Has your teen studied for hours only to forget everything on test day? The truth is, your student is not alone in this experience! As parents, we tend to assume that memory works like a computer: information is learned, gets stored in our memory, and later is pulled out in the form of recalling. The truth is that brain science tells a very different story.
Memory isn’t just about “saving files”, it’s about reconstructing the information. Each time your teen recalls information, their brain is rebuilding it from different pieces. These pieces contain facts, connections, emotions, and context.
The good news about this is that memory isn’t a fixed thing. It can be trained, strengthened, and supported when reinforced with the right strategies. As a school, we have ample experience training students to work with their brains, instead of against them. So how can you encourage this development at home? Let’s dive into 3 small changes you can do to help boost your teen’s memory and confidence.
1. Swap Rereading for Retrieval
When it comes to preparing for a test, students generally have a go to method of rereading notes, highlighting passages, or in extreme cases: cramming. So what is the problem with these study tactics? They create a sense of brief familiarity, but lack the depth to train your brain to truly retain the information.
So the fix for this is retrieval practice. This is the act of pulling information out of memory instead of just strictly reviewing it. Each attempt at recall strengthens the brain’s ability to rebuild the memory for next time.
So how do you try this at home? Do the following:
- Ask your teen to close their notes and explain the concept back to you.
- Encourage self-quizzing with flashcards or apps.
- Have them write a quick summary from memory before rechecking their notes.
Even if your teen struggles to get things right at first, it’s important to not frame this as failure, but instead as feedback. Mistakes are a essential part to helping memory stick.
2. Connect Old Knowledge to New Learning
Memory ultimately thrives on connections that are made. When facts are learned and isolated it becomes harder to recall. To combat this, it’s important to link new information to things they already know. This is how the brain creates stronger neural pathways. For example, if your teen is learning about photosynthesis you may ask:
- How is this similar to the way our bodies get energy from food?
- Can you connect this to something you learned in science last year?
When these bridges are built they assist with turning abstract facts into a network of meaning and learning. Each connection that is made makes retrieval easier because the brain has more constructed “paths” to retrieving the information.
You can also model this yourself! Share how you connect information at work or in your daily life. Showing how memory works and is active not passive is a great way to help your teen build confidence in their own recalling abilities.
3. Treat Errors as Opportunities
Parents can tend to panic when their teen forgets something that they should know. There’s a surprising truth though: forgetting isn’t an issue with their retention, it’s actually an integral part of how memory works.
When students attempt to recall but get it wrong, the correction process they go through will strengthen the memory even more. It’s why practice tests, quizzes, and low-stakes retrieval are extremely powerful!
So instead of saying “You should have known this,” try:
- “Great, you found the gap. Now your brain can fix it.”
- “Want to try explaining that in your own words?”
This creates a kind of mindset shift that turns mistakes into tools for growth. It can also help your teen overcome any anxiety they may have about failure and testing themselves.
Why Memory Matters to Us
At The Tenney School, we’ve designed and built our one-on-one program for over half a century! We knew how important a good learning environment can contribute to better and working memory so we devised a one-on-one program that promotes this growth in 1973. Since then we’ve been honing our craft and keeping a close eye on the learning process to really understand how each and every student learns and develops their memory.
We’ve found that through this approach students gain:
- Deeper understanding instead of surface-level familiarity
- Better long-term retention of key concepts
- More confidence when facing tests and new material
Our individualized model ensures that each and every student practices memory in a way that aligns with their learning style. This is something that is next to impossible to achieve in a larger, more traditional classroom setting.
Final Thoughts: Small Shifts, Big Impact
Improving your teen’s memory doesn’t require constant cramming, marathon study sessions, or expensive programs. Just three small changes can make a huge impact:
- Replace passive review with active retrieval.
- Build connections between old and new knowledge.
- Embrace errors as opportunities to grow.
When understanding that memory is reconstructive, your teen can learn smarter without having to work harder.
Here at The Tenney School, we believe that each and every student can develop stronger memory skills when they have the right support. If you would like to see our personalized instruction in action, I highly recommend scheduling a call. If you’re interested in meeting the teachers and unlocking your student’s potential without having to leave your current school, I recommend checking our tutors! Each one of our tutors are the same exact one-on-one teachers here at our in-person school!