Author Archives: Israel Galindo

About Israel Galindo

Israel Galindo is Coordinator of the Leadership in Ministry program at the Center for Lifelong Learning, Columbia Theological Seminary. Formerly he was Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary and Dean at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.

The good stuff, or, why did the chicken cross the road?

A student from my January philosophy course recently came by the office to follow up on some lingering questions. It’s always a good sign when a student pursues learning after the conclusion a course. It hints that one has achieved … Continue reading

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The Brain and Learning 7

Some years ago I took a seminar with communication guru Edwin Tufte. He concluded his seminar on communication and design with a film of a magician’s performance. The short film was a clever and effective way to demonstrate some of … Continue reading

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The brain and learning, 6

Today’s brain and learning concept: the brain learns through conscious and unconscious processes. A great deal of the insights we acquire and the patterns that we grasp are a consequence of ongoing unconscious processing, perhaps more than we realize or … Continue reading

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The brain and learning, 5

Today’s brain and learning concept: the brain perceives and creates parts and wholes. The brain has two separate but simultaneous tendencies for organizing information. One is to reduce information to parts. The other is to perceive and work with information … Continue reading

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The brain and learning, 4

Today’s brain and learning concept: emotions are critical to learning. Generally, educational enterprises tend to separating emotion from thinking. Though the importance of emotions to learning has been acknowledged the connection between emotion and cognition remains, by and large, unaddressed. … Continue reading

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The brain and learning, 3

Today’s brain and learning concept: the brain makes meaning through patterning. The human brain is not a formal logic machine. It makes sense of life experience by finding patterns and order, largely through making connections. At the heart of patterning … Continue reading

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The brain and learning, 2

Today’s brain and learning concept: the brain is social. Bowen systems theory and developmental psychologists stress that individuals must always be seen as integral parts of larger social systems. Part of our identity depends on establishing community and finding ways … Continue reading

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The brain and learning, 1

I’ll be teaching my Introduction to Teaching course during the May term. It’s a misnomer as the course actually focuses on one narrow area of teaching, namely, instruction. Two frameworks inform the approach to the course: (1) research on effective … Continue reading

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Five just plain wrong notions about leadership

On occasion I find myself startled at hearing a persistent wrong notion that just won’t go away. These notions are sometimes overheard in informal conversation, but sometimes they are offered in lectures or presentations. I don’t doubt that the people … Continue reading

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More Pomo: Gucksmann on the financial crisis

Bad ideas are like bad pennies. Despite my promise to self to have put the issue of postmodernism (pomo) to bed with “Galindo’s Last Postmodern Rant” the concept remains one of those “ideas people fall in love with.” Here’s a … Continue reading

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