Take Two

I first want to restate my initial opinion before searching the subject and related areas.

** I know that learning, memory and education have a strained, dysfunctional relationship. But how do each of the variables contribute to the equation and then how does the student react and experience it?

I realize I make the classic complaints about educational institutions from a student and teacher perspective. I believe current education lacks sensitivity to the student and their interests. It doesn't inspire a want to learn deeply and kills creativity while making it almost impossible to learn. But again, I find myself here. Within an institution, trying to learn.

*******
I gave myself necessary time to decant everything I watched and read. I opened up my search beyond the blind sides I had created for myself last week that proved unfruitful. As predicted it would take me into some places, that I thought I wanted to avoid for fear of getting off track and far from the path of where I thought I should be.

Although I hold true to my previous opinions on learning, memory and education I have deepened my understanding of each variable and how they relate to each other and the effect on the learner. In one of the many talks I listened to, I heard a quote I had heard many times before, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all". As cliche as poor Aristotle's word have become in the 21st century , I realized their utmost importance in the current epoch. Information is in our back pocket, we can no longer remember phone numbers because we have let our minds atrophy and that has spread to the hearts.



I want to share some examples I found while searching for the relationship between learning, memory and education. In my first post I used the work mnemonic. I took this word and I wanted to look into it's etymology, its use and its roots. Here is what I found from looking further:

The Greek Goddess of Memory (Mnemosyne) was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth). Her brother was the god of mortality. In Greek mythology it is said that Zeus came to Mnemosyne and stayed with her for 9 consecutive nights, birthing the nine muses.

Caliope- Epic poetry
Clio- History
Euterpe- Music
Erato- Lyric Poetry
Melpomene- Tragedy
Polyhymnia- Hymns
Terpsichore- Dance
Thalia- Comedy
Urania- Astronomy

As Mnemosyne was the personification of memory and her children were the personification of the arts and creativity, I was then able too understand the direct connection between memory and the ability to create. Being creative (ie. the ability to generate something new) seems to demonstrate that the creating individual is learning. Learning from memory or creating memories from learning.

Once again, relating back to the Ancient Greeks, their education philosophy appreciated a focused, well trained mind. This would ensure creative, critical thinking. I see how memory is the cornerstone between learning and education. Memory and memorization are severely underappreciated. But it can make our minds strong, flexible, focused and an open conduit for creative thinking.

Before I wanted to blame the educational institution more, I realize now that reaction is too easy. Although I am just beginning to shed light on this relationship, I think, many institutions and societal norms that have been in place since the Industrial Age need serious revisiting, With the ease of technology, transportation, food, education our minds and memories aren't fed, trained or tested in the right ways. There is little cultivation of truly new ideas regardless of the field and mankind's tires are spinning.

Throwing out the need to teach things that are concrete and testable is a consideration that needs to be seriously discussed in order to make room for memory cultivation and skill building. This Technology Age is the most significant advancement since the Industrial Revolution. Most of the institutions, services run on the same or similar hierarchy from that time period. The Industrial Age alienated the human from its environment while the Technology Age is alienating the human from its mind. Memory could be used to heal, learn and re-educate.