I have read studies
and heard various views
about tactile learning,
but I wasn’t able to identify it in myself
until recently.
I probably appear to be ignoring
the world around me
as I doodle
badly sketch
slowly move the pen
in endless circles
in the margins.
But if I am doing something
tactile,
I am usually paying more attention
than if I sit in my chair
looking forward,
hands in my lap.
Social conventions do tend to dictate
that I look up,
attempt to make some version of eye contact,
nod at appropriate
irregular intervals
and maybe even smile slightly.
Blinking once-in-a-while is also helpful.
My defensive side
feels the need to
interject
that I do listen
pay attention
engage.
I just pay
better attention
if I don’t have to waste my bandwidth
on required mannerisms,
and I allow myself some room
to listen
learn
absorb.
If I sit quietly,
hands folded or by my side,
look forward
and watch
a teacher
pastor,
TV show or
movie,
my recall tends to be very
limited
because my mind wanders
shifts
sneaks
into other areas.
I have figured out
that holding something
like a pen – and using it beyond just taking notes –
helps me focus
stay in the now
and retain the information later,
meaning,
doodling
actually helps me
pay attention.
During Academy* last semester,
I tried setting up a laptop on the kitchen counter
with a notebook next to it
so I could take notes,
and make dinner
while listening to the podcast.
I found that when I was standing up
and doing something else
that was mostly mindless,
I paid attention the entire time.
When I did miss something
because a pot started to boil
or I got ice from the freezer,
I noticed I missed something,
scrolled back a few seconds and
continued.
I was so engaged in what I was doing,
that I was paying attention to
everything.
All of this would have been very useful information
when I was in school,
but of course, it took an elective
no credit
voluntary course at church
to figure this out.
At least it should come in handy
for next semester’s Academy.
And maybe
I should be on the lookout
for a stand-up desk.
*Academy is a six-semester class at our church where we study the Bible and theology.