Unlocking Meaningful Learning: The Flaw in Schooled Memorization
What is conceptual learning & how to use it effectively to enhance learning
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Memorization isn’t the Problem. Lack of Meaning is
Most parents I know have a bad taste in their mouth about memorization. They remember memorizing random facts about history or science or even language arts just to pass a test, then promptly forgetting it all.
But what most fail to understand it wasn’t the memorization that was the problem. It was the lack of meaning.
Young children's brains are designed to memorize things. Children will memorize 10,000-20,000 words in their first 5 years of life. They will do this without being explicitly taught or taking any tests. They will do it because words have meaning and intrinsic value to children. If a child asks for milk, milk arrives.
The problem with schooled memorization is that what children are memorizing has no meaning to them. That doesn’t mean it’s not important! Memorization of times tables, which is nearly universally hated, is actually quite important for upper division mathematics. Why? It makes upper division math easier. But no one bothers to explain this to children.
If we expect kids to memorize things, the least we can do is explain to them why it's important. And if you can't explain why isn't important, well maybe it's not worth memorizing. Indeed a lot of what is taught in school should make use of another powerful form of learning - conceptual learning.
Not Everything is Worth Memorizing - the Power of Conceptual Learning
Let’s go back to speech. A kindergartner has memorized the meaning of 10-20,000 words but speaking is not the regurgitation of memorized phrases. Rather speech is the process of putting word combinations together based on a set of rules. We teach these rules explicitly in school (e.g., verb tenses and agreements). But we teach grammar rules to reduce variation in language across an entire country not because it is necessary. My husband’s native language, Tamil, is not taught in schools in India but in his region everyone knows how to speak it. This is possible due to the power of conceptual knowledge.
Conceptual knowledge is the understanding of the structures, rules, and principles that govern a topic. How is it different from memorization? Let’s go back to math. Memorization is that you know that 3 x 4 = 12. Conceptual knowledge is that you know that 3 x 4 means 3, 4 times or 3 + 3 + 3 + 3. Conceptual knowledge is understanding the idea behind the multiplication not memorizing the answer.
Conceptual knowledge is arguably more important than memorization. Indeed, if I had to pick between memorization (also called procedural knowledge) and conceptual knowledge, I’d pick conceptual. But luckily, we don’t have to pick. But we do need to know when to use each!
Memorization is an excellent tool when skills build on each other like that which happens in mathematics.
But in near all other cases, conceptual knowledge should be the primary focus: understand the rules, systems, ideas that underlie a subject. Don’t just memorize the answers.
Teaching this way also enhances analytical and critical thinking skills because children are given the skills to figure out solutions based on a set of rules instead of memorizing the answers that they will promptly forget if not retested over-and-over again.
I recognize that at this point you may be saying I understand but practically what does this look like? OK, Let's show how I used conceptual learning to teach our cohort of 6-11 year olds about cell biology.
Conceptual Knowledge, Cell Biology, & Urban Planning
Cell Biology to younger children can seem rather obtuse. OK there are these small things I can't see that are important. Those are big words? nucleus, endoplastic reticulum, golgi apparatus?
But instead of focusing on memorizing the names and purpose of each structure, conceptualize cell biology with something that is intuitive for kids to understand and ideally that kids are intrinsically excited about. I used city planning. Here is the outline of an hour-ish long session you can do with your kids.
Make Cells Feel Real - Microscopes!
I own a microscope option: If you have a microscope, a super fun experiment is to look at plant and animal cells. Plant cells are easiest. Simply cut a leaf into the smallest section you can and look at it. You should see tiny compartments. Those are cells!
For animal cells, it’s best if you can get some methylene blue. This stains the nuclear (specifically the DNA) so it’s easier to see the cells. When searching to buy this product remember that some people use this as a supplement so it can look expensive but since you won’t be eating it, you can get the cheaper version. HERE is a link. It’s also best to have some microscope slides. HERE is a link. Once you have these simply use a cotton swab to swab the inside of one of your kids’ mouths focusing on the cheeks. Put the residue on the slide with the methylene blue and check it out under the microscope. If you want video instructions, THIS video has instructions.
Don’t forget to use Socratic questioning all the way! What do you observe? What do you think these are? Why might they be there? How are the plant and animal cells different? Alike? If you need a refresher on this topic check out THIS and THIS.
I don’t have a microscope option: Below are videos that give you the same information but without the experiment.
THIS video describes and performs the experiment I suggest above.
THIS video has the cells at different magnifications.
THIS video has a great view of plant cells that are undergoing photosynthesis!
THIS video is a great zoom in of leaf cells.
Remember as always, ask your kids to observe (teaches inductive logic) and compare (teaches analogical reasoning) between animal and plant cells.
Cells = Cities
Experiments are a great way to get kids excited about a topic because it grounds them into their own reality. Seeing something makes it feel real. Let’s dive deeper and help them understand the purpose of cells and all the parts.
I printed a coloring page of an animal cell (LINK). I let the children pick which structure to learn about first. I told them the name and we discussed how it related to the function of a city. This lesson is good not just on cell biology but helps kids think about things like Where does our drinking water come from? Where does the trash go? How and where is electricity made?
Below I’ve listed the analogues that I used. As always, discuss these with your children and help them decide on their own what best fits. There are suggestions and if you come up with better ones that are still true to the meaning of a cell - well go for it!
Cell Wall → security/fences (old cities often had walls)
Cytoplasm → public spaces parks, plazas
Nucleus → city hall/ government buildings - controls cells activities
Mitochondria → power plants
Endoplasmic Reticulum → factories, makes goods that we need
Golgi apparatus → transportation and distribution -> trucks, cars, rail, to get stuff made by ER to the cell parts that need it
Lysosome → breaks down wastes (landfills, recycling centers, water treatment)
Ribosomes buddy up with the ER to make proteins (they get the info directly from the nucleus) they are like companies or governments deciding what we need to make and then asking the cell to do it (they are what makes the ER “rough”)
Cytoskeleton - what holds the cell up → you can think of it being building materials
Design Your Own City
There are few things that my children like better than building and making their own worlds. After you’ve discussed cells and urban planning, let kids make their own! You can have them draw if you’d like or you can let them build them entirely. It was fascinating how differently my children build their cities after this lesson. They thought about all the things they would want and need in their city and where to put them. Their play was absolutely enhanced.
Finish with Art?
The above lesson should take about an hour but if your kids are still excited you can add making your own “cell” necklace. We just used perler beads - you can see them in the above image of the colored animal cell.
Conclusions
Make lessons that matter to kids that are related to the world that they live in.
Use memorization when needed for more advanced skills.
Use conceptual knowledge to teach rules and principles by which other understanding can be pulled out.
ENJOY teaching and learning with your children.
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~Dr. C
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