Left or Right?
(Sorry the lettering on this pic is hard to read…it was bad on the original as well…)Â
Yesterday, I attended a seminar on brain development. It was interesting to find myself disagreeing with the keynote speaker, as she talked about how children should not be introduced to letters and numbers until their corpus callosum is completely sealed, which happens at around age 6. Kids that learn to read before that age, she said, aren’t really reading, and if they are “forced” to learn prematurely, they don’t develop correctly socially and so on. Whatever. I read before that age, and so did Maya and all of her Montessori classmates, and you know what? They’re all just fine, thanks anyway. She did say some things that I agreed with, like that kids today have too much homework, that family time is important and homework deprives children of that. That fill in the bubble tests for Kindergartners are a really bad idea. That with all of this testing, we’re producing children who can produce, get results, but maybe not really think things through. I agree, that is a danger. She also said that in Europe, kids aren’t introduced to their letters and numbers until after age 6, especially in Scandinavia. (Actually, what she said was that only the U.S. and Japan teach reading before age 6, and we have the two highest suicide rates in the world, which didn’t seem to correlate to me…to her, getting them reading too soon meant you were pushing them too hard and stressing them out. To me, it was introducing Maya to a wonderful world….and she absolutely LOVES to read…)  I wasn’t sure about that, having never lived in Europe, but since Montessori believes in teaching the child when they are ready, and that was developed in Europe (Italy), and is very popular there, I was extremely suspect of her facts. Anyone got anything on this? Ever lived in Europe? Scandanavia? What age were the kids learning their letters and numbers? (OK, Update…this part of my post keeps expanding, while the fun left/right part stays the same…anyway, I found this, which says that children under age 6 should not be forced to learn to read, but that “given the sensorial experiences of appropriate materials a child of normal intelligence will quite naturally teach herself to read and write sometimes as early as three or four years of age.” Interesting.)
Besides all of this, however, there was some fun to be had. She taught us how to find out if we’re right-brained or left-brained. (Of course, you may read the paragraph above and decide to take her methods with a grain of salt, but still, it’s fun.) As you probably know already, the left hemisphere of your brain performs analytical, logical thought, and the right hemisphere performs creative, intuitive thought. So if your left hemisphere is dominant, you are more logical and analytical, and if your right hemisphere is dominant, you are more artistic and creative.
Here’s what you do:
Clasp your hands together, interlacing your fingers. Look at them. Which thumb came out ‘on top’, meaning, which one is showing?
If your left thumb is on top, like in this odd picture I found, then you are right-brained. If your right thumb is on top, then you are left-brained. Try switching them. Feels pretty weird, huh? Interesting.
Next, close your eyes, hold up your index finger, and draw a circle in the air. Open your eyes. Repeat the motion. Did you draw the circle clockwise, or counter-clockwise? If you drew it clockwise, you are left-brained. If you drew it counter-clockwise, you are right-brained.
Now, what if those two experiments are in opposition to each other? What if one test said left, and the other said right? GOOD for you! That means you’re pretty much balanced out.
I took this test at the seminar yesterday, and it seemed to say I was somewhat balanced, though when she described the attributes of both, I see that I am definitely much more left-brained than right-brained. Ted and Maya took the test at dinner, and they’re both double right-brained. My creative team, right here.
If you’re too much influenced by your right brain, she said, you are full of great ideas and creativity, but it would take you hundreds of years to get all of them done, and sometimes you are stymied by the options. If you are too much influenced by the left side of your brain, you are very methodical and happy to take all of the steps to get somewhere, but you really don’t have a vision of where you’re going. (Hello, people like me with two degrees, who still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.) Your homework, if you should choose to accept it: Right brained folks, balance your checkbook to the penny once a week. That will balance you out a bit. Left-brained folks, go get an easel and some paints, and paint a picture every week. And if you’re too far to the left, you won’t even know what to paint unless someone tells you. I don’t think I’m THAT far gone. I can always paint the same horse picture I’ve been drawing since I was 7.
Happy Friday, everyone!
21 Comments
Beenzzz
Hey that’s pretty cool! I guess I’m a good blend. I came up left brained on the thumb thing and right brained on the circle one. I always thought I was right brained. Good to know that I have some logic in there!:)
Ml
I’m VERY left-brained. I’m one of those people who can’t draw worth sh** and can’t paint unless someone tells me what to paint. What a fun test!
ally bean
“you are very methodical and happy to take all of the steps to get somewhere, but you really don’t have a vision of where you’re going”
Oh my, the story of my life. This is very interesting reading. I’ll be thinking on this for quite awhile. And, now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going to the store to by some paints and brushes!
C-Lo
Oh my gosh…I LOVE the “I’ve been drawing the same horse picture since I was 7” line. I could totally relate. I’ve been drawing Snoopy since I was 7 as well. Good times. I was also “balanced”. Guess you and I have a couple of things in common 🙂
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Gina
I’m all right. The results, that is.
This does not surprise me in the least, because math just kills me.
Jenny
My left thumb came out on top and my circle was counter clockwise. That means I am extreme right brain like you are. 🙂
Dot
I guess I’m fairly balanced. I probably could stand to balance my checkbook once in awhile and paint a cute horsey. I have to say I also disagree with her thoughts on kids and learning #’s and letters or reading before age 6. I don’t like sweeping generalizations like that. Every child is different.
Shelliza
This is very interesting. I’m right brained, but according to the test, I’m left. Well, I guess it depends on the day, sometimes I could be left, right or no brained.
We just did a tour/visit to our local Montessori school and were quite impressed. He’ll join their preschool class next year and hopefully, we can afford to keep him there:)
Lalunas
I am just like you J. I going to try and paint a picture, and then I’ll bring it over and we can share our pictures. I’ll bring along my checkbook for Ted and Maya to balance. That is very interesting stuff
Maya's Granny
Well, it never occurred to me I was so right brained! But, both tests come out right. And me who can’t draw a straight line. I guess visual art doesn’t have to be it.
Your speaker, I’ll bet, usually speaks before groups who push kids but either she doesn’t know about Montessori or her usual audience doesn’t, because she is right about trying to teach kids to read the public school way before they are six.
Heidi
“(Hello, people like me with two degrees, who still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.)”
Only one degree, but I feel the same way!
Right brained meanderer, that’s me.
Melissa
I am a bit of both and I read at 4, so I guess that explains how weird I am.
I think that everyone is different and learn differently and the one thing with those tests is they only take into account certain types of people.
Py Korry
That last line had me rolling!
Oh, and I cannot balance my check book to the penny because the thought of doing so will make me feel like I’m being punished with extra homework.
Star Shine
I am so right-brained! I can’t remember the last time I balanced my checkbook! I just trust what the bank tells me when I look online–(don’t tell my mom I wrote that!)
I think you should post a photo of one of your horse paintings soon!
Jimmy
hmmmmmm…….I’m right handed but left brained?
Logical, reasonable, agreed!
Michelle
You would probably be interested in the book I reviewed last week, The Midnight Disease, about brain function and writing. It was fascinating.
curiositykiller
Left thumb on top, and right hand’s drawing clock-wise motion. That’s probably why I can only get half of the things done.
Kvetch
I’m going to have to re-think my entire existence because I came out as left-brained. I’m so totally not — and the thought that I am actually analytical and logical and not creative throws my entire non-analytical, illogical, creative being off balance! UGH!
Heather
Very interesting! I’m definitely right-brained and the test agreed.
hellomelissa
yay! i’m balanced! at least according to this quiz. my husband maight claim otherwise. strangely enough, if i draw a circle in the air i do it clockwise. on paper, it’s counterclockwise. hmmmmm…..