Welcome

Welcome to Your Brain on Art.

This is a beginning of a conversation…about the Arts and their relationship to and impact on cognition, affect, bodies, teaching, creativity, play and learning…the Brain on Art! The mind and body are not separate entities. They are one and the same – part of our biology – each informing the other to develop one individual.

This conversation is inspired by teachers (at Kathy’s wedding shower!)

• who love children
• who have their best interest at heart
• and who know something is not quite right…

So I am sharing what I am learning about mind-body connection or embodiment and how the arts, play and creativity factor into this notion. I thought you might like to read these two works on play and learning. The Scientific American article reviews some of the latest research on play and Daniel Walsh’s article (pg 97), Frog Boy and the American Monkey: The Body in Japanese Early Schooling, explores movement and play differences between Japanese and American cultures. Both are fascinating and hopefully will give rise to questions and comments.

My goal is to start this blog so we can share these ideas together. As teachers and artists, dancers, actors, musicians and parents, you are such a resource of ideas and caring for the well-being of children. We need to share the wisdom of excellent teachers (Yes, YOU) can help support and direct our actions. I am always so inspired by your conversation, your concerns, your theories and ideas about children as learners. This process will only be hampered by my learning curve around blogging and the issue related to learning something new at 60!! I will keep you all posted. In the meantime, enjoy the articles and go out and play!!