Earlier this month, I wrote about the distinction between autobiographical memory and semantic memory.
Both kinds help us live meaningful lives.
But, schools focus on semantic memory: we want our students to know facts and skills over the long term.
We don’t really need them to remember the class or the exercise (or even the teacher) who taught them those facts and skills. That’s autobiographical memory.
That blog post was inspired by Clare Sealy’s recent essay ironically entitled “Memorable Experiences Are the Best Way to Help Children Remember Things.”
Happily, Sealy is the guest on a recent EdNext podcast: you can hear her in-depth explanation.
Equally happy, that podcast includes Sealy’s essay itself.
To understand Sealy’s argument, and its full implications, you can both have a look and have a listen.
