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Long-term storage is where memories that the brain deems important are kept. Long-term memory is the process of recalling those memories from storage (Sousa, 2023). For example, one day you learned how to tie a shoe. Maybe your brain didn't determine that was useful information and didn't move the memory into long-term storage, but for several days afterwards, someone continued to work with you to tie your shoe. At some point, the brain would see this as important information and would save it to long-term memory for you to recall later.

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Used to discribe immediate and working memory. Short-term memory can be though of as a holding ground until the brain determines if it is an important memory and needs to be moved to long-term, or if it is unimportant and needs to be discarded (Sousa, 2023). While you are reading this page, your short-term memory is being utilized. Your brain is able to comprehend each word and put them together to create a complete sentence and though. If your brain determines the memory is important, it will move to long-term, if not it will stay in short-term until it is no longer needed.

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Sensory memory is the short-term retention of sensory input. This could be remembering that the pan was hot or that the floor was wet. In some cases the memory is moved on to short-term memory and then discarded, and in others, it will then be moved on to long-term memory. The moment or lack of, is determined by how useful the brain thinks the information is (Sousa, 2023).

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Understanding the different types of memory is important for all educators. An understand of why and how memories are formed can lead to a more focused approach to lesson planning, assessment designs, and individualized supports. This can lead to better academic outcomes as well as better emotional development.

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Retention occurs only when the person is able to make connections and create a sense of meaning to a memory (Sousa, 2023). It is not simply remembering something, it is taking that information and expanding upon it.

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Transfer occur when someone is able to make connections from the past to current conditions, or when the connection is made from current conditions to future conditions (Sousa, 2023). For example, if during a past lesson you were learning about how Jazz played and important role in New York in the 1920's and then in a current lesson, you were discussing musicians during the Harlem Renaissance, a transfer would occur if your made the connection between the two lessons.

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Many areas of the brain can be impacted when someone deals with trauma, but the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex are the first affected. These are the parts of the brain that are responsible for the "fight, flight, or freeze" response as well as higher order thinking. When trauma occurs, the main focus of these two areas is to keep the person experiencing it safe. This can lead to other areas like the hippocampus, which is responsible for creating and retrieving memories, shutting down or not operating correctly. In this case, memories may be unclear or simply not there. In other cases, the person may be able to remember small details, but not the anything "big" that happened. Chronic trauma can eventually lead to structural changes in the brain (Flannery, n.d.).

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One of the best way to help improve memory and emotional relation, is through movement. Movement has been shown to enhance your brain's plasticity, meaning that you are better able to make connections (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). This in turn promotes a greater ability to retain information and eventually move it to long-term memory. To use this information in my classroom, I will utilize movement break often. In the past I have added 5 minute yoga to our morning meeting and my students have really enjoyed it. In addition, I plan to add in 1-2 minute guided movement breaks when we transition from one activity to another. For example, when we are done with reading and getting ready to start writing, we may all do some light stretching, play a quick game of Simon says, or do some deep breathing.

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Another effective strategy for improving retention and memory is the use of motions or gestures in your teaching. Johnson et al. (2020) found that the use of motions when teaching a new concept helped students to recall the information quicker at a later date. For me, I immediately thought of using motions when teaching math concepts. Every year I will hav students who struggle to remember what the addition and subtraction sign mean and they will inevitably preform the wrong operation. If I had a motion where i bounced one hand and then the other while saying "this group, this group", brought them together and said "addition makes them go together, I think they may understand the concept and the motion will help to create the memory.

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Stories can also be a useful tool in the classroom when looking to improve memory. Johnson et al. (2020) found that when teachers created a silly story to go along with a concept, students had better memory and recall associated with it. I have seen teachers use this strategy many times when teaching phonics skills. For example, in most words, the letter "q" is followed by the letter "u". I have seen teachers tell students that "q" and "u" are just so in love that they need to be with each other at all times to help students remember this phonics pattern when spelling. I have seen some teacher go even farther and have a pretend wedding for "q" and "u" to really help the concept stick in their students minds.