Comments on: Learning All the Time (Whether You Know It Or Not) http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:55:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Melody http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-558225 Melody Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:37:39 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/#comment-558225 I knew at my college orientation a few months ago, I really felt like I'd chosen a good school to attend when they were talking about how the professors understood that people learn in different ways, and that the person who's knitting in class may be the way they can best pay attention. One thing good about math and physics, is that often there's much less looking at a face, with much more looking at equations, or into the air and imagining and turning shapes and invisible forces around, whereas for say a literature class, a lot of times you just have the discussion and lecture, and there can be more expectation of eye contact and showing more obviously that you're paying attention. I knew at my college orientation a few months ago, I really felt like I’d chosen a good school to attend when they were talking about how the professors understood that people learn in different ways, and that the person who’s knitting in class may be the way they can best pay attention. One thing good about math and physics, is that often there’s much less looking at a face, with much more looking at equations, or into the air and imagining and turning shapes and invisible forces around, whereas for say a literature class, a lot of times you just have the discussion and lecture, and there can be more expectation of eye contact and showing more obviously that you’re paying attention.

]]> By: This and Last Week’s Top Posts http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-563430 This and Last Week’s Top Posts Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:27:35 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/#comment-563430 [...] bear with us. Over in the sidebar, the lists of comments and recent posts have not been updating (Learning All the Time (Whether You Know It Or Not) was posted in Friday morning) and I’m hoping that will get fixed soon. In the meantime, I [...] [...] bear with us. Over in the sidebar, the lists of comments and recent posts have not been updating (Learning All the Time (Whether You Know It Or Not) was posted in Friday morning) and I’m hoping that will get fixed soon. In the meantime, I [...]

]]> By: dkmnow http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-559062 dkmnow Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:25:56 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/#comment-559062 I took the "perhaps" as carrying a touch of irony. Okay, more than a touch. And, yeah, the more rigid the requirement (real or perceived) for "proper" eye contact, the more <i>obliterated</i> will be any ability I have for focused listening and processing. If, at the time, there's anything to trigger mental associations connected with the <i>dangers</i> of eye contact -- such as, say, the random stab of memories in which I was lavishly <i>punished</i> for my having gotten it "wrong" -- then I'm just totally screwed. But if there are no such triggers, then paying attention is often both easy and rewarding. That's one more reason why people who are habitually and unconsciously reactionary (pardon any redundancy there) in their processing of nonverbal perceptions are often a very real danger to me. And thus, one more reason why my first line of defense, as coping strategies go, must be to very strictly limit both the quantity and <i>quality</i> of social contacts and contexts that I will face. An imperfect strategy, to be sure. But it's far better than the Big Zero that other more "acceptable" strategies can offer me. I took the “perhaps” as carrying a touch of irony.

Okay, more than a touch.

And, yeah, the more rigid the requirement (real or perceived) for “proper” eye contact, the more obliterated will be any ability I have for focused listening and processing. If, at the time, there’s anything to trigger mental associations connected with the dangers of eye contact — such as, say, the random stab of memories in which I was lavishly punished for my having gotten it “wrong” — then I’m just totally screwed. But if there are no such triggers, then paying attention is often both easy and rewarding.

That’s one more reason why people who are habitually and unconsciously reactionary (pardon any redundancy there) in their processing of nonverbal perceptions are often a very real danger to me. And thus, one more reason why my first line of defense, as coping strategies go, must be to very strictly limit both the quantity and quality of social contacts and contexts that I will face.

An imperfect strategy, to be sure. But it’s far better than the Big Zero that other more “acceptable” strategies can offer me.

]]> By: Emily http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-561162 Emily Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:40:33 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/#comment-561162 Reminds me of Malcolm Gladwell. TH looks like he's completely checked out when he's listening most closely. It's something we have to let people know so that when he looks into the distance, turns his head away, etc., he's actually giving the talker his undivided attention. Looking someone in the eyes or focusing on the speaker would divide his attention completely between the visual and the auditory. And he has amazing auditory retention under those "inattentive" conditions. Reminds me of Malcolm Gladwell.

TH looks like he’s completely checked out when he’s listening most closely. It’s something we have to let people know so that when he looks into the distance, turns his head away, etc., he’s actually giving the talker his undivided attention. Looking someone in the eyes or focusing on the speaker would divide his attention completely between the visual and the auditory. And he has amazing auditory retention under those “inattentive” conditions.

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-563229 Kristina Chew, PhD Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:09:34 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/#comment-563229 Make that, there IS more than one way. Make that, there IS more than one way.

]]> By: dkmnow http://www.blisstree.com/articles/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-561142 dkmnow Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:34:24 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/learning-all-the-time-whether-you-know-it-or-not/#comment-561142 "<i>But perhaps there’s more than one way...</i>" *ping* “But perhaps there’s more than one way…”

*ping*

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