I believe most of us have an education, we went to elementary, junior and high school, some of us even branched off into universities. The start of our schooling is what I want to focus on today.
It's funny to me that I can remember more of my elementary years and what I learned then, versus my junior high years. In elementary I learned the alphabet, how to read spell and write, I also remember learning basic mathematics, how to craft and use colors, how to sharpen my pencil, I also remember playing in the park and being bullied on a daily basis.
When it comes to the later years after elementary, it all becomes really quite hazy. I cannot for the life of me remember anything that I learned in junior high school after grade 5. I can remember getting a shot for some reason like the flu or tetanus, I can remember girlfriends and friends I hung out with, and a crush I had, so there are memories of that era, so why can't I remember anything that was taught from junior high school?
High school was much the same, I do have a few memories, from being on the wrestling team, learning how to weld in welding class, and learning basic programming on an apple 2e computer. What else was taught? I do remember going to English class but have no idea what was taught in that class. I remember going to math but the same gap in my memory is there as well.
So I wonder if our minds somehow know what is relevant to us, and what is useless information that it doesn't retain. I find it odd that I can remember some things but not others.
I think certain situations have an impact on us which forms a more permanent impact on making a memory, like if you were in a car accident you are going to remember that for a long time, and the same for the first time you had sex. How about the first time you ever ate an apple? Probably not all that memorable and probably the same reason I barely learned anything from my later years in school.
Wouldn't it be great if everything you ever learned in school was retained? If it was relevant to you and had a small impact on how you think, which in turn would form a more permanent memory and make you smarter?
I think I would feel better about school if I knew I spent 18 years of my life and learned so much more than I actually did.
Scott Goerz
