Ten Minds Are Better Than One

In Lindemann’s chapter, “What Do Teachers Need to Know about Cognition?” a point that stuck out to me came about in her conclusion:

“Teachers, then, must find ways to work against perceptions and policies that separate learners from their learning. Writing classes can help overcome this separation if they tap students’ interests and experiences, ask students to interact with the world outside the classroom, and give them frequent opportunities to learn from and teach one another” (107).

I tend to agree with this statement, because as some of the psychological theories that she references in this chapter seem to support the idea that moving beyond the teacher-student model further develops productivity, inquiry and capacity for higher-level thinking. I found Perry and Magolda’s theories about the cognitive development of college-level students to be of particular interest because these theories support Lindemann’s opinion about the importance of a writing class. Although people have many different modes of learning based upon factors of gender, race, society, etc…, good writing classes offer a good way for students to interact and learn from one another. Although the professor or teacher may facilitate the process, I like the notion that twenty heads are better than one and I think this is what Lindemann is getting at.

School, regardless of the level, is a social process as much as it is an academic process and as a result it is important to make social discourse a part of the cognitive process as social development also benefits intellectual development. Take for example a writing class. If I am working on a topic, say a literacy autobiography, I have my own story, but so does everyone else. Perhaps I read the story about one of my classmates when we are going through the writing workshop process and I see a method that appeals to me and may consider incorporating into my writing. What if, every story that I read, helps me further develop my own story? And this appears to be the point that Lindemann is making. Sharing writing is sharing one’s own perception of one’s self and hence helps a person further develop themselves both socially and intellectually. Ten minds are better than one.