This section spoke to me in many ways. The most obvious one is that I am a science teacher and geek. I cannot help but be jazzed about scientific references in assigned texts. It was a thrill to read about the Me'en not being able to see a photograph because they were not trained in how to interpret it. I loved reading about Einstein saying that "it is theory that desides what we can observe." After all in our history the world was round in the days of the greeks, Eratosthenes determined the circumference of the world. It was then theorized that the world was flat, and now it is round again.
What spoke to me the most was the fact that the whole focus of the chapter is on how we perceive and believe. I teach my students all the time that what we are learning can change for new information or new experiences will change our beliefs. Witness the cruel expulsion of pluto from the list of planets because of its size, How Picasso sees a picture and how we see his. I love to post in my classroom the saying my mom used to say, "there are 3 sides to every story, yours, theirs, and the truth." How we look at life and interpret meaning around us is extremely subjective. Because each mind processes in slightly different ways, even if two people were brought up the exact same way and see the exact same things, their minds will still select different meaning and value to what they experience. We all make assumptions about meaning, but nothing, nothing is truly set in stone. Notice the preconceived notions that you carry and override them, do that and you can do just about anything.
Hi Liz,
ReplyDeleteI think that you have some excellent insights here. I think that the Zanders make a very important point in stating that our assumptions and preconceived notions affect our perception.
I don't think we can change this. We are who we are and we think the way we do because of the combined set of experiences that is unique to each of us. What is important is being aware of the assumptions that affect our perception, and not allowing them to skew our perception. Furthermore, it is important to realize that the people who are in the same room with us, experiencing what we are in this moment, have a different set of assumptions that affect their perceptions in a different way.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI was also very inspired by this chapter. As a Spanish teacher, I am constantly challenging my students' point of view. Many of them have a hard time seeing the world beyond the town they live in. I also really liked your comment that there are three sides to every story. I am going to use that in my classroom! My students often view their ideas and opinions as fact instead of perceptions. This saying will help them see that there is more than just their point of view.