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Graham Phillips's picture

Day Two, Morning Session

I see the logic behind the story that the brain, and more specifically, the way that it is conditioned, is responsible for our interactions, our learning, and our social skills. I'm very intrigued as to what learning more about our brains will mean for me as a medium for my students and as an individual in my own relationships with others.

In terms of what it implies for the classroom, I think it gives us an important reminder: We really are brain surgeons, and the scary thing is that I think many educators out there are unaware of that fact or unwilling to consider such a story or explanation from that perspective. Locally, when dealing with students of special needs or students who are talented/gifted, and universally, when dealing with education legislation, such as NCLB or even on a state level, the majority, or at least the plurality, of people who hold power over the educational system are unaware of the fact that they are indeed brain surgeons. The result is legislation like NCLB and the state, county, and township programs that have been designed by individuals/groups in order to comply with federal statutes...measures which are not actionary, but reactionary, in a sense, like taping together a cracked mirror.

Graham

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