In two minds : the interaction of moods, emotions and purposeful thought in formal education.

Abstract

An aim of this account is to show that, in teaching and learning, the intellectual system is not everything. Through some kinds of purposeful thought, commonly seen as worthy of development in the classroom and familiar to teachers, the account offers examples of how the emotional system can both help and hinder that thought, and, at times, be an essential part of it. A second aim is to illustrate, albeit briefly, that when the interaction between the two systems is ignored, classroom practices can act against the success of strategies intended to support learning and develop thinking competences. Finally, it describes how this interaction may be managed so that it supports teaching and learning practices. The need for further exploration of the classroom interaction of moods, emotions and cognition is mentioned, particularly where this leads to classroom strategies for its management. It is suggested that the interaction of the emotional and the intellectual systems should be taken into account when devising and testing intellectual strategies for teaching and for learning.