How do we not become increasingly confused given that we each have a huge number of ideas over the course of our lifetime? The mind must use some kind of system for differentiating and storing ideas. Understanding the human mind is no easy fix but people have been trying to observe and learn about it as it’s a crucial part of dealing with people as well as their surrounding environment.
Being in the educational field, it is not about black and white like the answer keys to a multiple-choice question; every child is unique whether it be their emotional intelligence or their academic growth. For some children with growing self-awareness and deeper levels of despair may view the world differently. For instance, when something goes wrong such as failing an exam to qualify as an astronaut, they may seem to be despairing over something that has been lost or failed. But on a close look, it becomes obvious that they are not really despairing of failing an exam but of themselves—the self that has failed to achieve the goal. They wanted to become an astronaut, but they are now stuck with a failed self and in despair. This has shed some light on why we witness some children suddenly close off after they have failed to reach their commitment or their goal. We would assume they have changed but on the contrary, they are stuck with their failed self and self-loathing.
While reading a book, you may be reminded of past experiences or present discomforts that interrupt your concentration; plans for the future may spontaneously come to mind. Thinking about your conscious experiences makes you realize just how much your thoughts are changing, yet they seem to come together and carry on smoothly as a whole. Our consciousness is like a stream that continuously flows, despite the odd interruption and change of direction. Consciousness is not a “thing” but a process that is constantly evolving—it is what the brain does to steer a complex nervous system to regulate itself. It allows us to reflect upon the past, present, and future, plan and adapt to circumstances and fulfill the prime purpose of consciousness—to stay alive.
The idea of x plus the idea of y is not the same as the idea of (x+y). Two thoughts combined together cannot produce one idea. They are more likely to form an entirely new idea. For example, if thought x is “It’s 5 o’clock,” and thought y is “the bus leaves at 5:05,” thought z— “I’m going to miss the bus!”—might follow.
Intelligence is not a fixed asset. Intelligence testing can only measure an individual’s mental abilities at a particular time and in a particular context. Our abilities change within a short period of time; they also change over the long term as part of the developmental process. It will alter during a person’s lifetime. The speed and ease with which the children absorb new information varies according to how much they are paying attention. Children are easily distracted and their level of attention plays a critical role in their ability to perform. Intelligence is a mixture of complicated mental faculties that operate within a real world of ever-changing circumstances and are controlled by practical judgment.
Article by: Miss Sreyleak Meas