.:. Habits of Minds 11 .:.

HOM 1

HOM 2

HOM 3

HOM 4

Observe perpetually.
- Henry James

The brain is the ultimate reductionist. It reduces the world to its elementary parts: photons of light, molecules of smell, sound waves, vibrations of touch--which send electrochemical signals to individual brain cells that store information about lines, movements, colours, smells and other sensory inputs.

Intelligent people know that all information gets into the brain through the sensory pathways: gustatory, olfactory, tactile, kinesthetic, auditory and visual. Most linguistic, cultural, and physical learning is derived from the environment by observing or taking in through the senses. To know a wine it must be drunk; to know a role it must be acted; to know a game it must be played; to know a dance it must be moved; to know a goal it must be envisioned. Those whose sensory pathways are open, alert, and acute absorb more information from the environment than those whose pathways are withered, immune, and oblivious to sensory stimuli.

Furthermore, we are learning more about the impact of arts and music on improved mental functioning. Forming mental images is important in mathematics and engineering; listening to classical music seems to improve spatial reasoning. Social scientists solve problems through scenarios and role-playing; scientists build models; engineers use cad-cam; mechanics learn through hands-on experimentation; artists experiment with colours and textures. Musicians experiment by producing combinations of instrumental and vocal music.

Some students, however, go through school and life oblivious to the textures, rhythms, patterns, sounds and colors around them. Sometimes children are afraid to touch, get their hands "dirty" or feel some object might be "slimy" or "icky". They operate within a narrow range of sensory problem solving strategies wanting only to "describe it but not illustrate or act it", or "listen but not participate". -Arthur L. Costa, Ed. D.

Learning Activities:
* It might be difficult to use all the senses of taste and smell in our everyday problem-
blsolving.
* Use our eyes to observe more.
* Try to emphasize more on visual inputs in your daily interactions.
* Bring part of an old piece of equipment such as a blender or bicycle to the classroom bland let other students guess the function of the item.