The Artist's Zone

Zone into the Art of Education

Focus like an artist in a zone. The art of educating a child is valuable to the future of humanity!

When you look at education, can you see the skill of the artist/educator? Ever witnessed an educator in action and actually “reaching” the students? Is he bored with his job? Or does he seem magnetic and dynamic? Would you want a surgeon to focus like an artist? If your dentist viewed dentistry as a skilled artform, would you trust her?

Education & Neuroscience PD Information

The Science I Explored

Your brain’s attention system also helps you to switch your focus back and forth as required. It also enables you to divide your attention between two things at once when you are trying to multitask. And whilst on some occasions you only need to focus your attention for a moment, other times you need to maintain your focus over time - so called sustained attention.

It is this latter process of being able to hold your attention selectively on a particular goal or task whilst blocking out the unwanted noise over a period of time, which allows you to achieve mental focus.

There is no single “attention center” in your brain. Instead, your ability to focus your attention depends on a widespread network of brain regions which collectively make up your brain’s “attentional system.” It is a system which closely interfaces with your thoughts, actions, and feelings to help them operate more efficiently.

Engaging this network, therefore, not only improves not only your attentional focus, but also more broadly - your mental focus.[1] 

…Excessive focus exhausts the focus circuits in your brain. It can drain your energy and make you lose self-control. This energy drain can also make you more impulsive and less helpful. As a result, decisions are poorly thought-out, and you become less collaborative.

So what do we do then? Focus or unfocus?

In keeping with recent research, both focus and unfocus are vital. The brain operates optimally when it toggles between focus and unfocus, allowing you to develop resilience, enhance creativity, and make better decisions too.[2]

Wear Your Inspiration!

A Situation

The educator decides in her heart about being an educator. Schools and classrooms are where this educator feels most alive and filled with purpose. The decision to educate on a master-artist level is unwavering and, quite honestly, filled with love. The role is clear.

Educator as Artist Zone Method

Educating, as with all art forms, consists of many simple occasions of mastery in order to express a great level of skill and expertise in the classroom. A dancer needs physical strength, rhythm and timing, balance, coordination, quick reflexes, memory, and more just to be considered good. An awe-inspiring dancer can move a viewer to tears simply with their connection to their movements. Similarly, an educator will master various skills before being truly able to be called a “great teacher.”

We know great skill is truly needed for artists and athletes. But I put forth the idea that all people, having chosen a career they love, are artists. The landscaper is an artist. The farmer and the firefighter have mastered many skills that equal the level of focus all artists use in order to be great. I see this ability in educators as well. We, as a society, are now waking up to see the artistry in every profession.

We also know that all artistry requires focus. Let me propose a plan for the educator artist to get into the zone. Create your own “Educator/Artist Checklist.” Reflect on these three items first:

• Do I know and own my purpose?

• What does my future in education look like?

• Do I have a daily “best case scenario” routine?

Describe those items for yourself, then take a break. Have a beverage or a cracker. Or just take your eyes off the page or computer screen for a few minutes.

After your break, expound on these next three ideas:

• Do I have a plan for taking a mental health day?

• Do I have a system of self-evaluation?

• What is my plan for venting my frustrations?

(Some of the questions are ‘yes’/ ‘no’ questions. But it’s up to you to expound. This is your journey, not a right and wrong answer situation)

Mental health, self-evaluation, and venting intertwine with your ultimate health and well-being and should be given thoughtful considerations. After which, you will need a second break to reset. Get up. Walk around the room or outside. Dance to your favorite music. Just move about in your preferred way.

Finally, I want you to examine these three elements:

• How do I truly examine my curriculum?

• In what areas will I participate in professional development?

• How do I know if I have solid teaching strategies?

Now, educator/artist, you are well on your way. Say it with me: “My artistry is education!”

I believe we can broaden our thinking. I’m not saying all that we have already learned is useless or wrong. I just hold the belief that we can always expand our knowledge—and that helps us provide an ever-improving learning experience. I honestly think we should just go for it—for the expansion of our thoughts. Starting from a space of love is crucial to everything. A love for myself, a love for the children I teach, and a love for the art of being an educator make the difference and fuel my actions.

[1] Dr. Robert Pastore, “The Neurochemistry of Focus,” PowerOnPowerOff, updated May 10, 2020, https://poweronpoweroff.com/blogs/longform/the-neurochemistry-of-focus.

[2] Srini Pillay, “Your Brain Can Only Take So Much Focus,” Harvard Business Review, updated May 12, 2017, https://hbr.org/2017/05/your-brain-can-only-take-so-much-focus.