Why can't I retain anything from McGraw Hill?
Standard study materials often lead to short-term memorization rather than actual retention, leaving students feeling like they are just cramming for exams. When information fails to stick day after day, it makes progress feel impossible and drains confidence.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Connecting to prior knowledgeDid this help you?
- 2Using visually appealing anchor chartsDid this help you?
- 3Using manipulativesDid this help you?
- 4Employing I do, we do, you do modelingDid this help you?
- 5Using short entertaining videos and clipsDid this help you?
- 6Using a research-based protocol for reading instructionDid this help you?
- 7Discussing mind palaces for storing and accessing informationDid this help you?
- 8Helping students create visually appealing notes on rulesDid this help you?
- 9Using alternative external educational channels on YouTube (such as Tony Bell or Farhat)Did this help you?
- 10Finding open-source ebooks and digital textbooks on platforms like OpenstaxDid this help you?
- 11Switching back to traditional note-taking, writing things out by hand, and working through problems from scratchDid this help you?
- 12Using AI to complete assignmentsDid this help you?
- 13Looking for YouTube channels to understand course material instead of readingDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Most of them still failed the test. What am I doing wrong?? I feel like I'm going crazy.”source ↗
“for the last 6/7 years it is nearly impossible to get the information to stick.”source ↗
“Nothing works, everyday is like groundhog’s day.”source ↗
“I went from being completely confident in the protocol I use and my ability to help every student to feeling really demoralized and nihilistic about my future and those of my students.”source ↗
“I feel like I’m not learning much with McGraw Hill, but instead memorizing information for a short period of time and cramming for exams.”source ↗
“I need other study materials besides McGraw Hill because I’m just not retaining anything.”source ↗
“I definitely relate and at first I thought it was just me, but once I saw multiple people commenting they’re having issues with McGraw Hill it reassured me a little.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5Students constantly forgetting materials, am I overreacting?
- 8Why won't students do the reading assignments?
- 3Why do I fail exams despite studying for months?
- 6Why do schools blame teachers for student absenteeism?
- 3Special education pull-out services during core instruction time
- 12Why am I losing my motivation to teach?