Generalization

Over the last few years in my undergraduate studies in communication disorders and now in grad school, I've learned how important it is to help clients generalize what they learn in therapy into their everyday lives. If a student can pronounce a beautiful /r/ during therapy sessions but doesn't carry it over in his classroom or at home, then it's of no usefulness to them. From my experience so far with speech therapy, this is the most difficult part! It takes a lot of work and creativity to equip the child to use what they learn in the unnatural setting of a therapy session and make good use of it. If it isn't done, then all the time in therapy is in vain.
So yesterday I was thinking about this and suddenly it hit me! (what you ask? oh, I shall tell you) I struggle with this too! ..not in the speech and language aspect but in other areas... sometimes I have a hard time generalizing the intellectual things I learn to my heart. In church the other week our pastor was talking about this and it's been on my mind. It's so easy to know the theology of Christianity but not let it sink into your soul. And it's from the 'sinking into your heart' part that compels us to action -be it our attitude or actions to others.. (isn't my connection here cool?). Generalization is the opposite of compartmentalizing; it's 'carry-over'. And just like the type of generalization I try to get my students to have, I too need to do it. If I don't, then what I learn remains segmented from my actions of day to day life.