Potsie Webber and the Right Brain

During my elementary school years I would take a school bus to and from work.  We thought we were very cool as we didn't ride in a yellow "cheese-wagon" bus but a city bus that had been hired by the school board for the purpose.  We felt like teenagers riding a city bus.  After school I'd bus it and then spend a few hours at home alone waiting for my parents to come back from work and school.  I think about those days and my own children now and wonder how they would cope with being alone at home for a few hours every day.

During these afternoons waiting at home I'd prepare myself a snack (Ritz crackers with mozzarella cheese, sandwich rolls with Miracle Whip are two snacks that I am recalling).  I then would move to the living room and flick on the television and watch the following shows, one after another - The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family and Happy Days.  I don't remember very many specific episodes.  There is one, however, that pops up into my mind every now and then.  It is a Happy Days episode entitled "Potsie Quits School".

In the episode Potsie is having a lot of trouble with a biology class he is taking and is simply unable to do well no matter what he tries.  The teacher is on his case.  Potsie want to quit school and feels like a failure.  The Fonz suggests that Potsie, a lover of music and musician, spend the time to write a song on the subject.  Potsie does, is able to memorize the song without problem and, with the lyrics clear in his mind, aces the exam and passes biology.

A few years back, when my kids first started school, we spoke to a teacher about the teaching methodology she used in class.  She mentioned that she tries to teach a subject to her pupils by touching on as many of their senses as possible.  Writing, singing, touching, building, listening, drawing, memorizing, reading.  Her theory was that not all children are the same (neither are adults by the way!) and that, as a result, one must not approach the class with only one approach.  So mathematics was taught using tables but she also used blocks, singing, building, drawing.  This way a child that is stronger in non-analytical skills would also be given a chance to understand the concepts....to really construct the concept in their brains.

The teaching method that has been used most often is one of listening/reading and memorization.  Cramming our brains with information.  We teach history in books alone.  We must memorize names of people and places, dates and timelines.  For some this works well as they are "left-brainers".  But for those individuals who lean towards the right side this method is harder to master.  By introducing architecture, music, art in the teaching of history these "right-brainers" are also given the chance to master the subject in a way that comes more naturally for them.

The simple point I am trying to make is that one way does not fit all.  We must be open to the strengths of individuals, their makeup, their background, their strengths.  The manager, teacher, parent or conductor that masters this will be the one that has the most success in inspiring, creating and solving - they will be the ones who leave a positive mark.  They are the ones that will open the door of curiosity that all children have in themselves and that needs to be cracked open.  The one that leads to confidence.  That leads to communication.

Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!