Wired to Watch: We Learn When We Observe

Key points

Our brains are wired to observe; we learn vicariously.

The role of observation in our daily lives enhances our perception; it syncs the efficiency of our senses.

This is why role modeling the behavior you want to see in your children is so powerful.

One of my fondest learning experiences from elementary school was in fourth grade, when we had immersive lessons on birds. This has stayed with me for years because of the multi-sensory nature of the experience . I still have the bird book we used as text.

Our teacher encouraged us to read about birds and listen to bird calls. We drew them in ink and in paint. Our capstone project involved making something tangible for real birds.

I chose to make a bird bath. Nothing fancy. A plastic plate affixed to a wooden stand and base.