[From: Bruce Nevin (Wed 920413 08:57:01)]
(Curt McNamara (13-05-92, 13:31) ) --
(Marcos Rodrigues (Wed, 13 May 1992) ) --
It may be worth considering that the skin is the largest organ in the
body, that it has the most connectivity to the nervous system of any
organ (other than parts of the nervous system itself, of course), and
that it has the most connectivity to the environment of any organ.
What does it mean to be "bright"?
There is much in our children's world today to foster their intellectual
development. This can lead to an imbalance of intellectual capacity
over other forms of intelligence. I use the word intelligence
advisedly, because we tend to identify intelligence and intellect,
though there is abundant evidence to the contrary (e.g. Sternberg _The
Triarchic Mind_). Of course, I am talking about perceptual control that
focusses on manipulation of words and symbols rather than control of
nonverbal perceptions that may correlate with the words and symbols--or
may not.
Waldorf education influences my understanding of this. My girls are in
a Waldorf school. The results are very persuasive to me.
I wonder if an emphasis on intelligent engagement with the control of
nonverbal perceptions might help. Visual and plastic arts. Dance or
gymnastics (acrobatics). Singing, playing a musical instrument,
preferably one that emphasizes continuous control (violin) rather than
digital (fretted instrument, keyboard). Not a remedial arts-and-craftsy
thing, but a serious exploration of the world of nonverbal perception
and perceptual control, apart from the manipulation of words and symbols
that pervades our cultural universe.
Just a hunch.
Bruce
bn@bbn.com