R3

R3

          While reading the chapter on attention I recall my first day of psychology class. I was thinking do I really want to be in this course, why am I here? The professor walked into the classroom and stood on top of his desk and leaped off of it as he was introducing himself. Well I have never forgotten that experience for some odd reason, but from that moment on I knew I wanted to continue my studies in the area of psychology to examine what makes individuals behave in a certain manner (LOL). This professor definitely used “external factors” to arouse our attention. He took a boring subject for me at the time and made it interesting, sparking an interest and then a curiosity for me to continue studying that particular subject.

            James chapter about memory was interesting to read as he explained how individuals first begin to learn by making associations by connecting information with cues in our memory. I have noticed that some students have become creative to memorize items for a test. For example I recall seeing a rap or a song to with words that serve as a cue to bring back the content learned. This reminded me of my own method for memorizing orders of mathematical operations by memorizing a statement forever embedded in my memory; please excuse my dear aunt sally. The author places an emphasis making a connection and tapping into the student’s interest which in turn can assist teachers to enhance student learning beyond the test.

One statement that was significant for me was an “educated memory depends on an organized system of association.” Individuals all have a unique way for making new information stick; teachers have authority to be creative in order to make the new information shared connect. For the visual learners it could be as simple of playing back an activity from class in their head that will cue the new information learned.

Long Term Memory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYMztp-157w