The Magic Show by Bev Santo

Harry Houdini drapes the purple satin tent over Babu the elephant and “whoosh”. Gone. Vanished. The audience gasps, children squeal, even the cynical gape.  An illusion of course, but the rare observer can deconstruct how the magic happened. In another 30 seconds the purple satin tent descends from the rafters and as it touches down on the stage the intake of held breath is audible. The now visible Babu stands smiling and swinging her trunk toward the crowd.

How has the magician created the illusion that Babu can appear and disappear before the wide open eyes of the audience? How is it we can look for the jar of peanut butter in the refrigerator and not see it sitting directly in front of us on the top shelf? When, where, and how do we hone our ability to perceive, to see, to observe? What if we could refine this ability to see what is directly in front of us? What if the capacity for keen observation described by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Blink could be fostered, grown, and mastered? And, what if the quality of what one learns depends on the quality of one’s ability to observe and take notice? Would it be worth educators’ time to learn how to observe intensely in and around the world? If one can master the skill of “seeing” might it be possible to foster this same skill in graduate learners?

As Ritchard, Church and Morrison have noted in Making Thinking Visible, “looking carefully to notice and fully describe what one sees can be an extremely complex and engaging task. Such close observation is at the heart of science and art” (p. 6). 

Corita Kent and Jan Steward in their book Learning by Heart: Teachings to Free the Creative Spirit observe,

There are many styles and ways of seeing. The thesaurus mentions discern, perceive, and behold as elements of seeing. To really see implies one is making an appraisal of many elements. When we finally comprehend and understand a situation our response is often, I see! Connections are made, the truth revealed. (p.33)

Try this experiment called “Exercising Your Seeing Muscles” developed by Corita Kent.

For ten minutes a day look at a plant that is native to your area. Write about the plant for 15 minutes every day, describing visual details, as well as the feel, the fragrance, and the sound made when the wind blows through it. Do ten drawings each day of the leaves or other foliage and ten drawings each day of the whole plant. This is a wonderful exercise to combat the habitual. (p.33)

Once you have done this exercise yourself for one week, you will notice that your seeing skills in other contexts are enhanced; your relationship to your chosen plant is enriched; and a greater appreciation for botany and biology in general begins to bloom. Fine details of the Globe Mallow or California Poppy become firmly planted in your mind. What was metaphorically and in varying degrees invisible to you becomes available to the senses. Babu has reappeared. Keen observation and perceptive seeing by the graduate scholars we mentor set the stage for the powerful learning we seek to inspire. 

Photo credit: law_keven / Foter.com / CC BY-SA