Express It to Get It
Sometimes the simplest notions are the most profound and far-reaching. Here’s one - If you value something and want to keep it, you must first give it away! Or - if you want to learn something, teach it! Well, here’s our way of saying it: Express It to Get It!
This is such a big key to why arts integrated education works so well.
The key is connection!
When a child connects with a subject by giving it expression, in verse or theater enactment, in imagery, analogy or metaphor, in picture form, in movement or song, they will remember it with more of themselves. To re-member is to re-integrate!
It just is not sufficient to repeat something back to the teacher in order to retain the information in the short term memory department - the operative words being ‘short term’. Yes repetition is a vital tool, but it is not the equivalent of learning.
What is learning? What is your best current definition?
For example: Learning is a process of integrated assimilation and inductive reasoning generating multiple comparison connections. Or, how about - learning is a process; it’s all about the process as a first principle.
When a child comes alive with a research by giving it a form of expression and then gives it away, it makes it their own! It also helps to open the door into that subject or research for others. And…most of all, the process is fun!
Hey, getting switched on to life and learning is fun. Now that will keep more children in school!
Express It to Get It! Get it?
Todd responds:
Posted: December 7th, 2008 at 4:52 am →
I agree that learning is a process. Much like life is a process or a series of events and challenges that shape us and make us who we are. I try to plant seeds for learning and for natural curiosity to take place when I am working with my students. I love it when they come back to tell me how they used the seed that I planted and how they might have shared it with others. I love to feed a child’s natural curiosity and let it grow into something vibrant and beautiful.
I enjoyed your newsletter, Paul!! Or is it Melanie!