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For sake of society, young minds need art

Posted on September 8, 2011

Access to arts education is one of the civil rights issues of our time. I’d like to use brain science to explain why. Our brains operate using two types of behavior: automated and mediated. Automated behavior puts a premium on reliability and efficiency. The brain achieves this by pruning: It streamlines the neural circuitry required to complete a task. Automated behavior can be innate, like breathing, or learned, like recognizing the alphabet. Automated behavior is almost always unconscious. Throughout our lives, we develop and greatly rely on a host of automated skills. That’s why we don’t like backseat drivers – they force us to think about actions we’d prefer to remainĀ unconscious.

We share the ability for automated mental behavior with all other animals. But as neuroscientistĀ David Eagleman explains in his new book,Ā Incognito, the human brain also has an advanced capacity for mediated behavior. The goal of mediated behavior is flexibility and innovation. Mediated behavior depends on multiple brain circuits working on the same problem – what Eagleman terms “the team of rivals.” Instead of dedicating a limited neural network to a task, the brain tolerates redundancy and promotes networking. It’s what we mean by “keeping an open mind.” Mediated behavior can also involve conscious awareness: We overhear and participate in the internal conversation of our thoughts. The vigorousness of our mediated behavior is unique in the animal kingdom. It is what defines us as humanĀ beings.

Read the entire Chron.com article here.

 

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We have been enjoying Meet the Masters at Friends Christian School for about 7 years. I am so impressed with the program. It has taught the children not only facts about a particular artist but also a love of art. Many of the students who are not excelling academically find a talent or expression in art that they may not find anywhere else. This builds their self-confidence. I have seen this time and time again. Our MTM teacher has been such an inspiration to our students with her passion and enthusiasm. The way she leads the assembly with slides, hands-on objects, facts, and background of the artist has the kids so intently listening it is amazing. The children are able to recall facts about the artist long after the project, because it is taught in such an interesting and exciting way. Being someone who loves art and creativity I wanted to thank you for this program for our school and thank you for sending a teacher who loves what she does.

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Kayla Jernigan
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