Hello, I am a teacher somewhat new to memory systems. The whole class is reading Foer’s book (Moonwalking with Einstein) over the summer…I am beginning school next week and I would like to memorize all 200 of my students names before they arrive. I have a list of names and photographs. What method or system would you consider the best approach for this task? Thank you for any information or advice.
Adam
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Welcome to the community.
Are these 200 students divided into smaller groups, like classes?
Are you already using the method of loci (e.g., memory palace method or journey method)?
Yes, I have 5 classes of 36 each, plus TAs. In the past I have learned names by rote on the first day ( the name game),but wanting to up my game and go in with names memorized using journey method. My question is about best practices for names-faces list. I am not understanding how to manage both names and photographs in a place.
Okay, you know what to do. Each location can have the image of the person and whatever images you need for the name (words to images). That is often easy because you can just picture someone else you know with the same name.
I’d suggest doing it one class at a time. You can practice and iterate with the first one and then with your modifications you can do the others. You will soon find out what works for you.
Do you already have your locations mapped out on a journey? I’d also suggest using it to practice with a memory palace. You might as well work on all the skills at once. You could have part of it on a journey and part of it in a memory palace or palaces. I prefer loci more clustered, like in a palace but I think that’s more personal preference.
I think doing it is a great idea. You can learn the kids’ names and practice memory techniques. Have fun.
Thank you. I appreciate the tip. I guess the extra step of turning the name into an image and thereby having two images hadn’t occurred to me….
I’d have the student photo as the central figure at the loci. I’d put the image or images for the first name on the left side of them and images for the last name on the right. It could be one image for each for standard names where I know someone with the same name (e.g., for the name John, picturing John Wayne to their left). For non standard names you have to get more creative.