Well, we’re finally back from the summer blog hiatus. Summers around Tate’s Day Camp are quite busy, and the blog is one of those things that gets put to the back burner. Nonetheless, this summer was filled with all kinds of opportunities to grow and learn, and reflecting back over it has inspired me to think on some basic principles in regards to learning. Check it out:
You’ll find here seven unique thoughts about learning. Although they are are not more important than others that are out there, I’ll admit that they are the ones that I come back to time and again. Simple, yet profound – these principles possess a practical elegance with which one can do much good. And even though I am not an expert educator, I would go so far as to say that they currently serve as my foundation for seeking to share thoughts and ideas with other people (adults as well as children). I hope that they will be as meaningful to you as they are to me.
My Seven Principles of Learning
1. Creativity and a love of learning are indispensable. Someone who does not want to learn, won’t. Those who are curious and look for connections between what they study and other areas of their knowledge will be lifelong learners…and enjoy it!
2. We must be careful not to educate people out of their creativity and let them have a chance at being wrong because of their creative process. Opportunities to be creative are very important.
3. We run the risk of squandering the incredible potential of people if we don’t seek to include creativity in their learning atmospheres.
4. Don’t hand out unnecessary praise – it eventually leads to the phenomenon known as “creativity crash” where individuals feel intense pressure to live up to unnecessary hype.
5. Understanding the impact emotions have on how the brain learns, and wires itself to learn is essential – remember that there are many more connections that go from the emotional centers to the logic centers than vice-versa.
6. Anxiety and depression are real risks…and are the most bitter enemies of a learning brain. A person who is uncomfortable in the learning setting will experience a “powering down” of neural learning circuits.
7. Social and emotional skills must not fall to the wayside in our efforts to promote academics. These areas are just as important and oftentimes make all the difference in how the raw information that we learn is synthesized into usable intelligence.