Emotion is Memory Glue

Few would argue that emotion is the single strongest element of the human condition. Most of us remember what we ate for breakfast or what were wearing (things we normally forget) on a day when something truly emotionally impactful occurred. We know where we were when Niel Armstrong walked on the moon, the 911 attacks happened, the day someone we loved or admired died. Noting cements a memory like emotion. This phenomenon has serious consequences in the classroom.

Knowing this we need to remember as teachers that we have the power to emotionally heal, scar, or bolster students. This is especially true of those who come from fragile home situations. Many times it is the troubled ones who give us trouble. It is their way of letting us know how much they need us. We need to think hard about our responses to students, in particular when they cause a disruption or disappoint us in some way. You probably have a memory of a teacher's retort—whether it was directed at you or a classmate.

In another posting I'll write about severe conduct disorder and other antisocial personality disorders in students. Those are important topics for teachers, but that's not what I am referring to here. This is about the day to day that sometimes runs into a blur where we overlook the details of our own behavior.

As always, interested in your thoughts.

Stef