Students at Mount Hope are almost constantly memorizing, whether it is a passage from Scripture, the catechism, a hymn or poem, a piece of music to be sung in choir, a history timeline, Latin paradigms, or addition facts. But why should students memorize? Wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to engage in critical thinking about subject matter rather than simply to repeat things by rote or thoughtlessly rattle off a list? Why should they commit to memory what could be found in a book or online? Although there are a variety of such objections to memorization, there are also many compelling reasons to commit beautiful, edifying, and useful things to memory, mainly because memorization is already happening, and what we memorize affects how we live.
Whether done consciously or unconsciously, memorization is always taking place. Whatever content surrounds a person’s daily life will quickly become memorized and internalized—a theme song from a TV show, the route for a commute to work, or a frequently-used recipe all become memorized unconsciously. Children pick up songs and rhymes intuitively and often repeat phrases from memory that they hear their parents use. Memorizing is a God-given, amazing ability pervading many aspects of life, so the question isn’t whether one should memorize or not. Rather, memorization, at least at a certain level, is already occurring, making it all the more important to surround the mind with the best things.
The fact that memorization happens inadvertently is both a blessing and a danger, since things which are memorized deeply inform our thoughts and actions. If a child hears about good, true, and beautiful things, then the memory will serve to lock these things is his mind and heart, causing his very being to be formed by these words and ideas. It is wonderful to see this in action when a child murmurs praises to God while tying his shoes, simply because this is what he has memorized and filled his mind with. On the other hand, if a child is surrounded by pagan songs, foul language, evil lies, or even just mediocre, worldly content, then these things will be memorized and will inform how he acts. The impact that memorized content has on the way we live is an excellent reason for memorizing godly, pure words.
Since what surrounds someone becomes memorized, and since what is memorized becomes internalized, and since what is internalized informs outward actions, then we should value memorization highly and use it to fill the mind with only good, true, and lovely things. There can be nothing more wonderful for a student to memorize than the Word of God along with the catechism, which rightly explains God’s Word, and hymns, which beautifully express God’s Word. We also use memorization intentionally with numerous definitions, paradigms, timelines, lists, and math facts to give students specific knowledge for helping their neighbor in specific ways. Students at Mount Hope learn how to use and improve their ability to memorize, allowing them to glorify God and to serve others with their memory. Learning by memory is not a rote exercise that hinders thinking—it fills students’ minds with the right things to think about.
In Christ,
Miss Engwall
