Where does cognition originate? TDSers engaged with and visualized this profound philosophical question through the project From Touch to Thought, which is part of the Grade 10 Social Sciences and Humanities curriculum and marks a significant milestone in Their journey to understanding human cognition.
Over the course of nearly six weeks, Grade 10 students designed unique handbooks exploring approaches and attitudes essential for perceiving the world. Through their creative lens, each handbook became a vibrant work of art, reflecting individual design perspectives and personal expression. Some students meticulously hand-drew and decorated their entire handbook, while others embraced collage art styles, transforming abstract concepts into visually compelling compositions. These handbooks not only summarized lessons on the origins of cognition but also encapsulated fascinating insights into sensory perception, experience, and thought.
During the project showcase, TDSers confidently guided the audience through a journey back in time, explaining the roots of cognition and the significance of the senses. From ancient times, humans sought to understand and conquer the world to survive and overcome fears. Once basic survival needs were met, humanity pursued knowledge to build a better and more civilized life. In this journey of cognition, the senses acted as the first tools to vividly perceive the world, experience facilitated quicker and more precise decision-making, and thought provided the reasoning and judgments necessary to seek truth.
The project also included dynamic interactive activities through three rounds of competition, representing the three facets of understanding the world: Sensory Challenges, Experience Lens, and Thought Breakthrough. Teams competed in exciting challenges like guessing objects, identifying sounds, decoding proverbs, and solving thought-provoking questions. The event hall buzzed with laughter and cheers from the audience, who enthusiastically participated and supported the contestants.
A highlight of the project was the artistic performances by TDSers. Class 10Burlington delivered a memorable reenactment of the literary work The Ivory Comb, combining traditional music genres such as lyrical folk songs and vọng cổ. Their performance conveyed a powerful message about the enduring value of humanity and the strength of compassion, even in the harshest circumstances. It also reflected the pain and loss of war while expressing gratitude to the soldiers who sacrificed for the nation’s independence and peace. This performance was a heartfelt tribute on the occasion of the Vietnam People’s Army Foundation Day on December 22.
Quynh Anh (10Burlington) shared: “The Grade 10 Literature project provided us with a stage to showcase our creativity and talents in areas such as presentation, design, art, and quick thinking. We gained a deeper understanding of the concepts of cognition, the significance of sensory perception, and how our ancestors utilized their senses in labor and production. Having the opportunity to independently research, propose ideas, and present them made learning more enjoyable and helped us retain knowledge more effectively.”
From Touch to Thought is not just an academic project but a reflection of The Dewey Schools’ differentiated teaching methodology. At Dewey, every student is empowered to discover their unique potential through real-world experiences. We believe that when students are given the freedom to innovate and take ownership of their learning journey, knowledge becomes a memorable and rewarding adventure.
