Something that has pushed my thinking is the concept of hemisphere specialization. The left brain thinker is logical, rational, analytical, objective, and looks at parts rather than wholes, while the right brain thinker is more random, intuitive, holistic, able to synthesize, be subjective, and looks at the whole picture. From reading this section I am wondering how an educator is able to create a learning environment that will incorporate both hemispheres. How can we tell what side of the brain a child uses more? How does learning affect each side of the brain, and what type of learning is most beneficial to both? What type of activities and classes are most beneficial to the growth of a brain?
Emotion and mental attitude are very important to learning. Every child has their own set of emotions, and deals with their emotions in their own way. Emotions rule a child’s life, so we need to be able to help children cope with their emotions as well as being able to boost their emotional appearance. If we can help students to control their emotions and believe in themselves, how much will students improve in the school system?
Students learn best from others. Students learn from stories told by others that they can relate too, they learn from group work and most of all they learn from observing other people. Children are observing others from a very young age. They figure out how life works around them and the necessary skills to survive. One important thing that we need to do is have positive and moral role models for students to observe. This is hard to do because we cannot control what students see outside of school. How can we change these negative influences of society and their environments so that children will become more just? Will schooling ever come to the point of all schools being boarding schools again where children are monitored constantly and taught the proper ways of life?
They say that teaching is successful when learning is the result. Students can memorize and do well on an exam and then once the exam is done they will forget everything that was on the exam. This is not proof of real genuine learning. How do we really know that learning has occurred in a student? Do students learn best in a strict lecture or a student involved lesson? I believe that for students to learn they need to be part of the process. We need to be able to interact with the students and make sure they are taking part and reflecting upon the information given to them. As a teacher we also need to be able to have professional judgment with our students. I will be able to pursue this topic in my near future and will hopefully figure out the balance between interaction and judgment to create successful learning for the students.
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