Inside the Mind of a Teacher

Are we all born teachers? Doctoral candidate Vanessa Rodriguez, Ed.M.'13 (@teachingbrain), thinks so. Often the discussion of how we teach is only had in relation to how we learn. So, how is it, then, that teaching can be seen in playgroups and preschools around the world — not just by the teachers, but by the children themselves?

"I started to become fascinated with the idea that I saw my nephews teaching all the time, and they were 2 years old, 3 years old," says Rodriguez. "So what were they doing?"

In her book, The Teaching Brain, Rodriguez traces the evolutionary and developmental components of the brain, coming to the conclusion that the ability and inclination to teach is not something that arises; it is innate. And not only is it a developmental skill, it is a survival skill.

In this edition of the Harvard EdCast, Rodriguez examines the intersection of education, neuroscience, and everyday experience to explain the nuances of the teaching brain.

For more, visit Ed. magazine.

About the Harvard EdCast

The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iTunes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field.