BY KATHLEEN PARADA SPND456 TRI NOV. 28, 2014 Neuroscience and Learning

Students learn more when they are having fun. Positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show that when a person is stressed, the information can not be passed to the area of the brain that stores higher cognition. The brain is less able to remember information when in a stressful state. When the lesson is fun, students brains are less stressed and more capable of retaining information.

Make it Relevant Students should know the rationale of each lesson and how it applies to their life at that moment

Allow Brain Breaks Just a couple of minutes of a more enjoyable activity may be all that is needed for a brain to relieve stress and open up again for better learning.

Create Positive Associations Help students associate their learning with positive experiences.

Prioritize Information Teach and show students how to decide what is important when taking notes. This helps relieve stress for their brain.

Allow Independent Discovery Learning Give opportunities to discover answers for themselves. Allow choices for how they demonstrate their knowledge. These activities relieve stress and allow the students to learn better.

Provide a Safe Haven Students need to have emotional comfort as well as knowledge in order to move the information to higher levels of cognition.

Reticular Activating System (RAS) The RAS is the gateway to the higher areas of the brain. There is always sensory input (sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, textures, etc.) that is fighting for access to the higher regions. Higher priority is given to information perceived as a threat. The related sensory input is directed to the lower brain to react (fight, flight, or freeze).

RAS continued When threat is perceived, RAS only allows what is related to the threat to pass. This causes stress. Stress blocks information to reach the area of higher cognition.

Opening the gate to the brain When there is no perceived threat there is nothing blocking the way for the brain to seek information. The brain prefers “new, unexpected, colorful, musical, moving, aromatic sensations”.

Promote Curiosity Ways to activate RAS to open the gates to higher cognition: - Play music - Have items on each desk - Change your voice - Use props The students now make connections from the music, props, etc. to the lesson.

Have students Predict Allow students the opportunity to make predictions (on a white board, on paper, shared in groups, etc.) Don’t respond to the predictions, just thank the student for sharing. Allow the students’ brains to determine which predictions were accurate.

Fixed Mind Set Growth Mind Set - Focuses on grades and how smart they are. - Always feel judged and need to show how smart they are. - Don’t bounce back when they have a set back. - Give up easily if they perceive something is too difficult for them. - Focuses on effort and learning. - Focuses on working hard and doing their best. - They persist when things get tough. - Appreciate their successes for their hard work, not for extrinsic rewards like grades, or awards. Fix mind set vs. Growth mind set

Modeling teaching after a Video Game Video games: - Start at a level that is challenging, yet attainable. - Reward effort and practice with goal progression.

Dopamine - Dopamine is a hormone that leads to a pleasurable response. - The brain searches for the pleasurable experience. - The pleasurable reward is only gained when the brain identifies the task as being obtainable and it recognizes progress.

Summary - All Students can learn. - Reduce anxiety and stress. - Relate lessons to the lives and experiences of the students. - Make lessons motivating and engaging. - Make lessons challenging, yet attainable. - Put emphasis on effort, not on grades.

Resources The Neuroscience of Joyful Education by Judy Willis of-Joyful-Education.aspx Want Children to “Pay Attention?” Make Their Brains Curious by Judy Willis MEd/blog/ / html Can anyone be smart at Everything? By Tina Barseghian A Neurologist Makes the Case for the Video Game Model as a Learning Tool by Judy Willis The Perils and promises of Praise by Carol S. Dweck Promises-of-Praise.aspx The Neuroscience Behind Stress and Learning by Judy Willis willis?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-neuroscience-stress-learning