The Right Brained Revolution.


The Right Brained Revolution has its roots in three main ideas:

  1. Some children are more right brained dominant in the way they learn and how they see the world: some children are more left brained dominant in the way they learn and how they see the world. One is not better than the other; they are different. From a social and evolutionary perspective these differences are important and we require both types of learners in the world. However, schools are more biased towards left brained systems and left brained learners. Hence a need to positively promote right brained learning.
  2. If a child is not succeeding in learning in a given area: it is not the child that needs to change – it is the way the learning is offered.
  3. Labels (such as dyslexia and ADHD) are the left brainers way of coping (by sorting) that right brained learners learn in a different way to them. In fact ALL learners sit along continuums of learning styles and needs.


Right Brained and Left Brained
Past research in science has found that there are two main sides to the brain: the right side and the left side. It was believed that the left side favoured: language, logic, numbers, sequence and order, and the right side favoured: pictures, rhythm, creativity, intuition and emotions. We now know that this is too simplistic a way to look at how the brain works and in fact at any given time parts of the right brain and left brain are working together aided by other areas such as the frontal lobes.


However, although scientists continue to find more and more exciting complexities of how the brain works the roots of the idea that the left side of the brain works in an essentially language, linear and systemised way, and the right brain works in a more holistic, intuitive creative way have still held.


The Educational System
The Educational system is a primarily left brained system. It is run along left brained linear ideas (teach/assess/label). The hierarchy of people that work in the educational system is left brained – from the Ministry of Education down to the majority of teachers that work face to face with children.
This means that left brained curriculum areas and left brained teaching methods are prioritised over right brained ways of learning. This has immeasurable consequences for the right brained child who is trying (and often failing ) to survive, let alone learn, in a left brained world.
The Right Brained Revolution has multi-prongs:

  1. Classes are offered for right brained children to teach them: a) How to succeed in a left brained world – in areas of literacy and maths b) How they best learn.
  2. Exciting workshops in art, drama, creative writing, dance and other right brained areas are offered to inspire right brained children.
  3. Presentations and workshops are offered at schools and to parents to promote right brained friendly learning environments.