The attention of a person is captured when you connect new ideas to the ideas that a person has previously had. A person's attention will be captured when you find creative ways to liven up a classroom lecture.
James states that "Whoever treats of interest inevitably treats of attention, for to say that an object is interesting is only another way of saying that it excites attention" (pg. 51). In my educational experience, I have found that the objects that I look at are colorful and I am able to think of many ways that I can manipulate the objects based on my interest. But to me, an object is just an object until I find a way to apply it to my life. A new object will grab my attention when a professor is able to connect the new object to things that I have previously learned. For Example: A plus sign (+) is just an object because there is nothing in front of it or behind it. But if my professor puts 3 + 4 on the chalkboard, I will place my attention on the problem because I will want to solve the problem. A plus sign is a boring subject until numbers are placed before and after the sign. If teachers find a way to liven the attention of their students, then they will be able to keep their student's attention on the object that they are discussing.
James speaks about attention in his talk. We have all had scatter brained students in our classes and it is hard to capture their attention even for a small period of time. How can we make sure that we are able to create lessons that will captivate their attention?
I am enthralled by how your mind thinks in math. To see an equation on the board is as equally inspiring to me as seeing just a plus sign. Neither pique my curiosity. It fascinates me to see you thrive on numbers, which to me are empty representations of abstract ideas. What accounts for my lack of enthusiasm for numbers and how can it be changed?
ReplyDeleteHi Ben, I love math. I wake up thinking about math and how it relates to my everyday world. Numbers are what I enjoy. Sometimes, I calculate my own taxes at the grocery store. :-) I think your lack of enthusiasm has a lot to do with the teachers that you have had as you were growing up. If they lacked interest or they did not peak your interest while you were in their classes, it is hard to see the value of math as being any more than paying bills every month. I think that you enthusiasm can be changed if you think and believe that math is your friend. You can get to know math just like you know some of your closest friends. But you will not get to know math overnight. It is one of those subjects that grows on your over time. But the more you work at it, the better your math skills will become. But you have to transition your mind so that you will think about math in a positive way. Almost like self-talk. I always say "I am somebody and I can and I will learn (Montessori motto)." If you think you can learn, you will learn.
ReplyDeleteAntoinette, you're going to love social cognitive theory when we get to it. I see a lot of it in your advice to Ben. Many people hold the view that ability in math is fixed and there isn't much that can be done to change that. These people might present teachers with a challenge, right? How would James say interest can be garnered in students who are convinced that they cannot improve in their math ability?
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