In a recent book, The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle, the author discusses the nature of talent, and whether it is a matter of nature (in born) or nurture (training). More specifically presents the idea of a “talent hotbed”, by which he means those environments in which a particular type of talent or expertise has been consistently created and sustained at a high level of achievement. As examples of the concept he gives the artistic community of Florence Italy during the Renaissance, the athletic prowess of Brazilian soccer players over the last three decades, and the unparalleled apprehension of the music students at the Meadow Mount School of Music. His book seeks to answer the question of how these groups/communities are able to create such exemplary results year after year, with such speed and consistency.
The question for our purpose then is how can we create a “talent hotbed” for learning itself? How do we create a “genius factory”?
The first step to create this hot bed for genius starts with the understanding that people can and do learn in many and varied ways. Once we accept that not everyone learns the same then we must agree that in order to teach the maximum amount of people there must be a system that teaches in a way that addresses the diversity of learning preferences. We recognize that there are different learning styles, and types of intelligence, and that these must be taken into account if we are to have a system that truly succeeds in teaching “the masses”.
Of course we know that it would be virtually impossible for teachers to create daily lesson plans for each individual student, but we do believe it is possible for teaching to be presented in a manner that allows each student to access the information in the ways that are already natural to them. This can be achieved through a well-developed curriculum using a variety of whole brain teaching methodologies, in combination with the active involvement of the student in his/her own learning and assessment. The goal is to move away from the typical process, the “banking system of learning”, where the primary method of presentation is lecture oriented, and the student is merely a passive recipient or vessel, to be filled by the teacher. What is proposed instead is a more dynamic model in which the students are first taught to understand the process of learning itself, and then encouraged to explore and participate in the presentation in an active manner.
In order make this “genius factory” or “hotbed of talent” for learning we have to design a learning system that encompasses all elements of the person, from their preferred learning style to their state of mind. Too often this idea is neglected in mainstream education, and the student as a person, and their particular skills and weaknesses are seen as irrelevant. All students are taught in one way and they are expected to find a way to conform, or simply be left behind. Learning should not be a rigid passive experience, but an active and inclusive one where not only are students’ learning needs identified and met, but the learning process itself is enjoyable. When these pieces are put in place students are able to access what neuroscientists call the Alpha state. In this optimal learning state, students find it easier to excel in comprehension and memory retention, and all aspects of learning, thereby unlocking their true academic potential.
Bruce Prescod
Donovan Whylie
www.foundationsforlifelearning.org
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