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I've been teaching for almost 2 decades now, and for over a decade, I have been teaching AP chemistry and physics. So I get to have many of the better students in my classroom - the cream of the crop. But recently, I've noticed a trend that's disturbing. My students are having a very hard time remembering anything.
Yes, we all know that memorization isn't "learning". That isn't the issue. Chemistry is a science class class that involves a lot of math. Physics is a math class that involves a lot of science. But both have a basic need to know how to do the math problems. And I'm not talking about memorizing the formulas or equations. (Both classes can have a note card with the formulas/equations on them, as I'm more concerned with them knowing how to use them.) I'm talking about showing them umpteen times how to do them, giving them various problems to practice, going over them to show their errors, lather, rinse, repeat, until I have no more examples from my bank to give them. Then they get to the exam, and have no idea how to do the problems.
I used to not have this problem. I didn't need to give them so many problems to do. I don't like doing this, as it increases their homework load, takes time from other classes - all the various reasons that we use. "Quality over quantity" is a good statement that defined what I was able to do in the past. But it seems that neither quantity or quality are helping nowadays. How many times does a student need to be shown how to do a problem before you reach a point of diminishing returns? I can't spend 4 weeks covering 1 chapter, when the AP curriculum will really only allow me 1.5 weeks. And again, I'm not talking about the regular chemistry class that I also teach. I'm talking about AP.
What has happened increasingly is that the students are relying on me to be their "memory crutch." They continuously ask me the same questions over and over again. I will tell them the 1st time and remind them the info is in their notes, and point it out. Two days later, the same student will ask the very same question. And it's not just one student that does this. It's over half the class. As the years go by, I'm seeing this more and more.
Are any other teachers experienceing this? Not just with your general classes (where either they do the same thing I've discussed or do not care enough to bother), but in your Honors, Advanced, AP classes as well?
While memorization isn't learning, doing it does help the memory. And now a days students don't do any or very little memorization work. Maybe doing a bit would help.
If the information is in their notes, what about a policy that you will only answer the same question twice, before directing the students back to their notes? Some people will just ask if they know that they can.
If the information is in their notes, what about a policy that you will only answer the same question twice, before directing the students back to their notes? Some people will just ask if they know that they can.
It's not a policy, but that is what I said I did. They ask me the first time, I point it out in their notes. I don't answer a 2nd time to the same student. But I will announce to the class that the info they are looking for is in their notes if more than 2 students ask the same question.
Last edited by Starman71; 12-10-2012 at 06:52 AM..
While memorization isn't learning, doing it does help the memory. And now a days students don't do any or very little memorization work. Maybe doing a bit would help.
I actually do this. Isn't the repitition just that, memorization work? That is why middle school teachers make students re-write their mis-spelled words 10x each in order for the repitition to aid in memory. And I remind the students this - that redoing the problems more than once is a great way of studying. And that is the purpose of practicing multiple problems is about - repitition. And by the time they reach me, this shouldn't be an issue, as they are AP students.
Information is not getting into long term memory. You can't recall what's not there.
Rote learning along with homework is one way and might be appropriate for the basics.
But rote learning is frowned upon these days as is homework.
I'm in the middle schools. What I see in 6-8 math is that students don't know their multiplication tables which makes it pretty hard to teach LCD, GCF, etc.
Formulas are not memorized either these days as students are given a sheet with all the formulas on them and then in higher grades given a calculator to do all their arithmetic.
I also see the same questions being asked over and over.
I've been in schools where no textbooks were used nor were students asked to take notes. Instead the students had a folder full of worksheets and were told to review that.
I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum than the OP..I do remedial math.
With some 7th graders I have had to include 3rd grade material..the multiplication tables, long division, how to translate verbs into mathematical symbols for word problems.
I recently read a report about this phenomenon, but forget who wrote it. It seems to be more common than I can remember it being when I started teaching some 20 years ago.
Information is not getting into long term memory. You can't recall what's not there. Rote learning along with homework is one way and might be appropriate for the basics.
But rote learning is frowned upon these days as is homework.
Absolutely. And if they can't remember the basics, it becomes much harder to teach the more advanced material they face in AP.
For example. I'm teaching the Ideal gas law. PV=nRT. There are 3 different R values based on the unit of pressure used and they must remember not just the R values, but their appropriate pressure units. Still having issues with this basic memorization. But what's worse, they can't rearrange the formula to solve for n or V, etc. This is something they learned in pre-algebra, again in algebra 1 and 2, and obviously something they should have in their long-term memory before ever stepping into an advanced chemistry or physics class. But I find myself having to re-teach this basic concept. And then in the next chapter, I'm having to show them how to re-arrange osmotic pressure formula to solve for M. And in the next section, I'm having to show them how to re-arrange the formula for molality to solve for molar mass, etc. I'm not teaching AP chemistry as much as I'm using chemistry to re-teach algebra 1.
I actually do this. Isn't the repitition just that, memorization work? That is why middle school teachers make students re-write their mis-spelled words 10x each in order for the repitition to aid in memory. And I remind the students this - that redoing the problems more than once is a great way of studying. And that is the purpose of practicing multiple problems is about - repitition. And by the time they reach me, this shouldn't be an issue, as they are AP students.
There are a couple problems with relying heavily on repetition:
1. As you already know, there are too many slightly different kinds of problems for this to be efficient. As you said, it turns a 1.5-week chapter into a month-long chapter. There simply isn't enough time in life to practice every variation of every problem individually.
2. Repetition requires either a lot of self-motivation or too much supervision. Otherwise it can get you the wrong answer, too. That student writing the spelling words ten times is as likely to write them wrong as right. (Most students would see this exercise as punishment for missing the word, not as a learning exercise.) But if you analyze the word and try to understand it, you will see that repetition comes from the word repeat, and that you keep the second e when you add the suffix. (Memorization is involved, too: the t-i-o-n of the suffix is used in many words, and the order of those letters can be memorized.)
Try reteaching the algebra using simple arithmetic examples. These kids must have trouble understanding equations completely. Of course you shouldn't need to do this with AP students, but the good news is, AP students just might get it (and should have, a few years ago - in middle school or before). Instead of PV=nRT, start with 3(4)=12, then something more complicated like 6(2)(2)=3(8). Then move on to something like 36(49)=(42)(42), and show them that they can know this is true without ever finding the product. This won't directly help with the ideal gas law, but it should help them "get" equations, and they should become more competent at working with equations. Once AP students get it, you shouldn't have to keep reteaching it. If you do, there are other factors involved (trying to waste time, trying to keep the class easy, trying to frustrate you, . . . ).
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