Beyond the Basics

  If you are into personality tests, enneagram tests, or other ways to describe your personality or behavior you may have already heard of Multiple Intelligence tests. These intelligence tests explain how the test-taker learns and comprehends information. I have found this as a useful method to understand how my students can absorb the information presented to them. It also does a good job of labeling different ways that people learn. As a teacher, I can keep these methods of learning in mind when planning my lessons. But if each child learns differently, how can we quantify their knowledge? Since each child comprehends information in unique ways, we can just as easily assume that the way in which they are able to present their understanding of information is just as unique. Many public schools in the United States have turned to Standardized testing as a way to quantify a student's understanding of a topic. Despite this national understanding that tests are good, and that a high s...

  What does "Capital 'T' Trauma" mean? According to Dr. Barbash via Psychology Today , " A large-T trauma is distinguished as an extraordinary and significant event that leaves the individual feeling powerless and possessing little control in their environment." Examples of this type of trauma are events like war, assault, intense chaos, and abuse.  There is also what is known as "Lowercase "t" trauma" which encompasses things that make a negative impression on the brain without causing longer-term damage to the brain. An example of this might the first time you smelled your parent's feet as a joke and the smell forever scarred you. It left a negative impression on you, but does not negatively affect your brain function. Each form of trauma has an impact, and is valid in contributing to one's behvaior. For the sake of this title, I will be focusing solely on "Trauma" with a capital "T".  A traumatic event can p...