The Brain

The Brain

I never thought that the brain could develop for, but research shows that there are better ways to make it grow even for adults. According to the article “You Can Grow Your Brain,” the brain is like a muscle and can get stronger when it is used. Before this, people thought that the brain was a mystery, and people are born intelligent. I thought people were born dumb and stayed that way for the rest of their life. The essay will show how my views have changed regarding the ability to learn new things and develop skills and how I may apply the knowledge gained from the article in learning.

When weightlifters lift weight consistently, the muscles get stronger, and they can lift more weight in the future. Whether, when they stop exercising, the tissues shrink and get weaker, hence the phrase “use it or lose it” (You Can Grow Your Brain 1). When individuals continually use their brains, more extensive networks are formed between the neurons enabling a person to think or solve problems.

The article explores the case of an experiment where scientists selected a group of people who were not jugglers for an investigation. Half of the people were taught how to do juggling in the right way and got better after practicing for a long time. The other half did not get better since it did not practice. After scanning the brains of the two groups, the scientists found that the brains of those who practiced juggling grew in the parts that control juggling skills, which are the visual and the motor areas of the brain. The experiment showed that the learning process causes a permanent change in the brain by creating stronger connections between brain cells (You Can Grow Your Brain 2). Therefore, a person becomes smarter.

Moreover, the article has encouraged me that I can improve my knowledge and skills in weak areas. I have always thought that I could not handle subjects such as mathematics well. However, I have learned that through exercising my brain, I can excel in arithmetics as I do in other disciplines. By continually challenging myself with difficult questions, I can be useful in areas I had difficulties initially. Also, after going through the article, I have concluded that I can learn new things or new topics. My brain can get strong enough to deal with any challenge if I exercise and train it to deal with new problems. I have, therefore, learned to keep an open mind when developing my knowledge or learning new things.

Application in the Learning Process

I have always had a problem with writing several kinds of materials. Brainstorming for the idea and reading to formulate what to write about has proved challenging in the past. However, with a proper strategy, I will improve my writing skills. A good plan would involve regular practicing on how to write different modes of writing. Also, by continually asking for help where needed, I will be able to get directions where I do not understand. By putting effort, I will be able to improve my writing and all the areas I have problems

However, constant practicing is not a guarantee to improve knowledge regarding a given topic. What matters is whether I challenge my brain by learning something new. Since I know I can handle new ideas and develop the existing ones; I will ensure I challenge my brain to improve my learning capacity. I know that I am not dumb, and I can excel in any area if I continuously practice and keep challenging my brain.

Conclusion

The article explained that the human brain could grow and get stronger even for adults. Also, the juggling experiment showed that human mental ability could increase with learning and proper practicing. People are not born dumb and can handle new knowledge or improve the existing one if they practice. Besides, the ideas from the article can significantly impact on my learning process. Practicing and learning new things and help an individual to solve problems quickly and become an efficient thinker.