I had an intriguing conversations with a colleague today about our reflecting practices. We were happily working away on our self-review as part of our Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness process. I reached Domain 4a: reflecting on teacher practices. I was all ready to rate myself as "proficient" with a rationale of "if you could only see inside my head." Scary. Like Spongebob scary.
That's when I start talking out loud, to anyone sitting around me who will listen: "You know, I'm always thinking about my teaching practices. I'm thinking about it on my commute. I'm thinking about it while I'm mulching leaves. I'm trying to not think about while practicing yoga." Mrs. Tomchek was kind enough to listen and started raving about this video by Simon Sinek who explains that the biology of our brains doesn't allow us to express those things into words. Uhhh.... WHAT? I made her show me, because let's be serious, if biology says that our brain is holding us back, then I can't expect my students to do the same. Why would I try to start this blog? So she proceeded to play this little video - ok, not little, it was LOOOONG, but she showed me an itty bitty clip to prove her point. The main message that Simon Sinek communicates in this video clip is: The goal is not to do business with people who need what you have; the goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.
While I like that message, he proceeds to explain the biology of the brain, specifically the limbic part of brain that is responsible for our feelings. Those "gut feelings" have no capacity for language. Did you read that?! No capacity for language. I hope you heard him say that this is not his opinion. This is based in biology. (I love how he says that a few times. ..a few times. ..a few times.)
If you're one of my students reading this, I forsee this conversation is going to come back to haunt me.
Now let's connect this with art. I expect my students to explain the art-making process. What did you do? What materials did you use? What were you successful with? What did you struggle with? Why was it important for you to make this?
According to Sinek, it's difficult to explain the decisions we make in the art-making process because it stems from the limbic part of the brain that causes things to just "feel right". It comes from the heart. From the soul. From the Force. (My kids are watching Star Wars while I'm writing this; I couldn't resist.) "Always in motion, is the future," says Yoda. Dang, I like that little dude. I kind of wish I could carry him around in a backpack all day so he could whisper words of wisdom.
I bet that Yoda and Sinek would get along. I bet that they would do business together because they both believe that you need to "Start With Why". In order to motivate my students, I need to explain WHY it's important to write and reflect in art. Let's be honest, it's been a cause of debate and I've realized that many of my students don't see the value in doing it. So I'm searching to speak to the limbic part of their brains and it is going. to. BLOW. THEIR. MINDS.
Like Yoda + Ewok = Gremlin.
While I like that message, he proceeds to explain the biology of the brain, specifically the limbic part of brain that is responsible for our feelings. Those "gut feelings" have no capacity for language. Did you read that?! No capacity for language. I hope you heard him say that this is not his opinion. This is based in biology. (I love how he says that a few times. ..a few times. ..a few times.)
If you're one of my students reading this, I forsee this conversation is going to come back to haunt me.
Now let's connect this with art. I expect my students to explain the art-making process. What did you do? What materials did you use? What were you successful with? What did you struggle with? Why was it important for you to make this?
According to Sinek, it's difficult to explain the decisions we make in the art-making process because it stems from the limbic part of the brain that causes things to just "feel right". It comes from the heart. From the soul. From the Force. (My kids are watching Star Wars while I'm writing this; I couldn't resist.) "Always in motion, is the future," says Yoda. Dang, I like that little dude. I kind of wish I could carry him around in a backpack all day so he could whisper words of wisdom.
I bet that Yoda and Sinek would get along. I bet that they would do business together because they both believe that you need to "Start With Why". In order to motivate my students, I need to explain WHY it's important to write and reflect in art. Let's be honest, it's been a cause of debate and I've realized that many of my students don't see the value in doing it. So I'm searching to speak to the limbic part of their brains and it is going. to. BLOW. THEIR. MINDS.
Like Yoda + Ewok = Gremlin.
Or this artist, Nathan Shields at Sai Pancakes who uses pancakes batter to cook up some art.
This guy puts my husband's R2D2 pancake spatula to shame. In the meantime, I'm going to eat some pancakes (gluten-free... ugh) and think of some more ways to amuse you all with fun art. How would Yoda say that? "More ways to amuse you all with art, I will think of."