Behind the Curriculum Curtain

There’s a Latin phrase, Repetitio mater memoriae, which translates to “Repetition is the mother of memory.” It’s a core idea highlighted in Chris Perrin’s The Good Teacher, a book on the art of teaching—especially within the classical Christian education framework. At its heart, this phrase reminds us that helping students move knowledge from short-term to long-term memory isn’t accidental. It happens by design—through intentional revisiting and reinforcing of what we teach.

In the classical Christian tradition, repetition is more than rote practice—it is a formative process. It gives students the time and space to internalize truths and patterns until they become second nature. This shaping happens gradually, through many small encounters over time.

Repetition, however, does not have to be dull. It can be as creative and engaging as we choose to make it: sung, chanted, acted out, or read aloud. It can also be quietly woven into the normal rhythm of learning. For example, we might regularly ask students to rephrase a definition, summarize a concept in their own words, or explain an idea to a peer. Each of these moments is a form of rehearsal.

Every time a student recalls a truth and puts it into their own words, they deepen their understanding and secure it in long-term memory. Once these ideas are firmly anchored, recall becomes effortless, freeing mental energy for deeper thinking. This fluency enables students to connect ideas across subjects, tackle unfamiliar problems, and build confidently on prior knowledge.

And it’s here that the true power of repetition becomes clear: it shapes not only the mind but also the heart and will. Through steady practice, we are not merely training memory—we are cultivating dispositions like attentiveness, wonder, and perseverance. As teachers, our consistent modeling and reinforcement of these virtues allow them to take root in our students’ lives.

So why emphasize memory so much? I’m reminded of a film I once watched called Still Alice, where the main character grapples with memory loss. It underscored how deeply our memories shape our identities and how we see the world. In a very real sense, the memories our students form in the classroom—through repetition and meaningful practice—help shape their identity, especially when they’re young and still forming a sense of who they are. As educators, we have the responsibility to instill what is good, true, and beautiful, helping them connect their learning to something larger than themselves.

Even in math, repetition can build both memory and character. At the Society for Classical Learning conference this summer, I came across the idea of a “math catechism.” It’s a simple, repeated Q&A that can be used to start a math lesson. A teacher might ask, “What is mathematics?” and students might respond, “Mathematics is the science of patterns and the art of engaging the meaning of those patterns.” Another question might be, “How did God create the patterns we see?” with the answer, “God created them through Christ.” By regularly incorporating this kind of biblical catechism into lessons, students begin to absorb a deeper vision of math as something beautiful and God-given. It shapes not only their understanding but also their attitude, moving them beyond a merely utilitarian view of the mathematics subject.

Ultimately, repetition is a quiet, steady way of forming minds and shaping hearts. When we build it into our lessons intentionally and meaningfully, we equip our students not just to succeed academically, but to carry lasting truths with them for life.

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Perrin, C., & Eben, C. (2025). The Good Teacher: Ten key pedagogical principles that will transform your teaching. Classical Academic Press.