The Torch
A deep dive into classical education
Principle 3: Repetitio Mater Memoriae- Repetition Is the Mother of Memory
In the spring of 2011, I clearly remember when I came from Colorado to Nova Classical Academy in order to interview for an open Latin teacher position. I taught a lesson to an 8th grade class on the subjunctive mood. I was impressed out of the gate since the subjunctive mood was grammatical content that my 11th graders were learning back in Colorado, and the Nova Classical students seemed to understand it so much easier than their older counterparts. In my lesson, I mentioned a set of verb endings and students began tapping their heads and smiling at me. I was a bit taken aback at this response until the host teacher explained to me this gesture meant that they were making a connection- something I had said made them remember another set of facts and the head tap was their way of showing that memory.
Our third principle of classical education is the Latin phrase, Repetitio Mater Memoriae, which means “repetition is the mother of memory”. This principle comes at a time of year where we may be spending time with family during holidays and the oft-repeated phrase “Do you remember that one time when…” will arise at the table or around the fire. Since forgetting is a crucial aspect of learning, a question such as “remember when?” invites the brain to recall the information that it has previously forgotten.
Memory is so vital to our learning that it is important to understand why we repeat information. In his book Teach Like a Champion, author Doug Lemov explains that in order to understand how the mind works, we need to know the connection between building long-term memory and managing working memory. I've added a graphic at the bottom of this newsletter to illustrate this. According to Daniel Willingham, working memory is the site of awareness and thinking, while long-term memory is the site of factual knowledge and procedural knowledge.
Working memory is immediate (as in, memory of the first four words of this sentence) but it is also quite small. Most of us would not be able to read the first paragraph of this newsletter and then, without looking, recite it aloud. We should also not overload working memory due to its negative effects on perception. For instance, if I were dictating this newsletter into my phone while simultaneously driving on highway 61 to Grand Marais on a Saturday in July, I would not be safely driving nor cohesively composing.
So that we are not overloading working memory, we need to continuously bring facts into our long-term memory. To illustrate this, let us return to my undergraduate days when I worked as a bartender. The place at which I worked was one of the busiest places in town on a Friday and Saturday night, so we always needed to look alive! What helped me deliver service efficiently was that many of our patrons were "regulars", so if I remembered their order, they were happy that I remembered them, and happy that they quickly received their order. Tucking these facts into my long-term memory allowed my working memory to attend to other issues, even thinking through an outline while serving drinks for a literature paper that was due on Monday morning.
Finally, contrary to some beliefs, long-term memory does not decrease critical thinking. I have had some great conversations lately about "rote memorization", which I like to define as memorization for no long-term benefit. A great example of rote memorization would be cramming for a Latin vocabulary quiz, only to forget the definitions mere moments after the student poured them onto the page. But memorization for the purpose of embedding facts into the long-term memory is memorization well-spent. Lemov reminds us that "critical thinking and problem solving are not the opposite of factual knowledge, they rely on it . . . you can have deep thoughts only about things you know something about". Is that not a wonderful reason to repeat in order to learn information?
May we continue to remember, reflect, and repeat,
Dr. Missy Johnson
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As a teacher and student of Latin and Greek, the classical model was a natural choice for me as an educator. I hold the teaching of grammar, logic, rhetoric, and virtues in high regard for learners of all ages and backgrounds. Nova Classical’s community model is inspiring, and I hope to bring thoughtfulness and openness to the Great Conversation.