Chapter Summary:
Myelin, the layers of insulation wrapped around our nerve fibers, plays a vital role in how our brains tick, particularly when it comes to developing skills. Myelin grows when circuits fire. When more circuits fire, skills are being obtained. Myelin can control the speed and timing of our impulses, "Myelin is infrastructure all right, but with a powerful twist: within the vast metropolis of the brain, myelin quietly transforms narrow alleys into broad, lightening-fast super-highways."
In short, "nerve firings grow myelin, myelin controls impulse speed, and impulse speed is skill."
Key Terms:
Myelination
Skill circuit
Key Concepts:
Every time we deep practice, and we are growing the myelin in our skill circuit, and thickening that sheath around the nerve fiber. Imagine that nerve fiber (or skill circuit) as a thread, and each time we practice we are adding another thread thickening the chord between neurons. This is what helps us obtain more developed skills, and strengthens the memory of that skill, so our impulses are immediate.
Making Connections:
I want to always be seeking out knowledge in all aspects, and practice more deeply so that I can make my skills an immediate reaction, not one where it takes me a moment to find that right place of singing. By installing this upon myself, I think that I would be able to become a better teacher, because I would be encouraging my students to do the same. It is a much more productive and effective way of practicing, and it makes me excited that I can improve my ability to learn.
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