | | by clapping or singing instructions. |
| students attention long enough to place this | | | | 3. Turn off the lights. |
| memory in the long-term system. This is how | | | | 4. Use a good stare. Silence can shape a noisy |
| teachers need to incorporate the lessons that are | | | | class back into attention. |
| most important to the learning system. | | | | 5. Outline and enforce consequences. |
| "Therefore, it enters memory at a deeper level- | | | | (Duebber, 2000). |
| and is less pat to be forgotten than information | | | | If the students see that you are serious, they will |
| processed at shallower levels" (Feldman, | | | | likely follow your lead. |
| 2000).The lessons need to be interesting and | | | | In the classroom it is so important to learn and |
| captivate the child's attention long enough to | | | | understand that memory and a child's attention |
| provide a specific memory of that lesson plan. "At | | | | should be part of the daily lesson plan. A student |
| the deepest level of processing, information is | | | | is best helped if the teacher is educated in all the |
| analyzed in terms of its meaning" (Feldman, 2000). | | | | aspects required to the child's development; |
| This is every teacher's dream, the key of | | | | memory and attention are an area of that |
| processesing and remembering in our students. | | | | requirement. A child's memory is based on the |
| A fascinating aspect of child development is | | | | attention that is given to the lesson plan and the |
| memory and how young memory starts to | | | | section of the brain that will remember that |
| observably work. One way for children, and | | | | lesson forever. |
| adults, to strengthen their memory would | | | | References |
| seemingly be to challenge their memory | | | | Bee, H. (2000). Child and Adolescent Development |
| continuously. An example of memory | | | | (9th ed.) [e-text]. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom |
| development would be that of the Rovee-Collier's | | | | Publishing. |
| mobile experiment. In this experiment Rovee- | | | | Dixon, M. and Stuart, M. (2002, December) |
| Collier hangs a mobile in a crib and watches to see | | | | Phonological Awareness improves word recall. |
| if the baby responds to this mobile by either | | | | Literacy Today, 33, 20. |
| kicking his legs or other attention responses. After | | | | Duebber, D. (2000, May) Substitute teaching: sink |
| three minutes of observing the baby with the | | | | or swim. Educational Leadership, 57, 75. |
| static mobile, she then attaches a string to the | | | | Feldmen, R. (2000). Essentials of Understanding |
| baby's leg and to the mobile. The purpose being | | | | Psychology (4th ed.). Amherst, MA: University of |
| that when the baby kicks, the mobile will move. | | | | Massachusetts. |
| Days later, if the baby kicks upon sight of the | | | | Folger, A. (1991). Infancy: Infant, Family, and |
| mobile, we know that the baby has remembered | | | | Society (2nd ed.). West Publishing Company: |
| that kicking produces the desired effect. The | | | | University of Utah. |
| infant has already learned the behavior; now he | | | | Wang, Q. (2003, January) Infantile Amnesia |
| has just proven his memory of this behavior. The | | | | reconsidered: a cross-cultural analysis. Memory, 11, |
| study goes on to say that a two month old can | | | | 65. |
| remember this for a day; a three month old, over | | | | |