The Power of Mindful Learning (Ellen J Langer)

 

If it wasn't Spring Break, I likely would not have read this book. However, it wasn't a long one so I soldiered on. I am very interested in mindfulness and so was curious about her take. The preface started on about the problems with assessment, which is what caused me to not want to continue. However, in the space of mindfulness, I can see what the author was saying. Sometimes it was light and easy reading and sometimes I got quite bogged down in the details of studies she cites and my interest would wane. Overall, I can see that this would be a good topic for an education degree and she had some good things to consider. Many times, however, I disagreed with some of her assertions because of experiences I've had with good teaching....for example: Wrote learning. I have found that my students can learn math facts by repeated practice and a bit of searching for patterns, which is a small leap from wrote memory. If I can get them to do that prior to doing our multiplication unit which focuses a lot on the why's of multiplication and methods for figuring it out, they learn it much quicker. If they have those facts already in their head, suddenly the why makes sense.

There were many other topics in here I had a "Ya but...." comment that would be interesting to discuss with the author. However, time to move on to something that will absorb my interest as a reader! 

Goodreads says:
Radical in its implications, this original and important work may change forever the views we hold about the nature of learning. In The Power of Mindful Learning, Ellen Langer uses her innovative theory of mindulness, introduced in her influential earlier book, to dramatically enhance the way we learn. In business, sports, laboratories, or at home, our learning is hobbled by certain antiquated and pervasive misconceptions. In this pithy, liberating, and delightful book she gives us a fresh, new view of learning in the broadest sense. Such familiar notions as delayed gratification, ”the basics”, or even ”right answers”, are all incapacitating myths which Langer explodes one by one. She replaces them with her concept of mindful or conditional learning which she demonstrates, with fascinating examples from her research, to be extraordinarily effective. Mindful learning takes place with an awareness of context and of the ever-changing nature of information. Learning without this awareness, as Langer shows convincingly, has severely limited uses and often sets on up for failure.With stunning applications to skills as diverse as paying attention, CPR, investment analysis, psychotherapy, or playing a musical instrument, The Power of Mindful Learning is for all who are curious and intellectually adventurous.

The Willpower Instinct (Kelly McGonigal)

 

I really like Kelly McGonigal's book, The Upside of Stress so I was happy to find this one. I listened to the audio book, which tends to make me not so good at taking notes. I was sorry the author didn't read the audio book. I liked her other book so much, to hear a male voice reading this one was a surprise. 

The author suggests ending rigid dieting. She says that the more you tell yourself to not eat something or not think about something, the more our brain seems to want to eat it or do it. She suggests surfing the urge, neither pushing it away or acting on it. When impulses and cravings come to mind, imagine it as a wave and breathe through those feelings. The inner acceptance seems to bring more control according to many studies. 

This book was pretty much in agreement with other books I have read on this topic like The Motivation Myth and Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. 

Goodreads says:

The first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity.

After years of watching her students struggling with their choices, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., realized that much of what people believe about willpower is actually sabotaging their success. Committed to sharing what the scientific community already knew about self-control, McGonigal created a course called "The Science of Willpower" for Stanford University's Continuing Studies Program. The course was an instant hit and spawned the hugely successful Psychology Today blog with the same name.

Informed by the latest research and combining cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, McGonigal's book explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters. Readers will learn:

Willpower is a mind-body response, not a virtue. It is a biological function that can be improved through mindfulness, exercise, nutrition, and sleep. People who have better control of their attention, emotions, and actions are healthier, happier, have more satisfying relationships, and make more money. Willpower is not an unlimited resource. Too much self-control can actually be bad for your health. Temptation and stress hijack the brain's systems of self-control, and that the brain can be trained for greater willpower.

In the groundbreaking tradition of Getting Things Done, The Willpower Instinct combines life-changing prescriptive advice and complementary exercises to help readers with goals ranging from a healthier life to more patient parenting, from greater productivity at work to finally finishing the basement.

Peak Mind (Amishi P. Jha)

 

I learned about this book from a medication on my CALM app by Jay Shetty. I've been meditating pretty faithfully since 2022. I can't say I'm super good at it but I do feel like it is doing something good in my life. This book has the science that backs up why meditation is important. 

One thing that really struck me was when I read about why we don't remember some things. My husband has many more memories of our years as parents and our years together than I do. After reading this, it made me think perhaps it is simply because I'm always trying to multi-task and do more than one thing at one time. If I stop and am in the moment, I will be able to hold on to those memories better. 

p. 256 One meditation to do any time anywhere is to repeat these phrases:
May you be happy
May you be well
May you be safe
May you live with ease. 

 You could also replace the you with I and send goodwill to yourself.

p. 241 The author says that distraction = disconnection. This is how this relates to working memory:

Distracted
- You can't keep your attentional flashlight pointing to one or more conversational partners.

- Your mental whiteboard is cluttered - you have failed to let distracting content fade from your working memory.

- You keep time traveling, unable to stay in the present moment of the conversation as it unfolds.

Disregulated
- You can't regulate your emotions.

- You are reactive or display volatile behavior during the interaction. 

Disconnected
- You incorrectly believe that thoughts are facts.

- You fail to have a shared mental model of the situation.

- You apply the wrong mental model to the situation.

p. 235  There is a concept in Buddhism called the "Second Arrow." It comes from the famous parable: The Buddha asked one of his students, "If you are struck by an arrow, does it hurt?"
"Yes! the student replied.
"If you are struck by a second arrow," the Buddha asked, "does it hurt even more?"
"It does," the student replied.
The Buddha explained: In life, we can't control whether we're hit by an arrow or not. But the second arrow is our reaction to the first. The first arrow causes pain - the second arrow is our distress about that pain.
I love this parable because it very simply encapsulates the connection between mindfulness and attention: The first arrow happens. There are arrows every day. But the second arrow - your response to the first = is what sucks up your attentional bandwith. And that is within your control. There is another choice point you can access - if you have an awareness of your own mind.

Goodreads says:

Research shows we are missing 50 percent of our lives. Why?
Because we aren’t paying attention.

From the constant buzz of your phone and the lure of your media feed to your unrelenting, all-encompassing, and evergrowing mental to-do list—the demands on your attention have never been so severe. The result is an escalating crisis, where we feel mentally foggy, scattered, and overwhelmed. Remarkably, the solution to our attention crisis has been right here in front of us the entire time. Acclaimed neuroscientist Amishi P. Jha, PhD, has dedicated her life’s work to understanding the science of attention at every level—from brain-imaging studies in the lab to field-testing soldiers, firefighters, athletes, healthcare and business professionals, and students. Her mission has been to scientifically determine how we can harness the full power of our attention to better meet all that life demands. Dr. Jha expertly guides readers through fascinating research, debunking common assumptions and offering stunning new insights into where presence and purpose really come from. Peak Mind reveals remarkably easy to adapt, flexible, 12-minute-a-day exercises to lift the mental fog, declutter the mind, and strengthen focus so that you can experience more of your life.

About the author: Amishi P. Jha, Ph.D is professor of psychology and director of contemplative neuroscience at the University of Miami. She leads research on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, and resilience. She has spoken at TED.com, the World Economic Forum, and NATO, and has been covered by Scientific American, the New York Times, NPR, and Forbes.

Catching Thoughts

 

This was a great way to start a discussion about things kids worry about. We also did a Go Noodle that is about banishing thoughts we don't want. The GoNoodle didn't have ideas about how to do that. It just said to do it but this book gives the suggestion to fill your mind with good thoughts to get rid of the bad thoughts.

Goodreads says:

Have you ever had an unwelcome thought that you just couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard you tried to push it away? In Catching Thoughts, a girl is plagued by an unwanted thought. No matter what she does--ignore it, yell at it, cry about it--the thought won't go away. Frustrated and discouraged, she finally looks that bad thought in the face and says, Hello. At last, she is able to notice other more beautiful, positive thoughts all around her. As she catches hold of new thoughts, the girl discovers she can fill her mind with whatever she chooses.

The Good, The Bad and the Spooky (Jory John)

 

Everyone has been there. It's time for Halloween and you just can't come up with a good costume. Things like this stress us out - just like the baaaaad seed (who is quick to jump to rage). This is a great story on realizing what is important and what isn't worth stressing about. 

Goodreads says:

Based on the New York Times bestselling picture book sensation The Bad Seed, Jory John and Pete Oswald present: The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky! Includes two sticker sheets, perfect for decorating your own mini jack-o'-lantern.

Halloween is the Bad Seed’s favorite holiday of the year. But what’s a seed to do when he can’t find a show-stopping costume for the big night? Postpone trick-or-treating for everyone, of course!

Can he get a costume together in time? Or will this seed return to his baaaaaaaaad ways?

Find out in this hilarious, charming, and thought-provoking continuation of Jory John and Pete Oswald’s bestselling series.

The Kiss That Missed (David Melling)

 

Super cute and funny. It's a good lesson in slowing down and enjoying each other. A great message for our pandemic times!

Goodreads says:

One evening, when the King is in a hurry, his goodnight kiss to the Little Prince goes astray. After rattling around the Prince's bedroom, it flies out the window and floats into the dark forest, where it has no business to be. The King decides to do something about it. He orders the Knight to climb on his horse, ride into the forest, and bring back the kiss. But the forest is filled with spooky things that frighten both the Knight and his horse. How will they ever succeed in bringing the kiss back to the castle? This funny story features Daivd Melling's atmospheric and richly colored illustrations on every page. It makes a great bedtime story for kids who are about the same age as the Little Prince. (Ages 4-7)