Think Smart: A Neuroscientist’s Prescription for Improving Your Brain’s Performance
One theory claims that creative impulses exist in all of us but are weakened by custom and social rules of behavior – a variation of the claim dating back to French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau that formal schooling inhibits rather than stimulates creativity.
How We Learn
The harder we have to work to retrieve a memory, the greater the subsequent spike in retrieval and storage strength (learning). The Bjorks call this principle desirable difficulty, and its importance will become apparent in the coming pages.
Subjects: Cognitive Science, Learning, Neuroscience
The Power of Different : The Link Between Disorder and Genius
One theory for why brain differences are so common among human being as a species is described by David Dobbs in his article ” The Science of Success” in The Atlantic. Dobb summarizes the work of child psychiatrist Tom Boyce, who coined a “dandelion and orchid” theory of human behavior. Boyce’s research suggests that, neurologically speaking, there are two sorts of people – “dandelions,” who flourish in any environment, and “orchids”, who have much narrower requirements. While orchids are much more difficult to grow, when they thrive, they do so beautifully and far more extraordinary results.
Learning Disabilities: What Are They?
First of all, learning disabilities don’t mean that someone is stupid or has mental retardation. Hopefully, I made myself clear on this point, but rest assured: This point is important, and I state it over and over in the book. Perhaps, it will sink in. Second, there are many types of learning disabilities. There is dyslexia, dysnomia, dyscalculia, and a host of others, which I discuss in great length. You need to know what kind of learning disability you child has before you can help him or her.
The Whole-Brain Child
A great book full of scientific explanations to back up 12 key strategies in nurturing a child’s emotional intelligence through understanding the two hemispheres of the brain. The authors simplify the strategies so parents can use the proposed lingo with their children according to their age level. Genre: Non-Fiction, Parenting, PsychologySubjects: Neuroscience