Left/Right

"I am right brained. Quite, so to the point I am left lead."

As of late I have been consciously and unconsciously attempting to break the monotony of my hemispheric dominance right-brained. Yesterday, cleaning my bathroom wall I was careful to utilize my left hand for the left side of the wall and my right for you guessed it, the right. In the process my lower back was a casualty aching annoyingly til' I found a comfortable position. I even at times struggled to hold the sponge correctly with my fingers catching a couple of cramps amidst the scrubs. Taking careful observation of my actions I also discovered that once I had processed my objective the feat became easier. Left-minded thinking began the way I'd process for the duration of the day, even using my left leg to propel on my daughter's razor. (zoom...!)

Attempting to write with my left hand was a tad more trying. This particular left-handed activity got me to thinking about how children are taught in school. A teacher stands before a classroom full of dominate right and dominate left-brained children teaching them all the same. How are our children learning what is needed when they process information differently? It's a wonder most kids are coming home frustrated with a distorted image of themselves based on their method of processing. An educator would indeed have to be myopic and unlearned in their thinking if a child's brain process is not a factor or consideration when teaching. This is a matter all parents should research and consider. Truth is most of us have a dominate side. Only a few seek balance and obtain it. That does not mean that we do not use both sides of our brains, it simply means there is a side that is stronger. The first key to balance is discovering your dominate processing side. Here is some helpful information: _The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner. It process from part to whole. It takes pieces, lines them up, and arranges them in a logical order; then it draws conclusions. The right brain, however, processes from whole to part, holistically. It starts with the answer. It sees the big picture first, not the details. If you are right-brained, you may have difficulty following let's say a lecture unless you are given the big picture first. Do you now see why it is absolutely necessary for a right-brained person to read up or study needed information before a lecture, class or company meeting? If a right-brained person isn't consistently given an overview beforehand he or she may need to ask questions one-on-one. If you are predominantly right-brained, you may also have trouble outlining. "You're the person who needs to know why you are doing something." A left-brained person would do well to exercise their right-brain in such a manner. _In addition to thinking in a linear manner, the left brain processes in sequence -- in order. The left-brained person is a list maker. If you are left-brained, you would enjoy making a master schedule and doing daily planning. You complete tasks in order and take pleasure in checking them off when they are accomplished. Likewise, learning things in sequence is relatively easy for you. For example, spelling involves sequencing; if you are left-brained, you are probably a good speller. The left brain is also at work in the linear and sequential processing of math and in following directions. _By contrast, the approach of the right-brained person is random. If you are right-brained, you may flit from one task to another. You will get just as much done but perhaps without having addressed priorities. "An assignment or task may be late or incomplete, not because you weren't working, but because you were working on something else!" You were ready to rebel when asked to make schedules for the week. But because of the random nature of your dominant side, you must make lists, and you must make schedules. This may be your only hope for survival in college. You should also make a special effort to read directions. "Oh yes, the mention of spelling makes you cringe." "Use the dictionary, carry a Franklin speller, or use the spell checker on your computer." Never turn in an assignment or write anything without proofing for spelling. Because the right side of the brain is color sensitive, you might try using colors to learn sequence, making the first step green, the second blue, the last red. Or you may want to "walk" a sequence, either by physically going from place to place or by imagining it. For the first step of the sequence, you might walk to the front door; for the second, to the kitchen; for the third, to the den, etc. Or make Step One a certain place or thing in your dorm room or study place and Step Two another. If you consistently use the same sequence, you will find that this strategy is transferable to many tasks involving sequence. _The left brain processes in a linear, sequential, logical manner. When you process on the left side, you use information piece by piece to solve a statistical matter at work or a scientific experiment. When you read and listen, you look for the pieces so that you can draw logical conclusions. Your decisions are made on logic--proof. If you process primarily on the right side of the brain, you use intuition. You may know the right answer to a math problem but not be sure how you got it. You may have to start with the answer and work backwards. On a quiz, you have a gut feeling as to which answers are correct, and you are usually right. In writing, it is the left brain that pays attention to mechanics such as spelling, agreement, and punctuation. But the right side pays attention to coherence and meaning; that is, your right brain tells you it "feels" right. Your decisions will be based on feelings. _The left side of the brain deals with things the way they are--with reality. When left-brained person's are affected by the environment, they usually adjust to it. Not so with right-brained person; they try to change the environment! Left-brained people want to know the rules and follow them. In fact, if there are no rules for situations, they will probably make up rules to follow! Left-brained person's know the consequences of not turning in papers on time or getting to work on time or of failing a test or incomplete reports, but right-brained person's are sometimes not aware that there is anything wrong. So, if you are right-brained, make sure you constantly ask for feedback and reality checks. It's too late the day before a deadline or finals to ask if you can do extra time or credit. Keep a careful record of your assignments and tests.If you are a student, visit with your professor routinely. While this fantasy orientation may seem a disadvantage, in some cases it is an advantage. The right-brained person is creative. In order to learn about the digestive system, you may decide to become a piece of food! And since emotion is processed on the right side of the brain, you will probably remember well anything you become emotionally involved in as you are trying to learn. These are just some of the differences that exist between the left and right hemispheres, but you can see a pattern. Because left-brained strategies are the ones used most often in the work-force and classroom, right-brained person's sometimes feel inadequate. However, you now know that you can be flexible and adapt material to the right side of your brain. Likewise, those of you who are predominantly left-brained know that it would be wise to use both sides of the brain and employ some right-brained strategies. Finding out what type of processors we are will help us to be more effective learners and teachers. The brain is a world of it's own. Since it's own our shoulders, we'd do well to take a up close and personal look see.

As I practice this excercise, I have incorporated my 10-year old (in 6 days. oh, my!) on the study! We both have pin-pointed ourselves and given it a go!..