Memorization
Before the internet, memorization was the centerpiece of education.
We had to remember things because we didn’t have the tech to look things up online. Our options were either to take lots of trips to the local library or commit facts to memory.
Memorization is still important, but for different reasons. Now, facts are only a Google search away.
But without a strong foundation of general knowledge, we can't use sites like Wikipedia effectively. We also need thinking tools so that we can critically analyze what we find.
In short, we still need to memorize things today, but they’re different things than what we needed to memorize in the past.
We don’t need facts and figures. We need mental models, cognitive skills, and the why behind how the world works.
Too often, school gets things backward.
Kids learn to memorize things not to improve their understanding or critical thinking, but to score well on tests. They learn to parrot back the right answer—even when they don’t know what it means.
As a teacher, I saw this dynamic when my students struggled to apply concepts they had memorized. As soon as they faced an open-ended question, they went blank. They could tell me the formula—but they didn’t know how to put it into action.
It looked like they were learning, but they were really imitating learning. They figured out how to give technically correct answers, even when they didn’t understand the concepts. It was extremely frustrating… but it doesn't have to be that way.
Let’s talk about 3 principles for doing memorization right:
1. Pair memory with meaning
Kids need to learn the what and the why.
They need to memorize important facts and learn what they mean. They need to know the reason things work the way they do.
For example, it’s important for kids to memorize their multiplication tables. Otherwise, they’re stuck with either their calculators or repeated mental addition, which are both inefficient.
However, it’s not enough to memorize that 3x5=15.
They also need to understand that 3x5=15 means three groups with five items inside each group. That way, they grasp the principle behind multiplication.
Genuine learning happens when we can get to the right answer because we understand how things work.
It helps us store in our brains not only facts and figures but, more importantly, the reasoning process that leads us to these answers.
2. Focus on the most important things
School tends to jump to memorization as the tool of first choice. But it takes a lot of time and effort for knowledge to stick through pure memorization. Instead, teachers should only focus on the most useful information.
For example, is it the best use of a child’s time to memorize the 50 states?
Certainly, they should understand the landscape of US geography in broad strokes. But will knowing the names of states help them make important life decisions? Probably not.
In general, we shouldn’t make kids memorize trivia in school. Trivia includes things that are:
Not relevant to daily life
Not important for major decisions
Not fundamental to how the world works
The 50 states do not meet these criteria—but poetry does.
Now, it might seem like poetry is the prime example of something not worth memorizing, but the truth is quite the opposite. Poetry is often a great way to remember important wisdom for life.
Consider this line from Alfred, Lord Tennyson:
“Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
Tennyson beautifully summarizes a truth we should all remember. It’s relevant to daily life, important for major decisions, and fundamental to how the world works. As a result, it’s well worth the time necessary to lodge in our memory both the words and meaning of the poem.
3. Build a memory palace
Traditional forms of memorization are painful, for both student and teacher. Flashcards and tears go hand in hand. Thankfully, there’s a better way.
Joshua Foer learned about this method when he wrote a story about the US Memory Championships. As he interviewed competitors, they insisted they weren’t special. Anyone could learn their techniques. So, Foer practiced their tactics—and then won the championship the next year.
In his book, Moonwalking with Einstein, Foer unpacks how these competitions are won. The first step, he says, is recognizing that our memories work exceptionally well. All we have to do is use them the way they’re designed to work.
For example, we naturally remember two things quite well: places and unusual things. Numbers and facts, however, are boring. They just don’t stick. So, to remember something bland, translate it into something more memorable.
Think of a place you know extremely well, like your childhood home. Visualize it in your mind. Take a walk through all its rooms. Try to picture all the couches, chairs, and cabinets. Take something hard to remember, like a grocery list:
🍎 apples
🧈 butter
🧻 toilet paper
Put each item in a spot of your memory palace. The apples in the mailbox, the butter on the welcome mat, toilet paper on the kitchen counter.
In your mind, walk past the mailbox, through the front door, and into the kitchen. As you pass each item, picture it doing something ridiculous. Maybe the apples are singing, the butter is on fire, and the toilet paper is frozen. The crazier, the better!
Imagine what you'd experience as you passed each item. You’d smile as you listened to the sweet song of the apples. You’d feel the heat radiating off of the butter. A chill would run through your hand when you touched the toilet paper.
Now, when you go to the store, simply walk through your memory palace. Each item will automatically jump to mind. The place is so familiar to you, and the situation is so extreme, your memory won’t have any problem telling you exactly what you need to remember.
With these three principles, we can turn memorization from something that's frustrating and irrelevant into an activity that is useful, meaningful, and lasting.
What other principles have worked for you?
I explore ideas like this in Fab Fridays, my newsletter on childhood education with a twist + new ways to learn.
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