How do we build these creative and critical pathways in our brain? One way is to read a book. Why do you think academics are so keen for students to read? Yes, it is in part because this is a way to pass on information to students, but it is also a way to change and restructure student’s brains. A key outcome of studying at university is that your brain should be different when you graduate as to when you arrived.
If you spent 40 hours a week for 3 years going to the gym, swimming laps, playing tennis or some other sport you would expect your body shape, your muscle tone and your level of fitness to completely different to what it was when you started. University is gym for the brain!
photo credit: Kitty ♥
So next time you sit down to read something that you might think is a boring dry academic text remember: do your warm up exercise first, stretch those muscles before you get into lifting any heavy weights, don’t over do it and work the brain for 15 minutes then take a short 5 minute break and come back to the text, drink lots of water to hydrate all those synapses and expect to have a few aches and pains after a good workout.
photo credit: Smabs Sputzer
Thinking hurts when you start and that is a sign you are developing and improving your ability to lift the heavy weights of great texts and ideas with your mind!
1 response so far ↓
Jules // Feb 11th 2009 at 5:36 am
lovely way to look at thinking - how encouraging for your students.
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