How can you tell if you are a left brain? There are some very distinctive characteristics. Find out what they are.

Left Brain Traits

Left brains are seen as "smarter" and tend to be

• analytical,
• logical,
• sequential.

They do things in the "proper" order and feel there is a proper order.

They tend to do well in

• reading,
• writing,
• speech and
• math.

These subject areas have "sequential rules" and they respond to this. Lefts also naturally evaluate what's wrong and why it won't work. They are sensitive to flaws of self and others almost to the point of not being able to accept a person because of their flaws. They tend to not see the whole person but the flaw(s). The world is linear to them. The left-brained person doesn't see the end result and needs to go through the steps, one-by-one and sees the big picture when all the little steps are completed.

Word Association

On a spelling test, the left hears the word "dog." They quickly write d-o-g and wait for the next word. Usually, without doodling or looking around the room. Focusing is usually not a problem.

Careers

Left brains tend to choose careers in

• law,
• accounting,
• science.

These careers are exacting and have many rules and regulations. This is right up their alley.

Skeptical

Lefts are skeptical of anything new. It can be a new invention, work schedule, or a new appliance. They resist anything new and untried. They defend the familiar and ordinary and are likely to say, "This is how we do it here." When a new concept is mentioned, they are likely to say, "Why change things? What's wrong with the way we are doing things?" These are the people that come home from work and get upset that the furniture has been rearranged. "What was wrong with things they way they were?"

Some have called lefts the gatekeepers to new ideas. They stand at the proverbial gate ensuring that "None of those new ideas get past me!"

Speech and Music

Left-brained individuals tend to be non-verbal. Their voices tend to be on the monotone side and they don't often use their hands while speaking. They don't usually talk in excess. Why say a paragraph when three words will do? They enjoy classical music. Of course, it has a predictable beat and rhythm. No surprising syncopation to catch them off guard.

As Teachers

Their teaching style reflects their own learning style so they use:

• lecture,
• explanation
• discussion,
• rationalization,
• debate,
• reasoning,
• talk.

That's how they learn, so that's how they teach. They get frustrated with the rights and think they aren't trying to understand. They don't realize that "they" are the source of a right's frustration. They are going against the grain of a right brain.

New Ideas

Since lefts are not very good about thinking "out of the box", they rarely come up with innovative or creative ideas. When they do, it is likely that it is an idea of a right-brain that was abandoned or stolen. Once the idea has been mentioned, a left may be able to use the information and actually make the plan work. However, without the right brain, they would have never created it.

It is obvious that lefts and rights need to team up and work together. One side completes the other.

Next: Information on right brains.

Related articles: Famous Right Brains, Left Brains and Right Brains, Right/Left Brain Background, Delayed Brain Growth Better?.

Read previous articles on Educational Issues.

Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.