Remember When....

Radio Memories

Several weeks ago while running errands, I heard a NPR piece about false and constructed memories.  It was fascinating listening.  One of the background conversations was with a research scientist who had studied the differences between making a good or bad memory. 

This is what I remember (which ironically, may not be accurate according to his research):

• We don’t really remember whole events.  Instead, we remember only “peak moments” of events.  Later, as we recall an experience, we reconstruct the missing pieces.
• Over time, both the peak moments and the reconstructed parts inevitably change.  This is not intentional.  It is just the way our brains work.
• The ending is the most important factor in determining whether a memory is a good or bad one, regardless of what happened before. 

The End Result

The end is the key.  For example, a painful experience that ends well can be remembered fondly.  (Think of running a marathon or perhaps child birth.) On the other hand, a great experience can be ruined by one moment near the end.  The researcher gave the example of a friend who once said, “The concert was good, but the evening was spoiled by a missed note near the end.”   Is this right?  Sixty minutes of a pleasurable experience can be ruined by one squeaky saxophone in the final seconds of a concert?

He went on to tell an interesting personal story.  He and his wife took a long-planned vacation.  It turned out to be one of those magical events where everything was perfect: the weather, the food, the interaction with friends and family.  On the last day of their vacation, they had the unexpected option of extending their stay for one more day.

He intentionally chose to leave as planned precisely because it had been a perfect vacation.

It may seem crazy, but keep in mind that this man has spent years studying how memory works.  He is convinced that he made the right decision.  He did not want to take the chance of ruining the memory of a great time with his wife.  If the rain would have started falling, if he had a negative interaction with friends or family, or if he had a bad meal, the memory he would take with him for the rest of his life may have been very different.  He didn’t want to gamble with his memory. 

My first reaction: You have got to be kidding!  He wasn’t.

So What Does This Mean for Us?

If his research is right, the way we end is really, really important.  It has plenty of applications to school.  Three examples:

• What students remember most is what happens at the end of class; therefore, we need to make the end of class sessions particularly meaningful or end with positive interactions.  The same can be said of end of the semester or the end of the year.  These will be the most remembered interactions our students have in the years to come.
• Parents and students are most likely to remember what was said and done at the end of a conversation; therefore, we need to make every attempt to end conversations on a positive note.  This may be the difference between a good and bad memory of the conversation.
• What athletes will remember most is what happens at the end of a game or the season (and almost all seasons end with a loss); therefore, the final interaction from the coach should be intentionally positive.

Start with the End in Mind

This year you will hear lots about Understanding by Design.  One of the tenets of UbD is start with the end in mind.  This certainly applies to course content, but I think it might also have applications to relationship building and memory-making with our students.

I encourage you to think about your own memories of school, of those special teachers, and of events you remember the most fondly.  Are there ways to ensure that many years from now, your current students will remember their interactions with you with the same fondness?  The answer may well depend on how you end your daily interaction with students this week.

I hope your week is great and that it ends well.

Phil

Kudos this week to all our club sponsors.  Walk down any hallway and look at the posters inviting kids to get involved.  One way we can make our huge school still feel personal is to do all we can to find ways for students to connect.  Clubs and service organizations do this every day at HSE.  Thanks to all of you going the extra mile in this way! 

A few quotes to end:

• “Memory is deceptive because it is colored by today’s events.”  --Albert Einstein
• “Life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going”  --Tennessee Williams
• “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.”  --Charles Swindoll