Break The Cycle I Dare You

“As you master the movement…you do them without awareness. When you no longer have to think about how to hit the ball, you can actually start to enjoy playing tennis. “

In one of our assignments we were instructed to think of one word or a short phase that best summarized our topic of interest. As soon as I grasp the concept of body thinking, the name Michael Jordan popped in my head. I could not help but to reflect on his first game out of retirement against the New York Knicks. In that game Michael Jordan scored 55 points.

However, the points he scored that night is insignificant; the way in which he scored those 55 points speaks to the power of body thinking. After scoring an amazing five to six shoots in a row, Michael Jordan turns to the crowd and shrugs his shoulders as to say, “ I do not know how I scored five to six consecutive in a row.” In my opinion, that performance best describes the essence of body thinking.

Although I am not a professional athlete, I drew a great deal of insight from the chapter. I was especially moved by the author’s mention of Helen Keller and how she utilized body thinking as a means of intellectual growth and development. However, as an educator I was especially moved by her teacher’s instructional practice. Although the text did not speak directly about Keller’s mentor, it is obvious that she used a little body thinking of her own. Thus, I if devote the time and effort she employed, I too can use body thinking, as a mean of teaching academically challenged students how to master languages, concepts of mathematics, and science.

By combining body thinking and patterns (a concept studied previously) students will be able to rely on non-analytical skills to enable them to master study skills and make them more effective in various disciplines such as reading, note taking, or test taking. And like the musicians noted, this will enable them play the piano with more than just their fingers, but with one’s mind as well.

Empathizing
Empathy is one of the major principles that govern my teaching philosophy and it is the bedrock of my success in the field. It was John C. Maxwell who insists, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Recently, I met with a student who visited me during office hours. The student was in tears because she felt that her JRN 200 course made her feel, “dumb.” As a result she wanted to change her major (which she had already done three times) or transfer to another institution. After listening attentively, which I believe is an essential quality of empathy, I shared with her my academic struggles during my college years. I explained to her that it took me 12 years to obtain my 4-year degree. A connection was immediately made with the student and from that point forth I was able provide her with the advise she needed to refocus. It is my personal belief that empathy provides the teacher with an exceptional vantage point. Through empathy you momentarily lose yourself and form an intimate relationship with your student which creates community, where meaningful learning can take place.

However, I do not believe empathy is one-sided; students need to employ this skill as well and not assume the instructor will initiate empathy. Familiarizing themselves with the instructor’s worldview and pedagogical approach could provide the student with valuable insight to help them to be more effective when be instructed by the teacher.

It is important to note that in both empathizing and body thinking, the key is losing oneself in an attempt to gain new insight and a broader perspective.