Do you remember all of the things you had to memorize back in school? It’s fascinating that technology has developed so rapidly that it has made a lot of our school lessons irrelevant. Let’s take a look at some of the things we used to memorize, that kids today will never think about remembering.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Phone Numbers
- 2 2. Multiplication Tables
- 3 3. Library Card Catalog System
- 4 4. Cursive Writing
- 5 5. Important Dates in History
- 6 6. Map Reading Skills
- 7 7. Chemical Element Symbols
- 8 8. Spelling Rules
- 9 9. Unit Conversions
- 10 10. Poetry and Literary Passages
- 11 11. Roman Numerals
- 12 12. Check Writing
- 13 13. Dictionary Guide Words
1. Phone Numbers
Do-you remember memorizing hundreds, if not thousands, of phone numbers? It was a big deal to be able to call a friend from a payphone, because you had to remember their number. And you can’t just look it up on your phone. Ag kids today just need to remember to press a button on their smartphone screen.
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2. Multiplication Tables
We had to memorize our times tables. Teachers would give ‘Mad Minute’ style tests to see how many problems you could do in a minute. Most students quickly lose the rote memorization of math problems because there’s a calculator in their pocket.
3. Library Card Catalog System
We learned about the Dewey Decimal System to navigate libraries. We were taught how to navigate bookshelves using index cards. Now, with search catalogs, we don’t have to learn the system.
4. Cursive Writing
We’ve spent years learning how to write so our adult lives would be easier to communicate. There are schools that have completely removed the learning of cursive writing from their curriculum.
5. Important Dates in History
In school, we had to learn many dates that were relevant to history, such as battles, treaties, inventions, politics, etc. While history is usually important, the ultra-specific details about them have become less important as the internet has made them easily searchable. It’s likely that we will find dates in the future rather than doing it manually. That’s likely why history classes focus less on memorizing dates and more on explaining the contexts surrounding historical events.
6. Map Reading Skills
We had to learn how to use maps, scales, and the cardinal directions to get around. As we used to practice a lot with coordinates for plotting maps, those skills have become less useful due to the everyday use of apps and GPS technologies.
7. Chemical Element Symbols
While memorizing the periodic table of elements and its symbols as well as their atomic numbers was once a requirement in order to learn chemistry, this is no longer the case due to the availability of online resources.
8. Spelling Rules
Weekly spelling tests used to be mandatory at school while we were being taught the idiom, “I before E except after C.” This rule doesn’t seem to apply any more as children today are taught to use spell-check and autocorrect. Autocorrect, of course, doesn’t require a child to encourage them to know fundamental spelling rules.
9. Unit Conversions
Converting from one measurement system to another requires you to memorize how many of a certain unit exist within another. This is no longer the case as an app will do this for you instantly.
10. Poetry and Literary Passages
We had to memorize entire speeches and sonnets including those from Shakespeare. While this was useful in helping us develop our language skills, the focus is now on how to analyze and interpret the passages rather than just learning them by heart. This is likely why it’s no longer the case.
11. Roman Numerals
You needed to be skilled in converting Arabic and Roman numbers for things like chapter numbers and copyright dates. Although they are still used in some places, the need to read or write Roman numbers quickly has mostly gone.
12. Check Writing
Writing checks and keeping track of bank statements were once hallmarks of financial literacy. This meant practicing how to write out numbers in words and keeping detailed records of transactions. However, with today’s world of online banking and electronic payments, this skill seems to be obsolete.
13. Dictionary Guide Words
We were taught how to use guide words to navigate pages in a dictionary. This skill was vital to find definitions and required the ability to search in alphabetical order, as well as the use of the guides. In today’s world, the process of finding a word has been simplified with online dictionaries and search functions.
