Confidence and the Right Hemisphere

The right hemisphere of the brain is where non-verbal language is processed, such as facial expression, body language, gesture, volume, rate, tone of voice, and inflection. 

Because of this, children who have well developed right hemispheres-- visual learners, right brain, overview thinkers-- are especially susceptible to teachers' often unintended, but sometimes intentional messages that convey their beliefs and attitude about a particular student's ability. 

Take for example the classroom teacher in first through third grade, when children are learning to read. This teacher presents a right brain dominant child with a book. The child takes in the cover with the juvenile illustration, the larger print, the fewer words and the dominance of pictures and understands without a word spoken on the part of the teacher, that "my teacher thinks I can't read the harder books that my friends are reading." 

Or sometimes this presentation is accompanied by language that the teacher may think masks his/her true feelings about the child's capabilities, but the right brain child picks up on the subtle cues any way. Sometimes the messages are blatant. A frustrated science teacher may stand with arms crossed glaring over the shoulder of a struggling visual learner who does not understand how to apply the equation to the properties of electrical circuitry and in a sarcastic tone says "wow", indicating that the teacher is not impressed with the child's thinking. 

What all this non-verbal messaging does to children who are visual/right brain dominant, is destroy their confidence. These children have as their superpower the discernment and vigilance for reading visual cues. So this type of non-verbal messaging blows to smithereens the child's sense that I can get this, eventually. Because the right hemisphere is tied to our emotional/survival brain; the limbic system. So it puts right brain children into flight mode. Their brains are stressed the moment they pick up on the unspoken cues of dislike, disapproval, or disbelief.

So what we all need is more compassion. More understanding, more patience. More acceptance.

Expect Up. Assume that a child can rise to your expectations, rather than sinking down to something obviously achievable. Right brain dominant/visual learners aim to please. Because they are seated so strongly in their right hemisphere emotional center, they want to connect in relationship more than anything. They will often do whatever it takes to make their parents, their teachers and their friends happy. 

So make it easier for them. Provide the overview for the concept so the right brain/visual learner has the way in to the details. Let them use reading strategies that engage their overview, connection-making strengths. Be warm and friendly--even if you don't get them. You will see that they get you trying to get them. And it will embolden them to keep trying. All the while, you have preserved their self-confidence and from there, they can do anything.