In 2010, a study took mirror neurons to the next level by identifying mirror neurons in humans. Scientists were able to utilize the intracranial electrodes implanted in 21 patients who were being treated for epilepsy. These subjects were presented with a number of facial expressions and hand-grasping movements to determine cellular activity in the brain. They recorded “extracellular activity from 1177 cells in human medial frontal and temporal cortices while patients executed or observed hand grasping actions and facial emotional expressions.” (Mukamel, Roy, et al. “Single-neuron responses in humans during execution and observation of actions.” Curr. Biol. vol. 20,8 (2010): 750-6.) What this means is that humans at the neurological level respond to the actions of others. There’s a link between observed action and performing the same action. The implications of mirror neurons for bolstering our understanding of the process of learning are immense. In this article we will explore some of the ways we can increase our awareness of neuronal activity in our students as well as practical strategies to optimize learning.

Do Mirror Neurons Even Exist?

Almost immediately after the groundbreaking study of mirror neurons in human studies, the idea of mirror neurons captured the collective imagination of society. Ramachandran’s popular TED talk boldly claimed that mirror neurons “shaped civilization.” It was all too easy to jump from neurological phenomena to claims of mind reading and an easy pathway to improving a free throw simply by watching expert videos. These claims seemed too good to be true, and in large part they are too good to be true.

Thus, when Gregory Hickok came out with his book, The Myth of Mirror Neurons (Norton, 2014), much of the momentum that had built up around mirror neurons was halted. In a nutshell, Hickok began to question the claims being made regarding mirror neurons. As a language specialist, he simply didn’t see the empirical evidence in his field of specialization nor in other fields, particularly as it relates to “action understanding.” His work points out “the many ways that the theory falls short on logical or empirical grounds.”

From the skepticism of Hickok and others, a taming of the field took place where more modest models were proposed. The current debate questions whether the mirror effect is based specifically in a mirror neuron, or whether there is a mirror system that combines multiple systems such as the visual cortex and premotor cortices (see e.g., Cecelia Hayes, et al “What Happened to Mirror Neurons?” Perspectives on Psychological Science,vol. 17,1 (2021): 153-68.) It is clear that areas of the brain “light up” when an individual sees the actions of another individual. Now the question is what mechanisms are activated when this occurs, and (more important for our purposes) what can we learn about human learning from these areas of the brain. Whether mirror neurons actually exist, it does seem that there is a mirroring system in place which gives us some potential to utilize imitation based on visual and motor inputs.

Visual and Motor Connections

Even though debate remains as to what mirror neurons are and how they operate within the brain, there are some fascinating connections that are almost intuitive. To mirror another person, one must be able to see them and then do actions in a similar way. Thus the visual cortex and motor neurons are central to what is going on with this mirror effect. Let’s break this down a bit further.

Both learning and memory are closely associated with visual inputs. Not only do we need visual inputs to read text, converting symbols into units of meaning, we also need visual inputs to read faces for non-verbal cues or to “read the room” for social cues. In the book Uncommon Sense Teaching, the authors describe the connection between vision and the brain:

“Your vision and hearing are processed in the back of your brain. This behind-most area matures first, in early childhood. Mental maturation—which means pruning and loss of flexibility—gradually moves toward the front of the brain. The very last area to mature is the prefrontal cortex, where planning and judgment take place. . . .The ability to adjust the brain’s connections doesn’t stop at maturity, however. New synaptic connections as well as pruning continue throughout people’s lifetimes.”

Barbara Oakley, et al, Uncommon Sense Teaching (New York: Tarcher Perigree, 2021), 90-91.

Vision is a fundamental process of the brain that comes online early in our development. What this means is that from the earliest ages we are taking in vast amounts of information through what we see and hear. One of the consequences of the mirror system is that we become what we see, in a manner of speaking. It is important, therefore, to carefully curate the visual environment of children. Presenting children with great works of art and the natural world around us stimulates a host of neural connections that cannot be duplicated with digital screens.

Movement is equally important to learning. Consider the act of writing. There are numerous fine motor skills that transform the electrical impulses of the neurons in our brains into a series of symbols that emerge almost effortlessly on the page. Aleksandr Luria writes in his book The Working Brain:

“Writing in the initial stages takes place through a chain of isolated motor impulses, each of which is responsible for the performance of only one element of the graphic structure; with practice, this structure of the process is radically altered and writing is converted into a single ‘kinetic melody,’ no longer requiring the memorization of the visual form of each isolated letter or individual motor impulses for making every stroke.’

Aleksandr Luria, The Working Brain (New York: Penguin, 1973), 32.

Learning to write involved imitation of a pattern of letters, and then eventually a pattern of phonemes in order to spell words correctly. The intersection of visual and motor cortices seems to be this mirror system where a strong exemplar is presented to brain such that it takes in these patterns in order to reproduce them with a high level of specificity.

We see these visual and motor connections not only with reading and writing, but also with a whole host of activities, from sketching to shooting a basketball. Increasing our awareness of this connection for learning should guide our decision making as we map out our classroom décor, as we schedule our days, and as we plan our lessons.

Imitation and Mimesis: The Classical Paradigm

We are mimetic by nature, at least that is what Aristotle conjectures in his Poetics. One of the exciting avenues the discovery of mirror neurons took us down is actually one that is rather quite old. The Greek term mimesis (μίμησις) means something like imitation or simulation. Both Plato and Aristotle agree that we as human beings represent nature through imitation. This occurs through poetry, literature, painting, drama, song, etc. Plato took a somewhat negative view of our mimetic nature, contemplating that the artist can never attain a full representation of the truth. Aristotle, however, took a more positive view of the imitative process, with the artist or poet creating a representation of reality that causes the viewer to experience a type of empathy with reality. In other words, the artist’s ability to bring out some aspect of truth touches us at a deep level, making us all the more aware of something profound, or tragic, or sublime, or transcendent.

The Circe Institute website provides an excellent overview of mimetic teaching. They explain mimesis with a beautiful description:

“Mimesis is an imitation, not of the outward form, but of the inner idea—not ultimately of an action, but of the idea expressed in that action. Every art and skill is mastered through these stages, whether in school or out. It is a modified inductive form of instruction in which students are led to understand ideas by contemplating models or types of them. These models can be found in literature, history, mathematics, the fine arts, music, other human arts and activities, and nature.”

“What is Mimetic Teaching?: A Lost Tools of Writing Excerpt,” (circeinstitute.org)

The web page goes on to delineate the seven stages of a mimetic lesson. At the heart of this model is imitation. The learner is presented with something and then is called upon to imitate.

Another classic expression of imitation is carried out through apprenticeship. Here the learner copies the master on their own journey toward mastery. The heart of the apprenticeship approach to learning is deliberate practice. The student is coached to acquire and hone skills across the disciplines.

The classical paradigm of imitation and mimesis have long been instrumental for learning knowledge and skills. Now recent research are identifying that there is a neurological underpinning to these time-tested modes of learning through imitation.

Paint, Sing, Act, Dance and Play

There are many practical steps we can take as educators in light of the emerging neuroscience in addition to the classical modes of mimesis and apprenticeship. Here I will spell out a few, trusting that others will emerge in your own creative planning for your students.

First, we should present to our students excellent visual content. Here we can consider great works of art. The masters we would want to imitate ought to be ever-present in our environment. But we can go beyond great works of art. Students should see examples of beautiful handwriting. They should see excellent mathematical and geometric models. They should observe the natural world, whether that is on a nature walk or bringing quality specimens into the classroom. Once we understand how important this idea of imitation is, then we can begin to bring before our students high quality examples in all parts of life.

I am quick to add here that narration dances about the connection between the visual and motor. When the student is reading or listening, the student should be visualizing in their mind by way of their imagination what is being read or told. Then in the act of telling back, that internal visualization is converted into something verbal. We are big proponents of narration here at Educational Renaissance, and there is ample reason at a neurological level to make this a regular practice in your classroom.

Second, the point of this mirror system is that our students put into practice the exemplary models placed before them. There is a moral and spiritual aspect to this. The call for excellent books is not merely to have expansive vocabulary and eloquent style. We are looking for moral virtue in the characters of literature and history. When the mind’s eye is filled with the heroic individual, we can then be called to follow that example. Consider the biblical passage of 1 Peter 2:21, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” At the same time that Peter identifies Christ’s suffering as the means of our salvation, he also points to Christ as the mode of living we ought to carry out, with both moral and spiritual implications.

Third, the connection between the visual and motor cortices means we need to act out what it is we are learning. I think this happens naturally when young boys and girls act out the parts of an ancient Roman battle when they are playing during recess. At a neurological level, that kind of play is linking up all kinds of synapses in the brain. At another level, children are practicing something noble. It is a way of responding to what they have visualized in their minds eye and now carry out in bodily play. There is something to becoming more and more skilled at such activities as painting, singing, acting, dancing and playing. Consider the student who has many years of practice using the drybrush watercolor technique. That student’s ability to make visual and motor connections is enhanced by that growth in skill.

New from Educational Renaissance Publishing:

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Moreover, some Christians fear, utilizing brain science to boost cognitive performance through strengthening the brain sounds like a mad scientist’s version of humanistic self-help. In our secular age, God-talk has been pushed to the margins and human innovation has taken center stage. The good news, we are told, is that with the right life plan in place, we can grow strong enough to turn our lives around on our own.

How, as Christians, can we maintain our convictions about the reality of a spiritual realm and our desperate need for God’s grace while simultaneously availing ourselves to the best of current neuroscience? What insights might scientifically-observable processes like neurogenesis and neuroplasticity yield in our calling to conform ourselves to the image of Christ?

In this blog, I will draw connections between recent findings in neuroscience with the aims of a liberal arts education. Along the way, I will consider the relationship between the body and soul, including the brain and the mind, within the context of growing spiritually and morally. Ultimately, I aim to demonstrate that a working knowledge in how to care for one’s brain is one way we can steward our human bodies well and to lead lives of virtue and wisdom in service to Jesus Christ.

Growing New Brain Cells Through a Love for Learning

One of the most stunning insights from current neuroscience is that we can grow new brain cells. As humans age, we lose brain cells over time, which is partially what leads to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Aging, of course, is unpreventable and irreversible, but the research is clear that caring for our brains can slow the aging process. By adjusting the way we eat, sleep, and exercise, we can create new brain cells that actually grow one’s brain and increase one’s cognitive capacity.

In Biohack Your Brain (HarperCollins, 2020), Dr. Kristen Willeumier (PhD, UCLA) offers practical tips for increasing neurogenesis, that is, growing new brain cells. Some of these tips include eating blueberries, learning new words, and writing with your nondominant hand (22). Interestingly, Dr. Willeumier writes, cultivating curiosity is another way for spurring neurogenesis. When humans learn for the sake of pure joy and a love for knowledge, new brain cells are created and neural connections are strengthened (184).

One of the key aims of a liberal arts education, of course, is precisely this: to cultivate a love for learning. As Kevin Clark and Ravi Jain have demonstrated in The Liberal Arts Tradition, a fantastic summary of Christian, classical education, tuning the heart is a critical stage that precedes training in the liberal arts. This stage they call “musical education” and it serves as the soil for knowledge of God, humanity, and creation to later flower (7).

It is thus important to point out that the goal of cultivating a love for learning in the earliest years of education has both affective and neurological benefits. As we put specimens of goodness, truth, and beauty before our students for them to love and pursue, their hearts (metaphorically-speaking) and brains grow.

Cultivating Intelligence and Intellectual Virtue Through the Trivium

Not only can we grow new brain cells with certain practices, but there is growing research that we can actually increase intelligence. Dr. Willeumier writes, “In terms of intelligence, research shows we can change our brain to boost intellect in a number of ways. Primary among them, perhaps unsurprisingly, is by learning new information and skills, which helps to strengthen neuronal communication and rewires parts of the brain responsible for cognitive thinking” (42). Additionally, research shows we can increase intelligence by how we eat, sleep, exercise, and handle stress.

There are many ways to think about intelligence, but we all have three main types. First, we have what is called crystallized intelligence: the knowledge, facts, and skills we have accumulated over time. Second, we have fluid Intelligence: the ability to problem solve. Finally, we have emotional intelligence: the ability to interact and connect socially with others.

Interestingly, it turns out that reading long-form narratives is the best way to boost all three.¹ Reading for extended amounts of time, at least thirty minutes, improves overall neuronal connectivity and the integrity of white matter in the brain (188). Along with reading, several other modes of language acquisition strengthen cognitive capacity. Learning new vocabulary, studying a new language, and writing all contribute to strengthening memory, growing new brain cells, and staving off neurodegenerative diseases.

In the liberal arts tradition, the language arts are known as the Trivium. These are tools for fashioning, or producing, knowledge, as opposed to subject areas, or sciences, to be studied in theory only. In other words, they are the skills for learning and using language. However, the purpose of the Trivium is not merely to increase one’s intelligence. It is growing in wisdom and intellectual virtue, ultimately to service God and neighbor (47).

As Christian, classical educators, we want to promote the pursuit of objective truth, beliefs that correspond to reality. It is encouraging, and not surprising, to see that language acquisition has been shown neurologically to increase one’s intelligence. But let us not lose sight of the fact that intelligence is not the end goal for Christians. We are to use our minds to honor and serve the Lord, especially the way we use language. While all humans will use language whether they receive a classical education or not, the Trivium prepares students to use language wisely and in service to others.

The Brain and Gymnastic Education

For time immemorial, philosophers have argued about the relationship between the mind and body. How do these two parts of a person relate? Are they ultimately one thing or two? More recently, this debate has taken a scientific edge. Are mental states reducible to firing neurons?

In an article for Biola University’s Center for Christian Thought, “Neuroplasticity and Spiritual Formation”, Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz, a research psychiatrist at UCLA, offers an interesting take on the relationship between the mind and the brain. The brain, he believes, serves as the passive recipient of experience, taking in the sensory data of the natural world. The mind, on the other hand, serves the active role of making decisions and choices about how to focus one’s attention.

Applying this approach to a current issue, Dr. Schwartz writes, “Many people are concerned about the effects of the internet on our distractibility. If ever there was an era in which the brain could be readily recognized as constantly putting out a call, ours is it. Because of this, more than ever, we now have to bring in the mind to decide what to listen to. A lot of what the brain is putting out calls about is not particularly good to listen to—certainly not to focus on.”

In this quotation, Dr. Schwartz suggests that while the brain serves as the central station for receiving sensory data, the mind’s job is to determine which data to focus on. In this way, Dr. Schwartz seems to conceive of the mind as the seat of the will, conscience, and affections. However, what Dr. Schwartz does not emphasize, at least in this article, is that the brain, neurologically-speaking, is very much active in these moments as well.

What I want to suggest is that perhaps we should think of training the brain as a form of gymnastic education, the broader training of the body. Clark and Jain write, “Education is not merely an intellectual affair, no matter how intellect-centered it must be, because human beings are not merely minds. As creatures made in God’s image, we are composite beings–unions of soul and body. A full curriculum must cultivate the good of the whole person, soul, and body” (29).

If Clark and Jain are right about the importance of promoting a fully-orbed Christian anthropology, and I believe they are, then it seems that caring for and training the brain is to be included. Fortunately, given the close connection between the mind and the brain, our lessons already lend themselves to this sort of training. As I have already shown above, training in the language arts grows new brain cells and strengthens neural networks. But it is worth stating and remembering that God has given us brains, which are physical organs, and we should care for them as we do other parts of our physical bodies.

Physicality and Christian Formation

There is one final point I would like to make about the relationship between the brain and liberal arts education. It is the idea that Christian formation, which is ultimately a spiritual process, often occurs through physical means.

In “The Physical Nature of Christian Life: Formation and Flourishing”, Dr. Brad Strawn and Dr. Warren Brown, psychology professors from Fuller Theological Seminary, write, “Humans cannot be reduced to disembodied souls or immaterial minds. We are embodied and embedded creatures. Our physicality matters, including our brains. Humans are formed and transformed through embodied and embedded experiences. Personhood is not the immaterial reality, but an embodied one.”

There is much to unpack in this quotation, and I do not agree with all of their philosophical conclusions, but I do think they point out something important. Sometimes when thinking about how to help students grow spiritually, we think of their relationship with God in individualistic and gnostic terms. In other words, we summarize Christian formation as a private encounter between God and their individual souls. But what these psychologists helpfully remind us is that often our relationships with God grow in communal settings. Whether it be the weekly church gathering, summer Bible camp, or small group Bible studies, we grow as Christians through embodied and communally-embedded moments.

Thinking about how adults grow in these settings as much as children, the psychologists write, “Many of the same formative social processes are at work in adults as in children: imitation, attachments, and life-forming narratives. What is at stake in ongoing adult development is the degree to which wisdom and virtue come to characterize persons.”

As we seek to cultivate wisdom and virtue in our students, as well as ourselves, we should remember that this endeavor, though moral and spiritual in nature, has a connection to our physicality. We should think through how we can harness physical experience to form our students in wisdom and virtue.

Conclusion

There is a lot more that could be said here. As we educate the hearts, minds, and souls of our students, how should we understand what is happening to the brain? In this blog, I have reflected on the relationship between neuroscience and the liberal arts. As educators, I believe we can use the insights of modern brain science to not only take better care of our physical bodies. We can use these insights to strengthen the liberal arts education we offer our students to help them grow in wisdom and virtue, and ultimately, in service to Jesus Christ.

Endnotes

1. Kidd DC, Castano E. Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind in Science (6156): 377-380)

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