Learning and knowledge!

Awhile ago, Megan and Matt must have watched a scientific movie about learning and knowledge on Netflix. Megan had learned that when you learn something, your neurons connect and make a synapse. When that same piece of information comes up again later, you connect it back to that original connection and keep building on that knowledge. (I believe this is called a priori knowledge, but I could be wrong.)

Today as we were driving down "L" Street, she was telling me about this. I remember studying this concept in my education classes, so I was trying to tell her about it too.  I told her that this is how babies learn, they're little brains are connecting neurons right and left when they are young. Then as they grow, they keep building on those original synapses in their brains. But it doesn't just apply to babies.  The same thing happens when children and adults learn, they are also building synapses in their brains.

As we were driving, my very curious Christian was looking out the window and asked me what the certain flowers were that were growing in the grass.  I said, "Those are dandelions, Christian." He thought a minute and then said, "Like in my Thomas Book!" (He has a seek and find Thomas the train book and one of the things you have to find is a dandelion.)

I looked back and Megan and said, "See how this works. Christian noticed the dandelions in the ditch and then thought back to where he has seen them before, he went to those connected neurons that told him that he had seen them in his Thomas book. Does that makes sense?" She said it did!

I thought that was about perfect timing for that conversation! I can't wait to study the brain in a couple of days with my girls!