Raising a Left-Brain Child in a Right-Brain World: Strategies for Helping Bright, Quirky, Socially Awkward Children to Thrive at Home and at School

by Katharine Beals

Does your Have impressive intellectual abilities but seem puzzled by ordinary interactions with other children? Have deep, all-absorbing interests or seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of certain subjects? Bring home mediocre report cards, or seem disengaged at school, despite his or her obvious intelligence? If you answered "yes" to these questions, this book is for you. Author Katharine Beals uses the term "left-brain" to describe a type of child whose talents and inclinations lean heavily toward the logical, linear, analytical, and introverted side of the human psyche, as opposed to the "right brain" a term often associated with our emotional, holistic, intuitive, and extroverted side. Drawing on her research and interviews with parents and children, Beals helps parents to discover if they are raising a left-brain child, and she offers practical strategies for nurturing and supporting this type of child at school and at home. Beals also advises parents in how best to advocate for their children in today's schools, which can be baffled by and unsupportive of left-brain learning styles.

Genres: Education, Parenting, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had some issues with the author's basic working definitions, but she is sincerely trying to help kids survive in a system that is not designed for everyone, so I'm on her side. If the book wakes some educators up to the fact that group activity is not an especially good way for many children to focus and learn and that solitary play is the usual ground of creativity, then good for Ms. Beals. I did not agree with her separating of personal traits into left-brain and right brain. There are plenty of bright, quirky (hate that overused word) and socially awkward kids who are artists, neither math geniuses nor anlaytic types, and are bad at or uninterested in sports. The other objection I have to this kind of categorizing is that people do not stay the same. A child might be shy for years and then surprise you by becoming confident and downright outgoing. A physically awkward child could take up dance and be exceptional at it--because of the depth of feeling that can accompany introversion.

I strongly disagree with the author's stating that extroversion is a right-brain trait. I do agree that our culture favors extroversion and, especially in grade school, often misjudges the introvert as weak or strange. The problem once again is that once you label a person introvert or extrovert they will do something to prove you wrong sooner or later. Also, an introverted person may be in pain, may want to be more overtly expressive. An extrovert may also be suffering and needing to learn a different orientation for self-renewal or for greater well-being.

Enough with the categorizing. What one famous virologist said about efforts to categorize viruses might be applied to the compulsive categorizing of people: "viral species designations are "fuzzy sets with hazy boundaries." Their main function is to make it possible for scientists to talk about a given entity.

This book is of great value because it elaborates on the ways that schools do not accomodate differences in learning style, social relating, and distance from the norm. In an effort to include everyone at times they actually exclude, ostracize and humiliate. This author is a real mom with real kids who is trying to educate people so that they don't measure her kids and kids like them by some generic idea of what a person should be like. I applaud that.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this book for all parents who have a child in school - not just "left brain thinkers". It talks about what is wrong with our education system - mostly as it pertains to "left brainers" but I think it's important to note the changes that have happened in the system since most of us were in school.

Unfortunately the book doesn't have a lot of answers. She does offer suggestions on how to get accommodations for our children, but the book obviously can't solve the larger picture problems.

[Lanita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I skimmed some of this book as it did not pertain to our situation, it did open my eyes to the way "left-brainers" think and learn. I can better understand why our left-brainer gets frustrated at school as the book explained how society has shifted to a teaching style better suited for right-brainers. Very interesting. It also gave me some ideas on how to help our little left-brainer.

[Amy Mauney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could basically have been called: What’s Wrong with Our Education System. Don’t bother if you already homeschool.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

There have been some useful sections in this book that contain concrete suggestions for how to help a left-brain kid succeed in different situations (e.g. play-dates). Most of the book, however, seems to be an argument of how the current educational system is bad for left-brain kids, with an emphasis on Reform Math. Actually, it seems to be a complete bashing of the current model for all kids. I can believe that the system in place today in many schools works against left-brain kids. However, it's not clear (to me) that all these new methods are bad for right-brain kids. The author believes that about 85% of the population is right-brained, so it does make sense to steer education in their favor.

Overall, while I found the book interesting, I did not find it particularly helpful. Most of the book focused on school, not home, and addressed the shortcomings of the educational model currently in place in most public schools. The discussion on Reform Math was repetitive, and (after the first discussion) not very enlightening. As much as I would love to change the school system to teach all kids more effectively, what I really need as a parent are some new strategies I can implement today.

[GeekChick]

Just arrived in the mail tonight. I think this will help me better understand the struggles my intelligent, analytical child faces in our current school system. Already I've learned a few things, just from the introduction.

Right-brained world? I thought. I always thought we lived in a real left-brain society. But Beals explains how things have changed since I was a kid. The entire educational philosophy emphasizes group work, group discussion, and other such things -- methods that are considered right-brained.

I've only read about 15 pages or so, and already my reaction is, "No wonder my kid is doing poorly in math/having trouble with school/etc."

If you have an intelligent child who is shy, socially awkward, or otherwise oddly unsuccessful in certain areas, you might want to check this out.

[Jonathan Karmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, I feel like I can completely relate to the idea of being left-brained. On the other hand, my understanding from other sources is that there is no scientific basis for the concept that some people are "left-brained" and others are "right-brained." I find this paradoxical. I wish Beals would talk a little bit more about herself -- is it really just her child that she's talking about or herself too? Beals has an interesting and active blog for people interested in this topic.

[Joanna Jurgens · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the parent of an extremely "left-brained" child, this book was a God-send. It was as if it was written specifically about my son and all the issues we are struggling with. I cannot speak to the psychology of it or validity from a professional perspective, and I cannot really say that it gave me any new or useful advice; but it was really helpful in showing me that I am not alone. Sometimes all we need is understanding of our situation, and this book gave me that.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful read--I learned a lot about my own childhood!