iQ, mEq, uQ, eQ, WeQ

While working on my website and emails today, a tweet popped up about college students and getting grades for their emotional intelligence.
I clicked on the link and read through the artical.  I reminded me of the book published in 1998 called “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”

The question was whether college students should be given grades for emotional intelligence?    (the question)

Then I read a comment from a person who asked “give credit for breathing?”   That got me thinking — look out folks.   I’m back at it again, analyzing.   So, consider the fact that at age nine I started learning to play oboe.  My lungs not yet fully developed (that process is completed at age 12), and there I was holding an instrument in my hands in which I had to, ever so slowly, hold and control my breath.   hmmm, I think.  I became a professional oboist about 12 years later (getting paid to perform and/or teach).   Did I get “credit” for breathing or for controling my breath?   I sorta think so.   You can see my breath condensate (my science knowledge) on the inside of this oboe.  Does that makes my invisible breath real?

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At what point will we as humans, begin to accept that emotions ARE part of our existence.   They are as real (or unreal, sometimes) as our breath.  Emotions ARE real.  Ask the folks who lost a loved one in one of the countless, senseless shootings across this country and world.   What is the worst part of a death — not the loss of the body — but the loss of the spirit of the person, the personality, the air space the person occupied, the feelings that came WITH the person.   Emotions can not be replaced with things or money.   They ARE real.  They need to heal just as any other part of our body needs to heal after a “boo boo” or down right surgery.   Emotions are housed in our brains.

Subjective. Sure.  So is art, music, writing, reading, dance, sports, medicine, lanquage, science.  Lots of subjects are subjective.  What we need is a form of measurement like the mathmeticians have managed to get to work in their favor.   “It’s all about the numbers.”  — one of my very unfavorite comments in the last year.   There are SO many aspects of life that are “priceless” that have nothing to do with numbers.

iQ vs eQ (the difference)

Poder These:

iQ – intelligence quotient (answer)

eQ – emotional quotient (answer)

mEq – abbreviation for milliequivalent

hiQ – (answer)

uQ – university quotient — OK, this was odd

WeQ – wind erosion eQuation, worry emotionality questionaire, war event questionaire, work experience questionaire (check this out)

wiQ – Waring Intimacy Questionaire, Walking Impairment Questionaire, (huh?)

theyQ – alien emotions — just kiddin’ (or not?)

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. (answer)

My Mini and Me

When I shift into gear in my car, it is a pleasure all its own. I thoughouly enjoy driving a manual transmission vehicle. I find I’m fully “engaged” when I have the need to use my left foot, right foot, left hand, right hand (sounds a bit like Twister) Driving manual transmission activates the entire brain – right/left hemisphere. Perhaps driving manual transmission is similar to playing a woodwind instrument.

With oboe, I need to use both hands, tongue, lips, air, eyes, ears as well as both hemispheres of my brain. Sometimes I get to tap my feet and sing, too.

I’m sure that’s another reason I didn’t find playing violin interesting enough when I was 8 years old (besides the shrill of the bow across the strings). The violin just didn’t provide enough opportunity for a full body experience. Ok, I may have gained more respect and gigs much sooner (the world caters to strings). I would have sustained more income through tough economic times, but what’s the point if I couldn’t reach the heart enough and soul of others as I have with my oboe playing. At age 9, I chose to play the dynamic, all-inclusive double reed instrument — the OBOE.

My jokes — it’s a 4 letter word! So is “reed” and “solo” — both are crucial to the formulation of sound and the importance of the player. Why be one of many in a big section of musicians? As an oboist I’m almost always a soloist. That doesn’t mean I can’t play well with others. I enjoy the comoradery of chamber musicians, but I sure enjoy the challenge of showing up alone for a gig with an entire chorus — and ME, the oboist.

I enjoy hearing and sensing the shifting of gears with my “new” Mini. It’s Me. I’m somewhat of a loaner — not alone — but not common like a miniVAN, SUV, Ford F10, Honda Accord, Chevy Camaro.

So I’ve added another family member to the “four”some words: Mini.

Love of Language

I already speak the universal language – MUSIC.   I speak fluent English.  I studied French 35 years ago (remember un peu).  Now I’m ready for Spanish.  I’ve spent a couple months listening to CDs.  I enjoy auditory learning 2nd best to hands-on training.   I just signed up for a new online program.   The concept of learning auditory, visually and by pressing buttons on my keyboard was appealing.   AND there are supposed to be lessons with songs and movies.   I’ve never been motivated by learning for grades nor for being paid to do the work I love.  Doing the best job possible and leaving a lasting result for humanity has always been my motivation. I’m an intrinsic learner.

Also came across this article on a blog:

Drive by Daniel Pink – Grades Can De-Motivate Us to Learn Spanish

Surprisingly, grades and other external motivators, can de-motivate us says Daniel Pink.

You might guess that getting a reward like money or a good grade would really motivate us to do something good like learn Spanish or any other language.

But according to Daniel Pink, author of “Drive – The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” that’s not how motivation works.

“Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money. [Or maybe grades Ed.] That’s a mistake. . . The secret to performance and satisfaction — at work, at school, and at home — is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.”

 Learn How To Motivate Yourself and Others

If you have ever found yourself less motivated to learn Spanish, French or your favorite language than you wish you were, then you should read Drive.   According to Daniel Pink, and a lot of careful scientific research that he cites, adding expected external motivators like money or grades often has the unexpected effect of reducing motivation.

Small children who like to draw, will spend less time drawing if you start giving them certificates for drawing.

If you are a teacher who needs to motivate your students, or you just want to learn how to motivate yourself, you will probably enjoy Drive by Daniel Pink.

More is Better

More Training, More Creative

Here’s a deceptively simple fact: for repertoires of behavior to contribute to the generative process, they must first exist. In other words, the more training you have and the more diverse that training is, the greater the potential for creative output. Letting kids float around a classroom from one “activity center” to another is not the way to go; when we’re on our own, we gravitate toward a very narrow range of learning opportunities. The creative process is spurred on by multiple well-established repertoires of behavior. Traditional, structured, aggressive methods of teaching and training have special value in laying a foundation for creativity

A contradiction? Didn’t I say that first-grade teachers were monsters who stifled creativity by doing too much teaching? The problem with traditional education is not that it teaches diverse subjects or subjects that lack apparent utility; the problem is that it doesn’t allocate any time and training for creativity as such. Kids need to learn things that they don’t want to learn–not just to become good citizens, but also to become more creative people.

If you want to enhance your own creativity, take courses in subjects you know nothing about. Once a year, at least, take a course at a local college in the last thing you’d ever want to know about. Land’s own breakthrough invention came about because of training he had in crystallography, chemistry, and other fields. The invention of Velcro, the modern theory of electron spin, and countless other advances were made possible because their creators had training in diverse fields.

— the above info was found online —