teenbrain
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Creating Brain Compatible Learning Environments
Presented byGarfield Gini-Newman
The Critical Thinking [email protected]
Some recommended reading
Activity 1: How accurately does this cartoon capture the essence of adolescence?
Highly Somewhat Not Very Completely
Accurate Accurate Accurate Inaccurate _______________________________________________
What is meant by a Brain-Compatible Learning
Environment?
Brain Compatible versus
Brain Antagonistic
Activity 2: What does an enriched learning environment look and
sound like?Looks like… Sounds like…
Attributes of a Brain Compatible Classroom:Provides a moderate to high challenge to
studentsIs a low threat environmentEngages positive emotions to support learningAllows for multi-path inputProvides thinking strategies that support
students in using information to create products and solve meaningful problems
Includes both novelty and predictabilityAllows sufficient time for processingProvides complex, frequent feedback
Attributes of a Brain Compatible Classroom:Provides a moderate to high challenge to
studentsIs a low threat environmentEngages positive emotions to support learningAllows for multi-path inputProvides thinking strategies that support
students in using information to create products and solve meaningful problems
Includes both novelty and predictabilityAllows sufficient time for processingProvides complex, frequent feedback
How brain-compatible is
your classroom?
How brain-compatible is
your classroom?
Think of an Adolescent You Know
Reflecting on an
adolescent you know,
how many
characteristics of the
typical teenager can you
list?
How do we learn? Communicating Neurons
• Learning produces physical changes in the brain
• Plasticity of the brain means that it is continually re-wired – molded by life experiences
Neurons that fire together, wire together!
Learning is a matter of making
connections.
The Process of Long Term Potentiation When information
(stimuli) is received a trail
along a series of neurons is
blazed making it easier for
subsequent messages to fire
along the same path. The
more the path is re-fired the
more the message or new
learning becomes.
Each time an activity is repeated the bonds between neurons strengthen and expand,
leading to an entire network developing which remembers the skill or information.
The Importance of Assessment for Learning
The cornerstone of brain compatible
assessment is formative feedback. By
providing students with guidance and an
opportunity to implement suggestions,
students feel secure in taking risks, develop
confidence in their ability to meet challenges
and can set their own goals.
Activity 3: How can we provide anchors for student learning in
our classrooms?
Some anchors to consider:Some anchors to consider:Films, songs, field trips, photographs and Films, songs, field trips, photographs and
paintings, evocative experiences, using paintings, evocative experiences, using manipulative, experiments…manipulative, experiments…
Remember:Remember: • Learning is likely to occur if we move Learning is likely to occur if we move
from the concrete to the abstract from the concrete to the abstract • Inquiry-based classrooms to help Inquiry-based classrooms to help
students take ownership over their students take ownership over their learninglearning
• Genuine collaboration to respects the Genuine collaboration to respects the brain’s need for social interaction brain’s need for social interaction
• Open ended assessments to provide Open ended assessments to provide students choice and allow them to draw students choice and allow them to draw on their interests and talentson their interests and talents
Activity 4: Where does truth lie?
Sandy Danny
Activity 4: Where does truth lie?
Sandy Danny
Summer Nights [Danny]Summer loving had me a blast[Sandy]Summer loving happened so fast[Danny]I met a girl crazy for me[Sandy]Met a boy cute as can be[Both]Summer days drifting away, to oh oh the summer nights[Guys]Well-a well-a well-a huhTell me more, tell me moreDid you get very far?
Summer Nights [Danny]Summer loving had me a blast[Sandy]Summer loving happened so fast[Danny]I met a girl crazy for me[Sandy]Met a boy cute as can be[Both]Summer days drifting away, to oh oh the summer nights[Guys]Well-a well-a well-a huhTell me more, tell me moreDid you get very far?
[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreLike does he have a car?[Danny]She swam by me, she got a cramp[Sandy]He ran by me, got my suit damp[Danny]I saved her life, she nearly drowned[Sandy]He showed off, splashing around[Both]Summer sun, something's begun, but oh oh the
summer nights
[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreLike does he have a car?[Danny]She swam by me, she got a cramp[Sandy]He ran by me, got my suit damp[Danny]I saved her life, she nearly drowned[Sandy]He showed off, splashing around[Both]Summer sun, something's begun, but oh oh the
summer nights
[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreWas it love at first sight?[Guys]Tell me more, tell me moreDid she put a fight?[Danny]Took her bowling in the arcade[Sandy]We went strolling, drank lemonade[Danny]We made out under the dock[Sandy]We stayed out 'till ten o'clock[Both]Summer fling, don't mean a thing, but oh oh the summer nights
[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreWas it love at first sight?[Guys]Tell me more, tell me moreDid she put a fight?[Danny]Took her bowling in the arcade[Sandy]We went strolling, drank lemonade[Danny]We made out under the dock[Sandy]We stayed out 'till ten o'clock[Both]Summer fling, don't mean a thing, but oh oh the summer nights
[Guys]Tell me more, tell me moreBut you don't have to bragg[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreCause he sounds like a drag[Sandy]He got friendly, holding my hand[Danny]She got friendly down in the sand[Sandy]He was sweet just turned eighteen[Danny]Well she was good you know what I mean[Both]Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but oh oh the summer nights
[Guys]Tell me more, tell me moreBut you don't have to bragg[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreCause he sounds like a drag[Sandy]He got friendly, holding my hand[Danny]She got friendly down in the sand[Sandy]He was sweet just turned eighteen[Danny]Well she was good you know what I mean[Both]Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but oh oh the summer nights
[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreHow much dough did he spend?[Guys]Tell me more, tell me moreCould she get me a friend?[Sandy]It turned colder - that's where it ends[Danny]So I told her we'd still be friends[Sandy]Then we made our true love vow[Danny]Wonder what she's doing now[Both]Summer dreams ripped at the seams, but oh those summer
nights
[Gals]Tell me more, tell me moreHow much dough did he spend?[Guys]Tell me more, tell me moreCould she get me a friend?[Sandy]It turned colder - that's where it ends[Danny]So I told her we'd still be friends[Sandy]Then we made our true love vow[Danny]Wonder what she's doing now[Both]Summer dreams ripped at the seams, but oh those summer
nights
Neural Pruning
...how and why is the behaviour
of an adolescent similar to that of
a 2 year old?
At both stages, the brain is responding to...
...a massive build up of connections and pruning away excess connections allowing for a more refined and efficient brain.
Brain Sculpting
Imagine you have set out to capture
the essence of who you are in a marble
sculpture. Reflect back to what life was
like at age 11 or 12. Walk yourself
through the defining experiences of your
adolescence. While doing so, imagine
yourself chipping away the excess
marble to allow for the emergence of
your adult self.
Like sculptor......the brain sculpts itself through its experience with the world.Teenagers need to realize that the brain is the only organ in the body that is sculpted through experience. What they are doing with their brain now is going to determine
what their brain is going to become as an adult.
Also, remember that...
“...if teens are doing music and sports and academics, that’s how brains will be hardwired. If they are doing video games and MTV and lying on the couch, that will be how they are hardwired.” Jay Giedd
How effectively will the direction of new curricula in Alberta prepare students to meet the demands of the 21st century?Fortune 500 reports that students entering the workforce in the21st century will be expected to demonstrate mastery of thefollowing skills: Teamwork/interpersonal skills Problem solving/decision making Oral/written communication creative thinking goal setting/motivation math problem solving organizational effectiveness
Success in all of these depend on frontallobe activity.
How should we How should we respond?respond?How should we How should we respond?respond?
Remember...Remember...No matter how well planned, how interesting, No matter how well planned, how interesting,
stimulating, colourful or relevant the lesson, if stimulating, colourful or relevant the lesson, if
the teacher does all the interacting with the the teacher does all the interacting with the
material the teachermaterial the teacher’’s - not the students - not the student’’s - brains - brain
will grow new connections.will grow new connections.
Activity 5:How Activity 5:How would your would your
students respond students respond to the following to the following
task?task?
Activity 5:How Activity 5:How would your would your
students respond students respond to the following to the following
task?task?Which lifestyle would you have preferred - Which lifestyle would you have preferred - that of the habitants, priests or nuns, or the that of the habitants, priests or nuns, or the coureurs des bois? coureurs des bois?
From Bain, Colin M., Canadian History 7, Pearson, From Bain, Colin M., Canadian History 7, Pearson, 20072007
Who had the best life? People in New
France Pluses Minuses Interesting Rating
Habitant: • Security • Fundamental
needs • Family • Leisure
________________ -5-4-3-2-1 1 2 3 4 5
Priests and Nuns • Security • Fundamental
needs • Family • Leisure
________________ -5-4-3-2-1 1 2 3 4 5
Coureurs des bois • Security • Fundamental
needs • Family • Leisure
________________ -5-4-3-2-1 1 2 3 4 5
The Process of Myelination
Which part of a colt’s brain do Which part of a colt’s brain do you think gets myelinated you think gets myelinated
first.first.
The Role of Glial Cells:
• A fatty, waxy substance that wraps itself around the axon called myelin
• myelin insulates the electrical impulse so that it travels more efficiently
• glial cells unlike neurons regenerate (makes up 90% of the brain) in response to new connection
• the more you use your brain, the more glial cells you will have
Important to know
about myelination:• the neurons you need to
survive will myelinate first• it makes your brain get bigger• before a neuron is myelinated
it is called immature• myelination results in the
creation of a more efficient brain
Important Observations for Understanding Adolescence
The frontal lobes are the last to be myelinated occurring as late as the early 20’s.Myelinated neurons fire 150 times morequickly, making the brain more efficient. Once an area of the brain is myelinated it is much more specialized and efficient at carrying out tasks.But…It appears as neurons become myelinatedthey also become more rigid making acquisition of new skills more difficult i.e. acquiring a new language after the age 13-14
Students need to solve problems and practice decision making.
Have students apply learning to solve “real challenges”
Teach students to use decision making models
Provide a clear purpose to student learning
Have students consider purpose and audience
We need to allow students to “fail forward”
• Students need to have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes without being penalized
• Identifying errors is an important part of the learning process
Provide the necessary scaffoldingto ensure success.
• Avoid asking adolescents to multi-task until the learning has been internalized
• Use graphic organizers to assist students in gathering and organizing information i.e. Lecture road maps, mindmaps
• Integrate technology as appropriate i.e. Power Point, Mindjet
Assist students in seeing patterns and relationships.
• Venn diagrams• Concept Formation and
Concept Maps• Concept Attainment
List A List B
In South Africa, policy prohibited blacks from living in homes in areas designated as “white only” neighbourhoods.
In Canada, the First Nations People were denied access to most classy cafes.
In Germany, during World War II, Jews were required by law to have travel passes in order to move about their community.
In North America, it is not unusual to have all white juries hear a case of a non-white person.
In Canada, during World War II, legislation was passed that sent Japanese Canadians to special camps.
In some states in the U.S. if a black person killed a white person, that person was almost always found guilty. If a white killed a black, that person was almost always found innocent.
In the United States, blacks were obliged by law to sit at the back of the bus.
In Israel, a Jew was walking down the street and was shot by a terrorist.
Activity 6
Testers: Which list would each of these belong to?
1. In Malaysia, if your hair is longer than a certain length you will not be served until everyone else in the bank has been served.
2. As set out in legislation in some countries, women are not allowed to terminate a pregnancy without permission.
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Concept Attainment can be used in all subjects…
Math - prime numbers
English - parts of speech
Art - styles, movements
Science - classifying living things
Movement and cognition are closely entwined, and movement can
enhance thinking and learning.
How do/can you integrate
movement into your
classroom?
The Role of Emotion in Adolescent Learning
Emotions, the Amygdala and the Teenage Brain
• Any information received by the brain travels first to the amygdala
• The amygdala holds emotional memory - it tells you how you feel about things
• In the teenage brain, the amygdala is developing faster than the frontal lobes
• So teenagers tend to be reactive not reflective
Reading Facial Expressions
“Emotion drives attention and attention drives learning”
In her book Brain Matters, Pat Wolfe noted:
“The brain is biologically programmed to attend first to information that has a strong emotional content. It is also
programmed to remember this information longer.”
Activity 7: So, we know positive emotions enhance learning and
negative emotions inhibit learning…
How can we engage student emotions?
How can be remove unnecessary stress?
Activity 8: Rank order the 3 tweaks you could make to your classroom to further support student learning.
Criteria: Feasible, effective, inclusive
Activity 8: Rank order the 3 tweaks you could make to your classroom to further support student learning.
Criteria: Feasible, effective, inclusive
Provides a moderate to high challenge to
students
Is a low threat environment
Engages positive emotions to support learning
Allows for multi-path input
Provides thinking strategies that support
students in using information to create products
and solve meaningful problems
Includes both novelty and predictability
Allows sufficient time for processing
Provides complex, frequent feedback
Provides a moderate to high challenge to
students
Is a low threat environment
Engages positive emotions to support learning
Allows for multi-path input
Provides thinking strategies that support
students in using information to create products
and solve meaningful problems
Includes both novelty and predictability
Allows sufficient time for processing
Provides complex, frequent feedback