The beauty of Existence is, no two of any of God’s Creations are the same! Have you ever wondered why some people are the creative sort, while others are forever lost in a train of analytical thought? Albert Einstein would have never been a Picasso. Both masters were experts in their respective fields.
Both their brains were hardwired differently! You heard that right! The human brain can be bifurcated into two parts, The Left Brain and The Right Brain. The underlying essence of the Left Brain vs Right Brain Theory is, both sides of the brain are intrinsically different. It is these differences that influence the different modes of thought in different people.
It is all about which side of the brain dominates the other.
To better understand the Brain Debate that has been raging for years, it would be prudent to begin with a look at the characteristics of its parts.
The Brain: Characteristics of its Parts
In this section we will sneak a glimpse into the characteristics of both sides of the brain. Also, a peek into Left and Right Brain functions!
Let us begin, with a foray into the left side of the organ that is responsible for our ‘Thinking.’
Left Brain Characteristics
The left brain is sometimes called the Digital Brain. More verbal and analytical than the right brain, it is adept for activities like Reading and Writing.
Left Brain Functions
The following are the key functions of the left side of the brain:
- Logic
- Sequencing
- Mathematics
- Facts
- Thinking in words
Right Brain Characteristics
Unlike its left brain counterpart, the right brain is more Visual and Intuitive. It is often referred to as the Analog Brain. When we talk of Creativity, this is where that glorious process has its roots firmly entrenched.
The following are the functions the right brain is credited with:
- Imagination
- Intuition
- Arts
- Rhythm
- Daydreaming
The Characteristic of the Brain Halves: A Closer Look
If you’re the parent of a child, you are probably wondering what the implications of being a left-brained or right-brained child are.
Now that we have taken a look at the left and right brain functions, here’s a closer look at how they operate.
Let’s begin, once more, with The Left Brain.
Left Brain Characteristics: A Closer Look
If your child has a strong Left brain function, they will typically perform well in Academics. The downside here is, they might struggle Socially and Behaviourally.
It is the left hemisphere of the brain that controls things like Learning and Information Processing. While left-brained children might be more analytical in their thinking, they might not be able to memorize large amounts of data, and have an expansive vocabulary.
That being said, one of the most striking characteristics of a left-brained child is a tidy room. A lot of left-brained children like to study alone, so as a parent of one you want to ensure they have a quiet place to do their homework!
Right Brain Characteristics: A Closer Look
If you notice that your child is writing a lot of poetry, there are good chances that they are predominantly Right-brained.
While right-brained children are highly Imaginative and even Social, there are good chances they will struggle in a Traditional Classroom.
Right-brained kids usually like to be ‘shown’ how to perform a task, instead of being told ‘how’ to do it. They can be characterized by their ability to solve problems by looking at Similarities and Patterns, and Drawing rather than Writing.
Unfortunately, our Modern Education System is mainly designed for left-brained children. Right-brained children, on the other hand, might need a bit of assistance when blending in with the Scholastic life.
Right Brain Education: A solution to the Left Brain vs Right Brain Debate
The recent times have seen an increasing number of programs that make the use of early learning methods to stimulate and nurture the Right hemisphere of the brain.
What this does, is to develop a vital Synergy between the Left and right Brain Hemispheres. This leads to an enriched, holistic development of the brain.
The fact of the matter is, the Right side of our brains is dominant until the age of 6. This only goes to show that the earlier you start Right Brain Education, the more effective it will be. This belief is even backed up by a law known as The Law of Diminishing Learning Ability. According to this law, an infant’s ability to learn diminishes, as he or she grows older.
If this law is to be believed, it implies something truly remarkable. Namely, that a 2 year old is capable of learning faster than a 3 year old!
The Importance of Right Brain Education
Right brain education is all about stimulating a child’s intrinsic ability to learn and explore. Here are some of the varied benefits that right brain education offers.
- It promotes Cognitive Development
- Enhances Creativity
- Photographic Memory
- Boosting Social and Emotional Skills
Right brain education is focused on improving those synaptic connections. As a result, children are able to better perceive the world around them.
That ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking that is credited with achieving remarkable results, gets a boost with right brain education. Encouraging children to be innovative, it empowers them to think freely.
Did you know that the photographic memory that we credit a lot of people with, is gathered on the right side of the brain? Yet another glorious benefit of working towards developing the right side of the brain!
Right brain education will help your children manage all those temper tantrums that might come their way every now and then. Helping them regulate their emotions, this also helps them gain a sense of what is right and what is wrong.
At EuroKids, we believe that a keen understanding of how the different halves of the brain operate, and brain activities gives us a chance to understand our kids better. That being said, no child can be strictly labelled as ‘Left-brained’ or ‘Right-brained.’ After all, we are the Sum of our Parts!
