Brain Power

Looking at learning from and internal perspective is a lot more intricate than just looking at a theory or how that theory is carried out and applied in a classroom environment. Historically, the importance of the brain and understanding of how the brain processes information itself has gone through a transformation of sorts.

Earlier in the process of mummification, the brain was removed because was little known about its core value in how a human being functions. As decades progressed so did theoretical ideologies of what the brain did, how it was designed and its functionality.

This is really more detailed that you would expect just because each decade brought more information to the forefront as relevant to human behavior and outcomes. This is was the only way that allowed some theorist to understand how the brain categorized information and manifested it into action, by looking at how people behave (B.F. Skinner and his contemporaries were intricate in looking at the brain as just a component that received information and released info).

What is so interesting, is that with each passing decade more information was available in viewing the brain as more than just a component to learning outcomes, but as a filter as a learner obtains more information and breaks it down into more relevant pieces to reflective their personal human experience. It is not just about the manifestation of a behavior, but the effect as separate pieces that work together to influence the whole learning experience. The Triune brain idea looked at the brain as being three distinct parts; reptilian, mammalian and neo-cortex. This took on a more evaluational perception that each part is effected by environment, challenge and the feelings that are going on during the learning experience or (instinct, cognitive/comprehension, thinking order).

How is this relevant? This is going back to helping us as instructors understand that in order to be effective in the classroom that there needs to be an environment that facilitates the learning process in a way that is safe, orderly and encourages emotionally stable opportunities to put into practice what is learned. This is amazing!!!! There is research being conducted that looks at the productivity of brain function in classroom environments that support emotional development and healthy (safe) environments where VARIETY of learning strategies can be practices. LINEAR LEARNING APPROACHES ARE NOT EFFECTIVE BUT HINDER THE PRODUCTION HE HEALTHY AND VIBRATE BRAIN ACTIVITY!

For multiple parents who have to deal with diagnoses of children who are labeled ADD or ADHD this is a Godsend. When there are environments were movement is not encouraged or classrooms that are stagnate in facilitating true learning in modeled, you have under performing children/adults. Exploration, experimentation and discovery is where the learner begins to take hold of the information and makes it relevant to their own lives and experiences.

I am almost in tears as I write this blog because all of our schools are modeled after rote learning approaches. This stagnates the brain's ability to development cognitively (comprehension) and operates against the brain's function in making information relevant and applicable to the overall learning process. We are paralyzing our children/adult's capacity to THINK BIG by sterilizing the environment so much that nothing will grow. In the understanding of how the brain solidifies this information into positive learning experiences, Reardon, introduces 9 compatible learning principles:

• parallel processing
• learning engages the ENTIRE physiology
• The search for meaning is innate in patterning
• emotions are critical to patterning
• every brain simultaneously perceives parts and wholes
• learning involves both by focused attention and peripheral perception (learning takes place in between breaks)
• the brain remembers best when embedded in contextual memory (in relationship to the learning and the emotional state they were in when they learned /received the information
• learning is enhanced by challenge and impeded by threats (creativity is heightened when the environment supports it. When it is threatened/ stressed, it decreases and becomes stagnated)
• EACH BRAIN IS UNIQUE. NO ONE learns the same way. Each person has a distinct way in processing information and making the information relevant to them in their learning process.

Amazing! So not being in your right mind has its benefits! LOL

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX9-5FxoNS0&feature=related

Emotional Sound

Since last week's class I have been in deep thought about what how we learn effects how we communicate with other people. It has been more reflective of how I see myself and my relevance as an instructor and as a human being. I know that this may sound intricate and over the top but in actuality, it isn't. Looking at the formation of Multiple intelligence and the cycle of learning (exposure) that the learner goes through, I began to look at the process of learning and connection that I develop with my students.

I am interpersonal and linguistic and have known that for sometime. However, as I didn't realize that it was ok to use these pieces to my benefit until I left home and attended a HBCU(Historical Black College or University-founded before the Civil War). I was away from home, living in OHIO and learned that my sensitivity to people and how they felt was just a part of who I was (am). I discovered that I had the distinct abililty to talk to anyone and pick up on how people felt, what they needed and how to address that need. As I have grown, I am learning the perfecting your emotional intelligence has everything with knowing who you are and how you function from situation to situation. It doesn't mean that you are always "in your feelings", but it helps you to gauge your starting point of where you are as a person.

I am a firm believer that how you learn and process information has everything to do with how you convey that information to others. I am more conscious now of making sure that I am aware of how I process info effects the outcomes of my students and ultimately the choices they make. This again brings me full circle to Emotional Intelligence as described by Daniel Goleman.

I was amazed at the comparisons between those who have excelled in academics were not a good indicator if they were successful in life. In fact, those who were "successful" were those who were not as academically successful but were more emotionally tuned into their environments and showed greater overall life success. Education places such value on academic acheivement that those children who are more skilled in emotional responses, such as controlling their reactions to disappointments, critical thinking and abililty to empathize with peers are not viewed as possessing a valuable skill. Grades detemine the effectiveness of whether a concept or competency is understood. However if a child/adult has the wherewithal to be less compulsive in making decisions and is more reflective in understanding the tone of environment surrounding a situation it is ignored or dismissed.

The strongest piece of this concept is the fact that we aren't making the smooth transition from academic to emotional intelligence and function. People who are able to perform what the article referred to as "dutiful" in the heart of a system gives NO determination of whether that individual will be able to have the kind of resiliance when the winds of life begin to rage. If we decide to change the definition of what brilliance is and look at the social stability of adults and children, we can change the face of education as we know it. I know it may sound far fetched but it is definitely possible. If we had work environments made up of people who were more aware of how their actions effected the overall success of a company, these personal values will be manifested in the work perfomed and the relationships that are formed.

When looking at the foundation of emotional intelligence, self help books came to mind. The objective is to provide steps to applying emotional tools that help people overcome the issues of life; while applying the principles in an academic format. Since this is the case, how can the success of theses various self-help principles be gaged as effective in changing the emotional awareness/intelligence of those who uses these tools to become more emotionally aware?

In so many other situations, it looks like we value academic achievement above growth and awareness. Gardner's idea that if we took the time to help children areas where they flourish and have the potential to excel that ultimately they can strengthen their own abilities to achieve and master. What a concept; grown and progress through skill assessment and application! Knowing who you are has everything to do with how you function as a human being and how you effect the lives of others.

Here is a link that I thought would be interesting to look regarding Emotional Intelligence in the workplace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7NcSiOiy4o&feature=related