Before reading these two chapters in Sparks of Genius, I took a few moments to think about what it means to recognize and form. One is passive. The other is active. One is done through observation and identification. The other is worked out through configuring and shaping. Keeping these in mind I was able to gain a solid grasp on the patterns in wordplay, mathematical equations, puzzles and works of art Root-Bernstein discuss in these two chapters.
As I look around the library I am writing this in, I am able to see numerous examples of patterns. The more I observe these patterns, the more I see of them. This is not an unusual trend and happens quite often. I can recall any numbers of instances when I have spent some time observing an object, surveying its unique qualities only to begin seeing this object everywhere I go. One example can be as simple as a circle. After focusing in on a circle for a period of time, I can begin to see circles everywhere from the speakers of a radio to the top of my coffee mug to the hole punched on the paper in front of me. Conscious of the time it has taken to see these circles, recognizing patterns is a passive skill that requires time, patience and practice. (p. 111) In such a fast-paced world, less and less emphasis seems to be placed on taking time out of ones day to ‘stop and smell the roses’ – a exercise necessary to recognize patterns.
When reading about forming patterns, Root-Bernstein use African tribal music to illustrate how patterns (beats) can be juxtaposed simultaneously to create a whole musical work. (p. 118-9) This didn’t really hit home until I began to try holding four different beats with my hands and feet. Four separate patterns combing to form one melody. Another example they used stemmed from a familiar childhood toy called K’NEX. I remember playing with these parts and building structures that were based off of one or more patterns done over and over again. After recognizing that I had formed a pattern suitable of construction, I would build more and more and connect them to create a much larger structure. Stepping back, one would be able to notice several different patterns combined into one.
On a personal level, I believe dedicating some time to these skills can help me become a more efficient learner. As a self-admitted work in progress, I am always looking for ways to improve. By taking that extra time to observe and recognize what has worked and been successful for me, I can take that knowledge and apply to other parts of my life.
On a teaching level, patterns play an important role in my daily lessons of teaching English as a Second Language. By assisting students in recognizing a basic pattern (e.g. subject + verb + object), they can begin to form their own examples. “I play soccer” can be turned into “She sings a song.” Once these patterns have been understood, as a group we can begin to introduce new vocabulary and other parts of speech into the sentence. For example, “She sings a beautiful song.” We’ve taken the original sentence (pattern) and have added something to it. I love the English language for this very reason. One could add numerous adjustments to the original sentence to alter or enhance its meaning.
As I look around the library I am writing this in, I am able to see numerous examples of patterns. The more I observe these patterns, the more I see of them. This is not an unusual trend and happens quite often. I can recall any numbers of instances when I have spent some time observing an object, surveying its unique qualities only to begin seeing this object everywhere I go. One example can be as simple as a circle. After focusing in on a circle for a period of time, I can begin to see circles everywhere from the speakers of a radio to the top of my coffee mug to the hole punched on the paper in front of me. Conscious of the time it has taken to see these circles, recognizing patterns is a passive skill that requires time, patience and practice. (p. 111) In such a fast-paced world, less and less emphasis seems to be placed on taking time out of ones day to ‘stop and smell the roses’ – a exercise necessary to recognize patterns.
When reading about forming patterns, Root-Bernstein use African tribal music to illustrate how patterns (beats) can be juxtaposed simultaneously to create a whole musical work. (p. 118-9) This didn’t really hit home until I began to try holding four different beats with my hands and feet. Four separate patterns combing to form one melody. Another example they used stemmed from a familiar childhood toy called K’NEX. I remember playing with these parts and building structures that were based off of one or more patterns done over and over again. After recognizing that I had formed a pattern suitable of construction, I would build more and more and connect them to create a much larger structure. Stepping back, one would be able to notice several different patterns combined into one.
On a personal level, I believe dedicating some time to these skills can help me become a more efficient learner. As a self-admitted work in progress, I am always looking for ways to improve. By taking that extra time to observe and recognize what has worked and been successful for me, I can take that knowledge and apply to other parts of my life.
On a teaching level, patterns play an important role in my daily lessons of teaching English as a Second Language. By assisting students in recognizing a basic pattern (e.g. subject + verb + object), they can begin to form their own examples. “I play soccer” can be turned into “She sings a song.” Once these patterns have been understood, as a group we can begin to introduce new vocabulary and other parts of speech into the sentence. For example, “She sings a beautiful song.” We’ve taken the original sentence (pattern) and have added something to it. I love the English language for this very reason. One could add numerous adjustments to the original sentence to alter or enhance its meaning.
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