FCS FLASH ISSUE 100: March 17, 2009
March 20: Pasadena:
CDE/ECE Faculty Initiative Project
March 24: St. Helena:
Wine Country Hospitality Symposium 2009
March 26-28: Sacramento:
CAEYC Conference California Association for the Education of Young
Children
April 3: Northridge:
CCGG (California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics) Annual Meeting,
“It Takes a Village: Toolkits for Effective Practice”
April 3: Novato:
CDE/ECE Faculty Initiative Project
April 17: Downey:
Registration Information Now Available: 2009 Culinary Arts and
Hospitality Competition
April 18: Yosemite: The Western Region of the Costume Society of America: “Springtime
in the Sierras” a field trip to Yosemite
April 22-24: Lake Arrowhead:
2009 Workforce Leaders Institute
April 24: San Diego:
CDE/ECE Faculty Initiative Project
May 7: Mission Viejo: Annual Fashion Show:
La Mode Du Cirque
May 16: Redwood City: Student Fashion Show:
Artistry in Design
September 25-26: Sacramento: CSA Western Region, 2009 Symposium “Costume
in the American West” Call For Papers
FCS FLASH Jubilee! The California Chapter of AAFCS announces a scholarship competition open to its student members. Encourage FCS graduate and undergraduate students to apply by April 17. Melanie Horn Mallers, Cal State Fullerton, explores the important interactions within and among families in hospital waiting rooms. Roger Gerard, Shasta College, focuses on new dining trends in the down economy. Allen Martin, Cal State Northridge, offers tax tips to make sure you’re getting the refunds and credits you have coming. Since October 15, 2003, we have delivered 100 editions of our FCS FLASH to thousands of FCS instructors throughout the state. The FLASH team would like to thank all of you for your contributions, support, and feedback!
FCS FLASH Activity: Capitalize on Your Tortoise Mind
Guy
Claxton, a cognitive scientist, has done some interesting and innovative
research on the brain and how it works. In his popular book, The Hare
Brain and Tortoise Mind, he explains that the “hare brain” likes to
focus on, analyze, and solve problems quickly ... but the “tortoise mind”
needs time to ruminate and reflect on a problem to resolve it. In today’s
fast-paced culture, it appears that the quick thinking “hare brain” beats
out the slower intuition of the “tortoise mind.” However, research suggests
that patience and confusion -- rather than rigor and certainty -- are the
essential precursors of wisdom. Today’s exercise will introduce students to
their “tortoise minds” and the values of slow thinking.
Try this:
- Show this 4-minute video clip from Tom Kelley, General Manager of IDEO, to introduce the “hare brain” and “tortoise mind” concept.
- Ask students some questions. When do you use your “hare brain”? How often do you call on your “tortoise mind”? Can you share an “aha” moment?
- To demonstrate the concept of the “tortoise mind,” click here to
print and distribute the
Hare Brain Tortoise Mind Activity.
(You may want to watch this Guy Claxton 7 minute video clip to see just how he teaches this lesson.) - Allow students a few minutes to look at the picture and find the hidden cow.
- Show the hidden image of the cow. (Hidden Cow Image Here)
- Discuss the fact that it often takes time and relaxation to find a solution to complex problems.
- Ask students to share how they use their “tortoise mind” when faced with a problem.
FYI: There’s a good reason Google puts Ping-Pong tables in their headquarters ... If you want to encourage insights, then you’ve also got to encourage people to relax. John Kounios
This newsletter
was brought to you by a grant from the California Community College
Chancellor's Office Family and Consumer Science Collaborative Grant
(#08-0160).
Please contact Joann Driggers (jdriggers@mtsac.edu)
with any questions.
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