Preface
William James discusses how he takes various aspects of his ‘talks’ or lectures and addresses them in this book, along with extending the discussion on specific topics. He humbly mentions that he wished he was able to make the philosophy section a bit more impressive, however the main gist being that of the “sacredness of individuality”.
To me the preface is very similar to a course overview or syllabus discussion. It’s important to not only address the specifics that will be covered throughout the course but the reasons why they are being covered. It’s not just the product, it’s also the process.
Chapter 1 (The Psychology and the Art of Teaching)
The main essence of this chapter to me was about the dichotomy that many teachers will experience while digesting the specifics of psychology. That this opposition is natural because psychology is a science and teaching is an art. Teachers should be considerate of that and not let it hit their self-esteem in a negative way if the psychology (data, research, etc…) is not coming together as easily as one would hope.
The best connection I made from this chapter was James’ comparison of teaching being like war. That teachers should try to get their students into a position of learning and interest from which they can’t escape (draw them in, hold their attention), then overwhelm them with relevant connections (how the material applies to them and their careers), and lastly to leave them wanting more. Similar to an ending of a movie that’s a cliffhanger; you can’t wait until the next one comes out and are first in line to see it. Wow, wouldn’t it be great if my students felt this in my class!
Chapter 2 (The Stream of Consciousness)
Whether we are awake or asleep our mind is constantly processing information, stimulations, emotions, and cognitions. There are focal (specific) and marginal (general) objects for which our consciousness is drawn to and as teachers it is imperative that we stimulate this stream of consciousness to the best of our ability.
If I received a nickel for every time I noticed a student’s thoughts drift from our class discussion to something else I would probably be able to retire right now. This is one of the main things that I struggle with in the classroom, keeping their attention. This is essentially the same connection that James’ makes in this chapter that our minds are constantly active and can also be easily distracted. At a conference I recently attended a fellow teacher stated that she doesn’t lecture or talk for more than 12 minutes and because the average attention span on something specific (focal object) was roughly that long before moving on to something else (marginal object).
Chapter 3 (The Child as A Behaving Organism)
Being an advocate for functionalism James’ discusses how our mind (and behavior) has various functions. Evolutionarily the mind and behavioral functions were for survival and adapting to one’s environment. It can be similarly said for individuals, specifically children, that we are a product of our environment.
I specifically connected with his second and fourth points of reference, that “mental action is conditioned by brain action” and action being used to describe our broad, general tendencies. An individual operates on its basic level, survival, naturally without much effort. But it is the “unpractical activities that are more connected with our behavior and our adaption than one might realize”. Change, growth, development, learning, and so on are all difficult endeavors that can be met with much resistance but will ultimately affect the individuals life in generally positive ways.
Chapter 4 (Education and Behavior)
Behavior and education have a reciprocal relationship. Education provides opportunities for the acquisition of learning, knowledge, and information which is then expressed through one’s behavior. An individual’s actions create an opportunity for education to present itself.
The example James’ used of how educated and prepared students in Germany are that they can go off by themselves to explore the world in such a concise way and also find novel areas for future research. I want my students to practice critical thinking not only in the classroom but in their lives as well because it goes beyond just basic functioning. I also connected with the last example used that Oxford can teach them how to be an English gentlemen and also what it means to be one. I struggle with classroom behavior and trying to explain how their behavior in class reflects on them as an individual, and most of the time I’m not impressed.
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