Episode 108: Educational Growth — From Memorization to Critical Thinking

educators and administrators , as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African-American mom raising my two kids , who were in the public school system . I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system .

Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed , I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress . Support my children in their education progress . This podcast is at the intersection between education , research and parental actions .

If you're looking to find out more about the current trends , issues and themes in education that could affect you or your children , and you want to know the specific actions you can take to support and advocate for your children , then you're in the right place . Thanks for tuning in today .

I know that staying informed about K-12 education topics is important to you , so keep listening . In this episode , I'll be discussing the value of two very different types of learning memorizing and critical thinking . What are you doing right now ? Are you thinking , are you distracted or are you listening ?

Thinking is a natural process and we do it all day long , but left to itself , it is often biased , distorted , partial , uninformed and potentially prejudiced . How much information do you think you've memorized over the years ? Is memorizing a necessary component of learning ? Why is critical thinking such a sought-after skill ?

The fact of the matter is that both are necessary components of the learning process . I explore these questions about memorization and critical thinking , as well as the value of each , in this episode . Let's untangle this . It is well known that rote memorization does not promote critical thinking .

Yet memorizing information is necessary , especially in primary school , because it lays the foundation for higher-order thinking . Critical thinking is the ability to apply analysis , synthesis , self-reflection and perspective-taking in order to be deliberate about thinking , which leads to actions that are logical and appropriate . Let's first address memorizing .

Memorization can play an important role in learning . Memorization relies on the background information and knowledge necessary to creatively solve problems . Memorization relies on the background information and knowledge necessary to creatively solve problems . Memorization includes more than rote learning . It includes using techniques such as mnemonics , visualization , etc .

To learn long lists of numbers , dates , names and other things . Memorization is necessary to function on a daily basis Personal information like name , address , date of birth , phone number . These types of things should be memorized at an early age , just as grammar , vocabulary and syntax should be memorized at an early age .

Some of the benefits of memorization include training the brain to remember things . Challenging the brain , improving neuroplasticity . Teaching rhythmic patterns , such as in nursery rhymes for young children . Rhythmic patterns such as in nursery rhymes for young children . Promoting mental gymnastics like remembering facts from sports history or sports scores .

Training up brain power , because equations , definitions and other memorized facts save brain power that could be used for other things . And finally , another benefit of memorization is developing memory training . Memorization provides exercise for the mind and it trains the mind to pay attention and to focus intensely .

Memorization techniques like mnemonics help students remember information through patterns . An example of a mnemonic for remembering the colors of the rainbow , for example , is ROYGBIV for red , orange , yellow , green , blue , indigo and violet , yellow , green , blue , indigo and violet . Mental imagery is another memorization method that helps students build their working memory .

An example of this would be for students in the primary classroom to visualize the words that would be included on a spelling test . When they hear the word . They visualize the word and then write the word .

Even technology can be used in memorization Students can take the information that they learned , put it into their own words and send their point of view about what they just learned to a classmate via the computer . This is a fun and effective way to cement information into their brains . Another great way to memorize something is to connect it to emotion .

Remembering facts in history , such as learning about Rosa Parks and asking students to put themselves in her position , would help anchor their feelings about the situation to what they need to remember about her . Interestingly , we never forget anything unless the brain has been affected by injury or disease .

Under normal circumstances , it may take a while to retrieve information , but the brain never loses . Anything loses anything . Memorization is a technique that's widely used in language classes , particularly foreign language classes . Memorization develops the brain in a way that nothing else can .

Memorizing information can make connections in the brain through frequency , intensity and the duration of stimulation . It generally takes about 40 exposures to information before it becomes automatic . The mental discipline required to memorize material typically carries over into other academic areas .

Memorization is a learning strategy that's most helpful in the early stages of learning , while it may not be all about learning . Memorization is a basic and significant tool for the learning process .

It may be an old school skills-driven teaching method , but it could be used as a motivational tool to learn foundational concepts that could be key to more advanced learning . Being able to apply critical thinking skills to solve problems is not something that typically results from memorization practice , so let's turn the discussion to critical thinking .

Critical thinking involves evaluating information , analyzing an argument . Critical thinking involves evaluating information , analyzing an argument , integrating facts into theory and taking different points of view on a given topic .

One study found that critical thinking improved when a positive mood , such as listening to music or looking at images that produced positive feelings , was provided in the classroom . The thinking was more creative and fluid under positive mood conditions . Increased energy seems to be a notable outcome when a positive mood is induced in the classroom .

This was especially noted for females in this study . Critical thinking is a skill that has to be taught and practiced . Critical thinking skills are important because they help students deal effectively with social , scientific and practical problems .

As one of the critical 21st century skills , critical thinking enables students to solve problems , especially real-world problems , effectively . Just having the knowledge or information is not enough . Critical thinking is a mental habit that requires students to think about their thinking and about ways to improve the process of thinking and learning .

Perhaps the whole paradigm of the education system should be turned on its head . Educators should be teaching students how to think instead of teaching them what to think . Unfortunately , the current educational approach is about standardizing curricula and focusing on test scores , both of which undermine an instructor's ability to teach critical thinking in the classroom .

Teaching to the test takes away from the learning process and puts emphasis on the content , although students aren't typically given the freedom or responsibility to explore the content , to analyze resources and to apply the information .

In other words , students are typically taught to think or learn independently , and most of the time , they rarely acquire the skills on their own . Critical making is not an innate ability . Therefore , students have to be trained to become systematically analytical , fair and open-minded as they pursue knowledge .

So what's the major impediment to why critical thinking hasn't been fully integrated in education ? There are four barriers that limit teaching critical thinking in education One lack of training , two , lack of information , three , preconceptions and four time constraints .

Most elementary and secondary school teachers know their content , but rarely receive any training devoted specifically to how to teach critical thinking skills . Additionally , few instructional materials provide critical thinking resources specifically for educators .

Finally , it takes more time to develop and integrate project-based and problem-based learning opportunities for students to build critical thinking skills . Teaching critical thinking skills in the classroom involves elements such as presenting ill-structured problems , criteria for assessing thinking , student assessment of his or her thinking and improvement of thinking .

These types of lessons require more time than just filling out worksheets , but they allow students to learn the process of critical thinking . These lessons also emphasize the importance of asking the right questions that help to stimulate students' critical thinking skills . The type of questions to ask include what do you think about this ? Why do you think that ?

What is your knowledge based on ? Are there other possibilities ? These types of questions require time for students to process and formulate their response in order to initiate the critical thinking process process .

The effort required by teachers to integrate critical thinking skills and exercises into the classroom is worth the reward , which is producing students who can critically think for themselves and solve real-world problems . How does the issue of learning styles come into play when teaching critical thinking skills ?

Teachers should utilize each student's strengths to build critical thinking skills . This doesn't mean ignoring a student's weaknesses , but it does mean providing exercises that enable a student to build the skills that are lacking . Exercises that enable a student to build the skills that are lacking .

Since it's unlikely that a teacher can be all things to all students , it's important for the educator to provide varied activities that allow individual expression and skills , such as making both structured and open-ended assignments , asking students to work independently and in pairs , asking students to find specific supporting arguments in the debate on a controversial issue ,

and asking students to imagine a future world where significant discoveries have yet to be made . Thinking is a natural process , yet excellence in thought must be cultivated . Critical thinkers ask vigorous questions and problems , formulate and gather and assess information using abstract ideas , being open-minded and communicate effectively with others .

On the other hand , passive thinkers have a limited and egocentric view of the world . They answer questions with yes or no and view their perspectives as being the only sensible one , based on facts that are relevant for them .

Critical thinking is a required skill in the 21st century workplace , where it can be used to evaluate people , policies and institutions , all of which could help mitigate social problems . Now let's move on from absorbing and listening to this discussion to applying it . With that in mind , how does what I've just discussed apply to you ?

Here are the action steps you can take regarding this topic . You know that memorizing information begins early in a child's life . Children as young as two years old can recite numbers , names of objects , etc . You know that memorizing information begins early in a child's life . Children as young as two years old can recite numbers , names of objects , etc .

So keep teaching your children these things to build foundational knowledge . You may be wondering how you can build your child's critical thinking skills . Here are some suggestions for doing that . One ask follow-up questions when your children are doing their homework . These would include questions like what do you think about this ? Why do you think that ?

If things were different , how would that change the situation ? What knowledge are you using to base your answers on ? Another take on this is for you to have your children generate their own questions , including short answer and essay questions . This is especially helpful in text-heavy subjects like reading , literature , history , geography and science .

Then have them answer their own questions . Finally , have them refer back to the text to see if the answers to their questions were correct . Your feedback during this process is vital , because feedback is the key component of developing critical thinking skills . Two use imaginative writing to help your child think more actively .

For example , you might ask your child to imagine a day in the life of an animal that he or she was studying in class . The writing could encompass things such as what the animal eats , sees , his size and daily routines .

Or you could ask your children to write about what they did in a typical day , while playing on the playground , having lunch with friends , etc . This exercise could last about 15 minutes and you could review it to see if anything was left out that needed to be included .

A note on this , though this exercise is not about free writing , because your child is asked to write about something that he or she has either studied or experienced . Three to build problem solving skills have your children write and define terms or concepts from their readings .

This will help them reflect on what they are learning , the value of what they are learning and what else they need to learn . It's important for them to not skip over these terms , but to understand them and to use them appropriately in examples . This allows you to assess their level of understanding .

Remember that critical thinking is a set of skills that can be improved through practice . Complex problems can be academic or personal and social in nature , and having a systematic way to solve these problems is part of the process of critical thinking . Here are this episode's takeaways . Memorization can play an important role in learning .

It relies on the background , information and knowledge necessary to creatively solve problems . Memorization includes more than rote learning . It includes using techniques such as mnemonics , visualization , etc . To learn long lists of numbers , dates , names and other items . Memorization is necessary to function on a daily basis .

Memorization is necessary to function on a daily basis . Memorization provides exercise for the mind and it trains the mind to pay attention and to focus intensely . Critical thinking involves evaluating information , analyzing an argument , integrating facts into theory , taking different points of view on a given topic .

Critical thinking is a skill that has to be taught and practiced . Critical thinking skills are important because they help students deal effectively with social , scientific and practical problems . As one of the critical 21st century skills , critical thinking enables students to solve problems , especially real-world problems , effectively .

Just having the knowledge or information is not enough . The major impediments as to why critical thinking hasn't fully been integrated in education includes four barriers for teachers Lack of training , lack of information , preconceived notions and time constraints . Perhaps the whole paradigm of the education system should be turned on its head .

Educators should be teaching students how to think instead of teaching them what to think . Did you enjoy this episode ? If so , then leave me a rating , a review or a comment on Apple or Podchaser . Leaving me a review is a great way to support me and to help my podcast grow .

And do me a favor remember to share my podcast with anyone that you think you find

valuable . That includes friends , family and your community . Thanks for tuning in and listening to this episode . I hope you'll come back for more K-12 educational discussions with even more exciting topics to entangle . Until next time , aim to learn something new every day .