The Believing Brain Workshop (Columbia U.)
|
Father & Son Workshop
|
|
John Bickart, PH.D.
|
|
Kevin Bickart,
MD., PH.D. |
|
The Believing Brain
Changing ourselves starts with changing our beliefs.
Changing ourselves starts with changing our beliefs.
|
Workshop Abstract:
Your belief systems powerfully influence your biology, decisions, behaviors, and the community and world at large. Experience interactive Belief Exercises and the science behind them. You will learn how beliefs influence human:
These videos have been prepared for The Collaborative for Spirituality in Education, Teachers College of Columbia U. in NYC (Oct. 2022) |
Kevin's Workshop
Kevin's Slides
John's Workshop
|
Workshop Description:
Activities ...
This workshop is a first. Father, John will cross over with his son, Kevin to provide visceral demonstration on the power of belief. Kevin will use neuroscience as a lens to begin the discussion about how the brain is wired to believe and how these beliefs generate cascades of brain and bodily responses that shape humans and cultures. Kevin has been studying and presenting on the believing brain for years in the context of student and player development for high schools, colleges, and professional teams but also in scientific conferences and publications using brain imaging techniques. John will situate the discussion to the educational environment with practical and tangible exercises. He has used some of these exercises in schools (and on Kevin as he grew up). Through scintillating visuals, some data, and experiential exercises, they hope to empower you to become aware of your beliefs and their impact while also equipping you with a playbook to do the same for your students.
The Science ...
We are what we believe. Our brain is wired to allow emotions, motivations, goals, thoughts, expectations, social contexts, memories, and more influence how we perceive reality. It mediates mind-body interactions, or the impact that the mind - your thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs - have on your body, not just the internal workings of your body, but your behavior, habits, decisions, reactions, and interactions with others. In fact, the contents of your mind influence far beyond the reaches of your own body. They are the seeds of culture, revolutions, wars, societal norms, in-group out-group mentalities, prejudices, and so on...
You've seen emotions spread through a room, read about attitudes corrupting a society, and belief systems driving communities to war. You have also seen the better side of this story, the utility of understanding your beliefs, sharing them with others, and working to arrive at a solution to construct better habits, more positive working environments, and motivating team culture. Beliefs can work against us just as easily as they can work for us. The solution is to be mindful of the content that you carry around in that 3lb piece of meat between your ears.
Activities ...
This workshop is a first. Father, John will cross over with his son, Kevin to provide visceral demonstration on the power of belief. Kevin will use neuroscience as a lens to begin the discussion about how the brain is wired to believe and how these beliefs generate cascades of brain and bodily responses that shape humans and cultures. Kevin has been studying and presenting on the believing brain for years in the context of student and player development for high schools, colleges, and professional teams but also in scientific conferences and publications using brain imaging techniques. John will situate the discussion to the educational environment with practical and tangible exercises. He has used some of these exercises in schools (and on Kevin as he grew up). Through scintillating visuals, some data, and experiential exercises, they hope to empower you to become aware of your beliefs and their impact while also equipping you with a playbook to do the same for your students.
The Science ...
We are what we believe. Our brain is wired to allow emotions, motivations, goals, thoughts, expectations, social contexts, memories, and more influence how we perceive reality. It mediates mind-body interactions, or the impact that the mind - your thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs - have on your body, not just the internal workings of your body, but your behavior, habits, decisions, reactions, and interactions with others. In fact, the contents of your mind influence far beyond the reaches of your own body. They are the seeds of culture, revolutions, wars, societal norms, in-group out-group mentalities, prejudices, and so on...
You've seen emotions spread through a room, read about attitudes corrupting a society, and belief systems driving communities to war. You have also seen the better side of this story, the utility of understanding your beliefs, sharing them with others, and working to arrive at a solution to construct better habits, more positive working environments, and motivating team culture. Beliefs can work against us just as easily as they can work for us. The solution is to be mindful of the content that you carry around in that 3lb piece of meat between your ears.
|
Based on John Bickart's book, 20 Opportunities to Transform Yourself While Teaching ...
a series of practical, personal exercises in the form of wake up calls and anecdotal illustrations that show how to teach yourself to become your own transformational consultant on a daily basis. |
|
