I've been wondering

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Who decided that rote memorization was an intrinsically evil way to teach and learn stuff? At the ripe age of 49, I find that fragments of things that I memorized as a child, sometimes without much insight or understanding, pop into my brain at very opportune times. I was catechized as an Anglican in the 3rd and 4th grades, memorizing an Anglican Catechism (which I think was probably a hybrid of the Baltimore Catechism and the catechism in the Book of Common Prayer, since as High Church we recognized seven sacraments, not two). I still remember many of the questions and answers - and if someone were to quiz me in the exact phrases of the questions, I think the answers would pop out of the dusty recesses of my brain.

The same thing applies to my knowledge of the times tables, many of the rules of grammar; and phonics, pronunciation, and spelling rules. I learned them young, I learned them by heart, and I have them available to me whenever needed. I bet that many of you have similar items in your tookboxes, to. Things like "i before e, except after c" and "30 days hath September".
So why did we abandon these time proved methods of teaching our young? It has been abandoned in the secular arena, it has been abandoned in religious education (which used to be called 'catechism classes' - and we have two generations now that know neither how to spell or what a sacrament is. (I learned that 'a sacrament is an outward and physical sign of an inward and spiritual grace, given to us by Christ and the Church).
Anyone with small children knows how much they delight in memorization. Are not the facts of our faith more important than the names of dinosaurs or the ins and outs of video games?
This, to me, is one of the biggest arguments in favor of home based education.

5 Comments

This, to me, is one of the biggest arguments in favor of home based education.

If not the biggest. Education is about what is popular and not what works anymore.

That is an important point. The shift started, as a practical matter with Dewey, I think, though it can probably be traced to Rousseau and those who follow his general theories on childhood and innocence. Poorly-thought-out stuff from the Enlightenment continues to plague Western Society. And no where will such pernicious theories be slower to leave than in the education schools.

I was taught with a lot of rote, and it was a good thing. We had to memorize poems (many of which I still have in my head), vocabulary, etc. The problem is that it is a good foundation, but not the only thing. I think that in terms of catechesis it has been derided because so many ONLY got the rote phase. They were never encouraged to engage the ideas. My mother's generation is a textbook case of this. I cringe when I hear her highschool chums discuss the faith. They were poorly prepared for the secular world in terms of defending the Faith (or even being able to keep their own intact). And with this weak catechesis comes arrogance: if they "remember" it, that is what they were taught. Being unable to grasp the ideas behind the rote ensures that poor memory becomes the sole authority. I have a good memory, but I don't trust it. It is too easy to misremember things, especially from so long ago.

For instance, my very first memory is highly skewed from a toddler's perspective. I remember riding a reindeer. I found out later that I was placed on a taxidermied reindeer, but I can clearly remember it moving and looking at me. I trust my parents' version much more than my own, even though my own is as clear as if it were yesterday (and this is from 31 years ago - I was not quite 2). We remember the events as recorded in our state of mind, and that is a dangerous authority.

In general, I would agree that both rote and developmental models need to be brought together. This is why I use Bloom's Taxonomy when putting together classes and discussions. I try to gear the class to move step by step up the ladder and then leave them to synthesize on their own. You can't reach synthesis without the knowledge.

In general, I would agree that both rote and developmental models need to be brought together. This is why I use Bloom's Taxonomy when putting together classes and discussions. I try to gear the class to move step by step up the ladder and then leave them to synthesize on their own. You can't reach synthesis without the knowledge.

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This page contains a single entry by alicia published on April 5, 2004 10:06 PM.

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