Learning with All Kinds of MindsLearning with All Kinds of Minds
All In The Mind
We now know that we all differ in the way we think. We have different areas of natural strength and weakness which can deeply affect our learning experience. We look at some alternative approaches to helping children achieve their potential and we hear from the mother of a boy with Tourette's syndrome whose school experience has been transformed. Also a psychologist speaks about the importance of teaching children to manage their emotions in school.
30:13•8 Jul 2006
Learning With All Kinds of Minds: Strengths, Emotions and Education
Episode Overview
- Children have distinct cognitive strengths and weaknesses, and recognising these can transform their school experience.
- Teaching that builds on a child's strengths, such as visual learning, can help them develop weaker skills more effectively.
- Humiliation and public exposure of difficulties can cause long-lasting harm; schools are urged to protect children's self-esteem.
- Transcendental meditation in schools is presented as a simple practice that may support calm, coherence and learning.
- Structured emotional literacy work, such as circle time, can reduce bullying and improve trust and communication among students.
“"I'm not dumb. I'm not stupid. But my linear chunks leak."”
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? This episode of All In The Mind turns the spotlight on how children think and learn differently, showing how understanding "all kinds of minds" can change a young person's whole experience of school. Hosted by Lynne Malcolm, the conversation begins with filmmaker David Lynch’s striking image of a "golf ball size consciousness" to explain why he’s so passionate about transcendental meditation (TM) in schools.
You’ll hear how TM is used at the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment, where Dr Ashley Deans describes classrooms of relaxed, focused teenagers who meditate twice a day to boost calm, creativity and learning. Professor Mel Levine from the University of North Carolina takes things further, arguing that every child has a unique learning profile.
He breaks thinking into areas like attention, memory, language, spatial and sequential skills, and shows how recognising strengths and weaknesses can stop kids being written off as lazy or "not very smart". His story of a boy who finally says, "I'm not stupid. But my linear chunks leak," sums up the relief that comes when a child understands how their mind works.
That approach comes to life in Dr Jenny Brown’s account of her son, who has Tourette’s syndrome and struggles with auditory processing but has extraordinary visual skills. By using drawings, emotion cards and visual schedules, his teachers shift from labels to practical strategies, creating a classroom that "celebrates difference" instead of punishing it. Emotional literacy also gets centre stage with Dr Sue Roffey, who uses "circle time" to help children talk safely about feelings, trust and bullying.
Her stories show how naming emotions and setting up clear, respectful rules can calm classrooms and support healthier relationships. If you’re interested in how understanding minds, emotions and strengths can protect children from shame and long-term harm, this episode offers plenty to think about—how might these ideas apply to the young people in your own life?
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