The Treasure of Files

Merebith holds the key to the "Treasure of Files"

The "Treasure of Files" is where Merebith works. It is where Meredith stores all of her mental images and Merebith helps her to retrieve the files. From what she has described, Meredith has lots and lots of files and Merebith is VERY busy at her job. Meredith told me that sometimes Merebith works so hard, she has to pause, huffing and puffing away! I have heard Meredith describe files for each grade, files for vacation memories, files on people that contain words that describe that person in a font and color that she associates with that person--I'm white with orange heart polka dots, for example.

The day she told me this (the BIG discovery day), I was testing her with questions (because c'mon...how could she possibly do this?).  I asked her to tell me what was in the "A" file, and she started listing off her friends and classmates whose names started with the letter A. She looked up when she was telling me what she saw...I remember learning that you look up when you are accessing your memory. I asked her if she had a file on her principal, Ms. Hohmann, and she looked up, not responding right away. She kept looking and looking and then said, "Oh, there it is! It was misfiled under letter G." Whoa, I did not see that coming. I have come to understand that if Meredith doesn't have a file for something, she won't be able to remember it. That is why it is important to give visual learners the big picture, or some sort of context before teaching them something. They need to attach it to something. Dr. Florance taught me that the engine of the visual thinking pathway is the "Associator." Visual thinking works by association. It is not sequential or time-based...time is not the strong suit for visual thinkers!!! Anyone who lives with a strong visual thinker is keenly aware of this!