2 minute read
book review
Heaven and Hell The Psychology of the Emotions
by Neel Burton Acheron Press (2015) Reviewed by Arjun Ray
In this book the author describes 29 key emotions that human beings experience, including sadomasochism. Each emotion is explained in five to seven pages and is at par with the others. Higher order emotions find the same value as boredom, laziness and lust. Apart from just one brief sentence to say that emotions do not receive their due importance in education, there is otherwise no connection with education in the entire book. It ends just there. Period. Surprisingly, the author makes no mention of creativity as being an emotion; it is certainly not a left-brain attribute!
Undoubtedly, schools focus disproportionately on high scores in examinations, at the cost of neglecting the noncognitive skills of individuals that are essential for learning and unlocking human potential. The emotional context in which children grow up is vital. Academic rigour is not cognitive performance; rather, it includes critical emotional, spiritual and aesthetic competencies such as creativity, grit, mindfulness, compassion, and higher order emotions such as empathy and love. We may call them survival skills in a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex, chaotic and ambiguous. One might have expected Neel Burton to weave in this connection. For teachers to be able to benefit from the author’s rich experience, it would be worthwhile to reflect on his suggestions as to how teachers are expected to create an enriched classroom environment that is mindful, collaborative, social and free from stress.
From a psychiatrist’s perspective, the author was well qualified to recommend why and how emotional intelligence and happiness are trainable, and how the right type of neuro-rewiring of teachers and students is possible, in order to improve positivity and disposition.
Traditionally, an effective teacher is considered to be one who displays expertise in knowledge of content, pedagogy and disposition. In all conversations and writings, teacher disposition receives scant attention. There are just about six books written on disposition! In the 21st century the role of teachers is to unlock their own potential and that of the children for whom they are responsible, thus preparing them for an uncertain life that lies ahead. Given the power of the Internet, content is no longer an issue. It is a toss-up between pedagogy and disposition. Even if teachers are masters of pedagogy, learning is unlikely to happen if they are not able to engage the students and motivate them to learn. Teacher disposition is the key to learning, although pedagogy is important.
Regrettably, this book is likely to be of limited usefulness to teachers and schools.
