Memory…
Picture of woman in the sea with waves all around her.
Memory…
I have been thinking a lot about memory this week after covering the subject during the brilliant GoldMind Academy Module 1 training, “ADHD For All,” which I am thoroughly enjoying and would highly recommend.
Memory, in particular, my working memory, has not played particularly nicely with me and has been one of the biggest challenges of being dyslexic.
As a sociology teacher, I could remember complex theories and concepts. I was your go-to person if you needed someone to reel off, in chronological order, sociological studies and key dates related to equality legislation, so, in short, I had a pretty marvellous long-term memory.
But then...
Words I used regularly, like "capitalism," would suddenly vanish. It wasn't just "forgetting" how to spell certain words; I couldn't even tell you what the word might sound like or look like; I could not remember any of the letters.
I would then be filled with feelings of shame and embarrassment. I was the teacher; I should be able to recall words, I should be able to remember what I did in the lesson before, I should be able to recall all my students by name, and I should be able to find my classroom after five years of working at the same college. Argghh! Is there anything more debilitating than the ableist belief of "should"?
The training session on memory provided me with the opportunity to reflect and consider my previous (and continuing) struggles with my working memory, and when I did, I realised the pauses and prompts I had put in place to activate my working memory, such as:
• Using colours and images, along with visual cues, in my teaching materials to assist in recall not only for myself but also for the benefit of my students.
• Taking pauses during my lessons to have a sip of water—a simple technique, but it often gave me the necessary space to retrieve the point I wanted to make.
• Organising seating plans and group activities in advance to help me remember students' names.
• Structuring my lessons by using a lesson plan, often typed, and including a reflection box at the end to note down briefly what I still had to cover and any other useful points I might want to recall.
But for me, the real humdinger takeaway from the “ADHD for All” training came when Alex Campbell, who delivered the session, talked about the strengths of an ADHDer’s working memory. The “post-it note” sized space often means ADHDers can cut to solutions and connections ahead of their neuronormative colleagues. This! This is something I could quite easily do on the spot in lessons; I could make speedy connections and synoptic links between different sociology topics because, in my mind, I could visualise key topics, theories, and studies like an interconnecting web.
It was such a revelation for me because much of my thoughts about my working memory evoke quite negative emotions, like feelings of shame. With the opportunity to pause, reflect, and be curious about my working memory, I can now recognise the real challenges while also appreciating the strengths.
If you are a neurodivergent educator reading this, I invite you to take a pause, reflect, and think about your own unique working memory. It won’t remove the challenges, but it will give you some necessary respite from berating yourself, and even better, you will hopefully be able to identify how your working memory works for you.
A huge thank you to Alex Campbell and GoldMind Academy for prompting this reflection.
To illustrate the point about memory and visual cues, you are unlikely to forget this blog as it features a pic of me getting battered by the sea, and yes, that is a drawn on pencil moustache.
You're welcome!
If you are a neurodivergent educator and you would like to be part of the ‘Support Group for Neurodivergent Educational Professionals’ then drop me an email: a.odwyer@neurodivergentinsider.co.uk
The group meets once a month and provides the necessary space for neurodivergent educators to share their experiences in a safe and supportive environment.
Logo image depicting a side profile made up of multiple colours. With the words ‘Support Group for Neurodivergent Educational Professionals.
