Brain Tips - Teaching and Learning

[Guest guest]

Members may enjoy reading the below:

If you agree that our brains are designed for learning, then as

educators (coaches) it is incumbent upon us to be looking for ways to maximize

the learning process for each of our students / athletes, as well as for

ourselves. Some of what follows is simply common sense, but I've learned that

all of it has a scientific basis in our brains.

10 Brain Tips That Help Me Teach…and Learn

-- By Laurie Bartels

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/07/03/10-brain-training-tips-to-

teach-and-learn/#more-1438

Excerpts:

1. Review and 2. Reflection are two means for thinking about

what is being learned. Review can be done in the moments after a

question is posed, a comment is made, a passage is read, an activity

is done, or directions are given, providing ample time to think about

what has taken place, process the information and respond

accordingly.

Reflection encompasses not only a response to actual material but

also thinking about how one learns.

3. Metacognition, and with each iteration you learn more about

yourself as a learner. We empower our students and ourselves when we

take the time for reflection, because the more we understand about

how we each learn, the better we can become at learning....

4. Sleep is another way to consolidate learning, which is one reason

getting a full night of uninterrupted sleep is important. Of course,

doing so also helps us the next day to have more energy and patience,

which then helps us with our attention control.

5. Nutrition keeps our systems functioning closer to their peak by

stabilizing various levels of hormones and chemicals. All of this

holds equally true for students as well as teachers!

6. Prior Knowledge probably requires minimal effort on the part of

the teacher, but yields big returns by engaging student interest as

students consider new information as it pertains to them and their

experiences.

7. Engage Emotions, which is the largest hook into learning. We all

tend to remember things that get our blood boiling for better or for

worse. The parts of the brain engaged in emotions include the small

yet mighty amygdala, the hippocampus and the hypothalamus.

" The amygdala deals with our emotions, helps process our memories,

and gets totally absorbed in managing our response to fear and

stress. Combined, these are biggies, so the hippocampus and

hypothalamus chime in with some assistance. The hippocampus handles

factual information, while the hypothalamus monitors how your body is

doing internally and directs the pituitary gland to release hormones

on the basis of functions such as body temperature, appetite, and

sexual functioning. "

8. Novelty is another big hook. As information presentation blends

between teachers or stays the same by one teacher, it becomes

difficult to see patterns and students may tune out the " sameness " .

But change it up a bit, introduce something radically different or in

a radically different manner, and all of a sudden it is like a quick-

pick-me-up in the middle of a lesson, a " brain snack " .

Students refocus their attention, and it can even enliven your

presentation and wake you up! One way to incorporate novelty is to

add some

9. Movement to reenergize the body and brain cells.

10. Exercise, and it has been shown that exercise is especially

helpful in keeping our adult brains healthy, so remember to

participate in that movement with your students (and they will

probably consider your participation a bit novel!).

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Carruthers

Wakefield, UK