ay, are directly tied to survival. The survival connection to food, rest and procreation seem obvious. The brain also needs intellectual stimulation. Thinking is the brain’s own exercise machine, keeping it healthy, alert and functioning.

Being Right Or Being Left

A large portion of our brain, our neocortex, consists of a left and a right hemisphere. The corpus callosum provides a communications brid

The Photograph

The little girl is scared. This place is new. Different. Bright. Hot. She wonders, “why is this strange man is talking to me?” He raises his voice. “Look over here,” he hollers. She’d look but the lights are bright. He holds up a toy. He squeezes it. The toy’s eyes pop. It’s interesting. Fun. She smiles. A bright flash of light pops. Her mother says, “Good girl!” They are done. The picture has been created.

Someday the girl will appreciate this photo. She’ll marvel at it. Scrapbook it. Show it off. Her kids will marvel. Laugh. Enjoy it too. So will their kids. But on this day she was afraid. The situation was new. Unknown. She wouldn’t have looked if not for the toy. It caught her attention. Its fun beckoned. And the light went on.

This scene repeats itself millions of times a day at Wal-Marts, Olan Mills, Sears, photography studios all over the world, and in classrooms filled with adults afraid of learning.

Survival or Pleasure

Our brain has a dual focus, survival and pleasure. Survival is the baseline. Without survival nothing matters. Our brain, to insure survival, never stops looking for threats. All the components of the brain, even those responsible for logic and arts, refocus immediately if the brain perceives a threat. This dynamic cannot be ignored in the classroom. Ideas, and the intellectual application of those ideas, are unimportant to a threat focused brain.

Once a brain determines that survival is temporarily secure, it refocuses on the second priority, pleasure. The brain doesn’t specifically want to have fun. It’s just that many pleasurable sensations, including sleep, eating, sex and play, are directly tied to survival. The survival connection to food, rest and procreation seem obvious. The brain also needs intellectual stimulation. Thinking is the brain’s own exercise machine, keeping it healthy, alert and functioning.

Being Right Or Being Left

A large portion of our brain, our neocortex, consists of a left and a right hemisphere. The corpus callosum provides a communications brid

created.

Someday the girl will appreciate this photo. She’ll marvel at it. Scrapbook it. Show it off. Her kids will marvel. Laugh. Enjoy it too. So will their kids. But on this day she was afraid. The situation was new. Unknown. She wouldn’t have looked if not for the toy. It caught her attention. Its fun beckoned. And the light went on.

This scene repeats itself millions of times a day at Wal-Marts, Olan Mills, Sears, photography studios all over the world, and in classrooms filled with adults afraid of learning.

Survival or Pleasure

Our brain has a dual focus, survival and pleasure. Survival is the baseline. Without survival nothing matters. Our brain, to insure survival, never stops looking for threats. All the components of the brain, even those responsible for logic and arts, refocus immediately if the brain perceives a threat. This dynamic cannot be ignored in the classroom. Ideas, and the intellectual application of those ideas, are unimportant to a threat focused brain.

Once a brain determines that survival is temporarily secure, it refocuses on the second priority, pleasure. The brain doesn’t specifically want to have fun. It’s just that many pleasurable sensations, including sleep, eating, sex and play, are directly tied to survival. The survival connection to food, rest and procreation seem obvious. The brain also needs intellectual stimulation. Thinking is the brain’s own exercise machine, keeping it healthy, alert and functioning.

Being Right Or Being Left

A large portion of our brain, our neocortex, consists of a left and a right hemisphere. The corpus callosum provides a communications brid

ls, Sears, photography studios all over the world, and in classrooms filled with adults afraid of learning.

Survival or Pleasure

Our brain has a dual focus, survival and pleasure. Survival is the baseline. Without survival nothing matters. Our brain, to insure survival, never stops looking for threats. All the components of the brain, even those responsible for logic and arts, refocus immediately if the brain perceives a threat. This dynamic cannot be ignored in the classroom. Ideas, and the intellectual application of those ideas, are unimportant to a threat focused brain.

Once a brain determines that survival is temporarily secure, it refocuses on the second priority, pleasure. The brain doesn’t specifically want to have fun. It’s just that many pleasurable sensations, including sleep, eating, sex and play, are directly tied to survival. The survival connection to food, rest and procreation seem obvious. The brain also needs intellectual stimulation. Thinking is the brain’s own exercise machine, keeping it healthy, alert and functioning.

Being Right Or Being Left

A large portion of our brain, our neocortex, consists of a left and a right hemisphere. The corpus callosum provides a communications brid

f the brain perceives a threat. This dynamic cannot be ignored in the classroom. Ideas, and the intellectual application of those ideas, are unimportant to a threat focused brain.

Once a brain determines that survival is temporarily secure, it refocuses on the second priority, pleasure. The brain doesn’t specifically want to have fun. It’s just that many pleasurable sensations, including sleep, eating, sex and play, are directly tied to survival. The survival connection to food, rest and procreation seem obvious. The brain also needs intellectual stimulation. Thinking is the brain’s own exercise machine, keeping it healthy, alert and functioning.

Being Right Or Being Left

A large portion of our brain, our neocortex, consists of a left and a right hemisphere. The corpus callosum provides a communications brid

ay, are directly tied to survival. The survival connection to food, rest and procreation seem obvious. The brain also needs intellectual stimulation. Thinking is the brain’s own exercise machine, keeping it healthy, alert and functioning.

Being Right Or Being Left

A large portion of our brain, our neocortex, consists of a left and a right hemisphere. The corpus callosum provides a communications bridge between the two halves. And the two hemispheres need all the communication help they can get. They see very little the same way. They resemble two siblings whose experience is the same but who rarely agree about what they experienced. With the help of the corpus callosum, the two hemispheres are able to partner. Together they simultaneously comprehend the details and the context.

Generally, the left hemisphere thinks logically, the right holistically. The left sequentially: the right randomly. The left analyzes, the right synthesizes. The left comprehends words: the right comprehends metaphors. The left examines what is said: the right discerns how it is said. The left seeks facts and details: the right stories and visuals. And most importantly for this discussion, the left processes positive emotions like laughter and joy: the right processes negative emotions like fear and disgust.

This duality allows our brain to size up unknown situations quickly. The right hemisphere surveys the big picture looks for survival threats. The left hemisphere analyzes the potential threats, and if no threat is present, looks for the positive aspects of the situation.

When the incoming information doesn’t fit recognizable patterns, our brain goes on alert. If the right perceives negative potential it directs the release of cortisol. If the left perceives positive potential, adrenaline is released. Both of these brain chemicals sear memories into our brain. They allow us to remember the events years afterwards.

Baby-Sitting Adults

The threat of threats doesn’t disappear in adults. As a result, the brain’s survival focus can block lea