As educators, we often hear phrases like “Memory is a file cabinet where you can find labels for each moment of your life.” However, it's crucial to understand that memory doesn’t work that way. Instead, memory is about associations—when our brain processes something in the present moment (like an idea, feeling, or image), it links that experience with similar events from the past. Memory is the way past experiences shape our present and future by triggering neural pathways formed by earlier, similar experiences.
For headmasters and wellbeing directors, understanding how memory works can transform how we approach student behavior and emotional health. When we understand the brain’s association-based memory system, we can better support students who may be struggling with behavior rooted in past experiences.
Implicit and Explicit Memory: A Key to Understanding Student Behavior
We all have two types of memories: implicit and explicit. Explicit memory is the conscious recollection of a specific moment, like remembering when your English teacher taught you how to write an essay. Implicit memory, however, involves activities or behaviors we perform without recalling exactly when or where we learned them, like playing soccer.
The distinction is critical because implicit memory, which starts forming even before we are born, shapes our expectations and responses to life’s challenges. Implicit memories often explain why students may react in unexpected or unreasonable ways; these memories are not consciously recalled but still deeply influence their behaviors and emotions.
How Can This Help Us in Schools?
As headmasters, wellbeing directors, or teachers, it’s essential to recognize that when students exhibit unusual or troubling behavior, implicit memories may be at play. Rather than addressing only the surface behavior, we can view it as an opportunity to explore the deeper causes behind their actions.
We must help students build their story. By guiding them through the process of narrating their experiences, we can help them transform implicit memories into explicit ones. This process allows them to make sense of their past and gain control over their present actions. Often, students get into trouble because an implicit memory is triggered, and by understanding the source of the behavior, we can work with them to resolve it.
The Role of the Hippocampus: The Brain’s Search Engine
The brain’s hippocampus acts like a search engine, working with different parts of the brain to integrate images, emotions, and sensations from implicit memories. By creating a cohesive narrative, the hippocampus helps students make sense of their experiences and better understand themselves.
When we support students in integrating their past into their present, they can develop a greater sense of control over how they think and behave. This process helps activate their “upstairs brain,” giving them the tools they need to turn troubling implicit memories into meaningful, manageable experiences.
Practical Application: Helping Students Retell Their Stories
The next time you encounter a student who is struggling due to a past experience, take a moment to talk with them. Help them retell the story of their experience, guiding them to integrate their feelings and actions. This simple act of talking through their experiences can give students a sense of control over their behavior and emotions, helping them develop healthy coping strategies and resilience.
Key Strategies We've Learned So Far:
Retell the story of a frightening or painful experience to integrate the left and right hemispheres of the brain and start the healing process.
Connect and redirect: Instead of issuing commands or demands, focus on connecting with the student before guiding them toward a solution (horizontal integration).
Engage and instruct: Avoid falling into anger and instead approach situations with patience and guidance (vertical integration).
Integrate implicit and explicit memory to help students make sense of what’s happening and gain control over their thoughts and behaviors.
By applying these strategies, school leaders and wellbeing directors can create a supportive, empathetic environment that empowers students to understand their own behaviors and emotions, ultimately fostering a healthier school climate.
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