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One interesting facet of the educational practices of Balboa City School (BCS) are based on cognitive psychology, and its’ wealth of research on how individuals create meaning in their lives. This research informs us on how to think about making school exciting, interesting and relevant to our students. This philosophy and how it relates to our Student Learning Expectations (see below) form a core set of values and practices within the BCS community.

With regard to Cognitive psychology, we have paid particular attention to the research based on momentous events, vivid memories, flash bulb memories and how people describe and narrate meaning within their lives. Regrettably, much of this research is based on traumatic memories. But there are interesting insights from this field of research that can be applied to education in a positive, transformative way. Our work as educators involves guiding students toward positive learning experiences and productive transformations.

While overly simplistic, we subscribe to the idea that there are two memory systems – the first a sensory memory system begins at birth. The sensory memory system could also be termed an emotional memory system.

Early memories, before the age of three, begin with a sensation – an emotion. Similarly sensory impressions, in later life, also involve feeling and sensing more than words. Later in development, a more conscious narrative verbal memory develops in a parallel track to sensory or “feeling” learning. What do we mean by a sensory or emotional memory?

A child learns and feels from the moment of birth. Much of the learning is nonverbal. The child stores such information about the world in a non-narrative non-linear fashion. Such memories are feeling/sensory memories and inform the infant about the world around her. These sensory memories are stored as feeling memories and later become emotional memories. Is this a safe environment? Is this a place where I can explore and learn more about the world? Or do I need to be afraid and cling to my mother? As language develops verbal memory begins to become available to the child as another means for learning. Typically and rightfully, school emphasizes vocabulary – expressive language – and it’s associated activities in science, math, English etc. So too does BCS.

Narrative memories, also word based, give a person the ability to become self directed achievers because they coalesce to create a social identity in relation to work and learning. Autobiographical literature is filled with descriptions of how individuals become self directed achievers. (Our second Student Learning Expectation.) Parenthetically, it is important to acknowledge the particular learning style of a student who might be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. (link to asperger education) Such students are often top performers in the class. Often it is a momentous event in their lives, when the realized they had a talent which was appreciated by a mentor. This “moment” gave them the inner strength to carry on through all kinds of difficulties. BCS strives to empower students to achieve these types of momentous events through a variety of activities in and out of the classroom.

As we mature the other memory system, the earlier, more elemental sensory memory system works parallel to the verbal memories. This system informs us throughout our lives about the environment – is it safe to explore? Should we take flight in a panic? Are we trapped and needing to fight for our survival. But in formal learning settings, the sensory/memory system is increasingly isolated from the verbal didactic practice of education as the child develops. In preschool the two systems are blended together in educational practice but by 9th grade classrooms have relatively little positive sensory stimulation. Ironically, executive education, returns to the blending of sensory and intellectual learning through the use of group activities, physical challenges, art, and group problem solving. Top executives almost always rave about these learning experiences because they involve both learning systems (sensory and narrative). We think this is wonderful and that if such practices are good enough for CEOs then they are good enough for our students.

In school, sports, art, music, theatre all utilize the sensory/memory system but English, math and history do so less and less as the child develops. The isolation or to use a stronger term, neglect, of the sensory learning system from many mainstream college preparatory classes decreases the attentiveness of students and the effectiveness of the teacher.

It is also true that learning can never occur in an emotional vacuum. The stronger the feeling the more emotions associated with the experience the better it is remembered (learned). Positive learning experiences encourage the child to engage in our curriculum, work intensely toward the mastery of personal and academic goals, and encourage him or her to explore the world in ever increasingly sophisticated and successful ways.

A meaningful school day means an emotionally fulfilling experience. This means school needs to make lots of experiences happen for a child. These include: The child needs to feel accepted by their peers. The child needs to feel respected by his teachers. The child needs to feel good about learning how to express himself. The child needs to have interesting memorable learning experiences. The child needs to fully participate in class room experiences as an individual and as a member of the peer group. These group activities foster cooperative learning experience and self directed achievers.

Creating positive or momentous events goes beyond classroom activities at BCS – though they are an integral part of classroom activities. It also includes creating challenging opportunities vis a vis our outdoor education program. While activities may change in detail from year to year there is always a commonality to the activities. First, they must be challenging to students. Second they must be structured and organized in such a way that the social experiences between the children are positive. Third they must encourage independence and individuation from the family. Activities are developmentally and academically appropriate for each age level. Grade school students go on overnight experiences, such as reenacting what it would be like to live on a Nineteenth Century Schooner or on 4 day camping/science trips to the San Bernardino Mountains. Middle School and early high school students will have the opportunity to spend a week studying marine biology while living on a ship at the Channel Islands and juniors and seniors camp, hike and study science at the Yosemite Institute during their spring break. Finally, these activities must be exciting enough that children will remember and talk about them for many years after they occur. We hope our students have many momentous events and vivid memory while attending BCS.