Ever wake up to the sound of your alarm blaring in your ear
knowing you're about to embark on a full day's worth of classes
and yet something in you just can't quite get excited to learn
like you know you're going to work really hard all day but you also know that most of what you're about to hear
will just bounce right off your brain
We all have days like that
But
what if
there's
a reason why some students get more bored with school than others
It turns out
our brains actually avoid
thinking
until precisely the right conditions
Contrary to popular belief
it's
kind of a hassle for our brains to actually think when it comes to stuff we don't like
because the brain was created for just that
avoiding
thought
because
it takes a lot of effort to think
and its
sometimes a slow and painful process
to delve into issues we find too weird or too uncomfortable
maybe
we don't like that teacher
or we hate that annoying guy who sits in the front row sipping his coffee way too loudly
just
something about any lesson we encounter in our everyday lives
will bother us so much
that
we'd rather avoid it than be immersed in it
but
when we like something
we don't think about it as much
it's
something that comes to you so naturally that
the thoughts just fill in the gaps
so little problems you once struggled with
like
maybe finding the fastest walking route to work or
spotting the best groupon deal
will be far easier to solve
Instead
we rely on our memories of success to get us through the day
So
How does this all tie back to education?
Despite our brains being slightly confused as to how it thinks
our natural curiosity
always takes over
especially when it comes to opportunities to learn
whether your thing is calculus or
film theory or Italian renaissance architecture
class discussions allow your natural thought process to thrive that much more freely
So
How can you get the most pleasure out of learning or teaching?
One
Always look for problems to solve
problems of course meaning mental work that poses moderate challenge
Push people's thought process just a bit further
See if their explanation
is a viable option towards reaching the goal
Make sure though, not to over explain things
Two
respect people's limits
If they're getting uncomfortable during discussion, know when to back off.
or even sometimes saying you're sorry
Three
Be open to rewording your questions
in case someone doesn't get it right away
Four
Know when to play devil's advocate
Had there been a lot of agreement?
or even, disagreement?
Why not
throw a little rent into the works with a new thought
Five
Really listen to answers given to you
not everyone is going to share your level of happiness or outrage over a subject
so worry less about emotion
and more about just what a person is saying
Six
Let people know when you're changing things up and switching topics
You'll get a new chance to engage people because all eyes will be on you
you're the one in charge
as a teacher
and finally
document your feelings
write down all the moments things went right or wrong in class
and every time you felt a problem was
solved successfully or could've been solved better
With enough practice and patience
you might just be able to think your way into doing anything you set your mind to
As long as you don't hit snooze too many times of course