ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT
When creating an enriched environment, it is important to keep in mind the extent and kind of experiences with the natural and manmade world that your students bring with them to school. The key here is to balance that experience, not replicate it. For example, if students come to you long on TV, videos, video games, and secondhand resources (books and pictures), then the classroom must provide the REAL stuff--not books about, videos about, pictures about, replicas of, models of, but the real thing! If the environment is inner city with typical harshness, chaos, and dirtiness, then you must take the time and effort to create an environment in the classroom and school that is brain-compatible, e.g., aesthetically pleasing, clean, orderly, calming, etc.
Some other things to keep in mind: Make the environment body compatible. Eliminate clutter; avoid distraction and over stimulation. Provide each class with a broad-based reference library; trade books, current encyclopedias, CD-ROM and video discs. Change bulletin boards, displays and materials frequently; always stay current with what is being studied at the moment. Put away the old except for a few items which will job recall.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Sunday, 29 March 2009
9 BRAIN COMPATIBLE ELEMENTS
ABSENCE OF THREAT/NURTURING REFLECTIVE THINKING
What constitutes threat--real and perceived--is in the eye of the beholder. Thus, creating an environment free of threat includes a wide range of issues much like those described by Abraham Maslow. First physical safety, then psychological safety--necessary conditions for effective collaboration between teacher and students, and among students themselves, in the classroom and schoolwide. It is important to note that the environment of the school at large also spills over into the classroom. Creating a threat-free environment requires that teachers work together to alter the entire school environment.
What constitutes threat--real and perceived--is in the eye of the beholder. Thus, creating an environment free of threat includes a wide range of issues much like those described by Abraham Maslow. First physical safety, then psychological safety--necessary conditions for effective collaboration between teacher and students, and among students themselves, in the classroom and schoolwide. It is important to note that the environment of the school at large also spills over into the classroom. Creating a threat-free environment requires that teachers work together to alter the entire school environment.
Friday, 27 March 2009
9 BRAIN COMPATIBLE ELEMENTS
MOVEMENT TO ENHANCE LEARNING
Motor skills are fundamental to learning. (Eric Jensen) "Physical activity is good not only for the heart, but also for the brain, feedingit glucose and oxygen and increasing nerve connections, all of which makes it easier for children of all ages to learn. Numerous studies show that children who exercise do better in school."
Motor skills are fundamental to learning. (Eric Jensen) "Physical activity is good not only for the heart, but also for the brain, feedingit glucose and oxygen and increasing nerve connections, all of which makes it easier for children of all ages to learn. Numerous studies show that children who exercise do better in school."
Thursday, 26 March 2009
9 BRAIN COMPATIBLE ELEMENS
MEANINGFUL CONTENT
How would one describe meaningful content? That's a tricky question for an educator because, in fact, it is not the educator's question to answer. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is meaningfulness determined by the learner. And yet, it is worth answering because meaningful content is the most powerful brain-compatible element. It digs deeply into the learner's pool of intrinsic motivation and provides focus for the ever active brain, thus harnessing the brain's attention and channeling its power. Fortunately, thanks to brain research, we can do a better job than ever before of surmising what the learner beholds and how he/she processes learning.
Lack of meaning in learning something can be just a void repetition of patterns or words that have no link whatsoever to our previous knowledge, thus the information learnt cannot be stored in our long term memory.
Here is an example of how meaningless repetition leads to nothingness!!!!!! F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
How would one describe meaningful content? That's a tricky question for an educator because, in fact, it is not the educator's question to answer. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is meaningfulness determined by the learner. And yet, it is worth answering because meaningful content is the most powerful brain-compatible element. It digs deeply into the learner's pool of intrinsic motivation and provides focus for the ever active brain, thus harnessing the brain's attention and channeling its power. Fortunately, thanks to brain research, we can do a better job than ever before of surmising what the learner beholds and how he/she processes learning.
Lack of meaning in learning something can be just a void repetition of patterns or words that have no link whatsoever to our previous knowledge, thus the information learnt cannot be stored in our long term memory.
Here is an example of how meaningless repetition leads to nothingness!!!!!! F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Nine Brain compatible elements
Immediate Feedback
Each of us has personal experiences with learning when the feedback was confusing, delayed, or not forthcoming at all. Such feedback is dangerous because it too often results in development of incorrect patterns (misinformation) and programs (wrong responses). Examples abound. Many among us experience the frustration of fumbling over the spelling of a particular word; our two choices are always the same, the same incorrect version vs. the correct. Years later, we continue to fumble between the same competing set of possibilities.
Contrary to popular belief, the hardest thing the brain does is forget something it has learned, as distinguished from forgetting something it never learned in the first place or that was never meaningful....which occurs for 80 percent of the students on the bell curve who stopped just short of mastery, just short of building a program. Feedback (and time) must be sufficient for the student to develop a correct mental program.
The importance of immediate feedback to the student, then is obvious. Feedback, accurate and immediate, is needed at the time the learner is building his/her mental program to ensure that the program is accurate and to help speed up the building of a program.
We need to learn from our mistakes and the best way to do so is knowing that we are making them in the first place, so that we can work on them conscientiously. Watch this hilarious video about mistake awareness. Enjoy!!
Each of us has personal experiences with learning when the feedback was confusing, delayed, or not forthcoming at all. Such feedback is dangerous because it too often results in development of incorrect patterns (misinformation) and programs (wrong responses). Examples abound. Many among us experience the frustration of fumbling over the spelling of a particular word; our two choices are always the same, the same incorrect version vs. the correct. Years later, we continue to fumble between the same competing set of possibilities.
Contrary to popular belief, the hardest thing the brain does is forget something it has learned, as distinguished from forgetting something it never learned in the first place or that was never meaningful....which occurs for 80 percent of the students on the bell curve who stopped just short of mastery, just short of building a program. Feedback (and time) must be sufficient for the student to develop a correct mental program.
The importance of immediate feedback to the student, then is obvious. Feedback, accurate and immediate, is needed at the time the learner is building his/her mental program to ensure that the program is accurate and to help speed up the building of a program.
We need to learn from our mistakes and the best way to do so is knowing that we are making them in the first place, so that we can work on them conscientiously. Watch this hilarious video about mistake awareness. Enjoy!!
Friday, 20 March 2009
The very hungry caterpillar
For all those who love the story and enjoy reading it over and over again!!!! One of the most precious teacher resources in the google ad!!!!!
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Specially for Maira and Caro
All Wired Up: The Teenage Brain Revealed
Dr. Sheryl Feinstein is an Assistant Professor of Education at Augustina College in South Dakota, where she teaches courses in educational psychology and adolescent development. In her presentation titled “Teaching the At-Risk Teenage Brain,” Feinstein explored the functions of the teenage brain and how these processes explain their sometimes questionable behavior.Feinstein, who has conducted boundless research and written two books on the subject, defines the at-risk teenager as one in danger of emotional and/or academic problems, including youth crimes, violence, and substance abuse. Factors that put teens at risk include poverty, academic failure, and delinquent friends, among others.According to Feinstein, the adolescent brain differs from the adult brain in three primary areas:
1- There is an overproduction of dendrites (greater propensity for learning new things).
2- Pruning, or loss of dendrites not being used, occurs more rapidly.
3- The decision-making process is governed by the amygdala (rather than the frontal lobe), making teens more emotional and less logical than adults.
Use of the amygdala as the primary cerebral decision-maker is also the cause of misunderstandings, incendiary language, bad decision making, disorganization and forgetfulness. With these things in mind, teachers can use proactive and reactive strategies for possible student confrontations, including:
-Transitions are difficult; give one-step directions.
-Teach self-determination skills.
-Reduce distractions, seat them near the front, clear the desks of objects.
-Stay calm and non-confrontational.
-Don’t get off topic and don’t defend yourself.
-Don’t point the blame.
-Understanding the cerebral functions that cause certain behaviors is a big step towards knowing how to effectively teach teenagers and defuse any possible confrontations.
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