Key Concepts As a teacher it it more useful to view the human species as bad at thinking rather than cognitively gifted. Making Meaning and Making Sense should be the purpose of each lesson. Motivation and persistence is a key factor in learning The Human Brain Anatomy and Development Birth to age three- time of rapid intellectual, emotional & physical growth of brain & brain wiring Birth to age three- time of rapid intellectual, emotional & physical growth of brain & brain wiring By age 6: 95% of brain development completed By age 6: 95% of brain development completed YA (10-12 years): 2 nd major brain growth spurt YA (10-12 years): 2 nd major brain growth spurt Adolescence (13-20s): Pruning and organizing, especially in frontal cortex Adolescence (13-20s): Pruning and organizing, especially in frontal cortex Timeline of Brain Development Visual processing Language,writing, hearing Parent Voice Motor memory Spatial and Sensory Thalamus- first stop for sensory information Hypothalamus- monitors internal systems Amygdala- Emotions are processed here Hippocampus- consolidates memories/learning We are born equipped with most of the neurons our brain will ever have. Between the ages of 6 and 12, the neurons grow bushier, each making dozens of connections to other neurons and creating new pathways for nerve signals. Frontal Cortex and Amygdala Teens use the amygdala more than adults for processing responses. Adults rely more on the frontal cortex, which governs reason and planning. As teens get older, their brain activity shifts more toward the frontal cortex and away from amygdala The frontal cortex is in charge of creativity, planning, strategizing, decision making and judgment. The balancing of emotions and making sound decisions based on analysis of risk is thought to occur in this area of the brain. Teens use the amygdala more than adults for processing responses. Adults rely more on the frontal cortex, which governs reason and planning. As teens get older, their brain activity shifts more toward the frontal cortex and away from amygdala A Recap Maturity comes more slowly to the frontal lobes and frontal cortex Pruning occurs in the forebrain, allowing the brain to think more efficiently Emotional brain dominates Prefrontal cortex is not ready to take charge Emotional brain seeks pleasure, in the form of novelty, excitement, and risk What Does This Mean in Terms of Behavior for YA? Lack of common sense Thinking that seems rigid. Decisions that seem irrational. Disorganization everywhere. Impulsiveness Mood changes Inadequate emotional control Seeks out risks Teens are more likely to misinterpret facial expressions of emotion See anger when there isnt anger May react quickly Communication Gap Memory 101 Simplest Model of our Memory Environment Working Memory (site of awareness and of thinking) Hippocampus Long-Term Memory (factual knowledge and procedural knowledge) neocortex Does the brain get tired? Our brain is designed for ups and downs. Getting and keeping attention??? Downtime allows our brain to fix neural connections, leading to better memory. Hippocampal (STM) neurons move to (LTM) Neocortex. 1-20 sec.-Phone numbers 5-6 min- record and remember where things are. 15-60 min- explicit learning. 5-6 hours- complex explicit learning, new skills. Much of learning, which is done on an nonconscious level, without reflection stays on that level. The Towers of Hanoi Problem: Move the wooden circles from one peg to another without placing a larger circle on a smaller circle. The Himalayan Riddle Compare the Tasks Environment Working Memory ? Long-Term Memory ? Memorize the list XCN NPH DFB ICI ANC AAX Now try it! X CNN PhD FBI CIA NCAA X XCN NPH DFB ICI ANC AAX Compare the Tasks BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND CHUNKING Environment Working Memory ? Long-Term Memory ? People are naturally curious, but we are not naturally good thinkers; unless the cognitive conditions are right, we will avoid thinking The mind is not designed for thinkingand when we can get way with it we dont! Instead we rely on memory The ability to see and move function and operate much more efficiently and reliably than your ability to thinkyet seeing is much more difficult than playing chess or solving a calculus problem. Simply putthinking requires: 1)Information from the environment 2)Facts in long-term memory 3)Procedures in long-term memory 4)Space in short-term memory. (7) * Thinking does not ensure learning Implications for the Classroom Be sure that there are problems to solved. Respect students cognitive limits Clarify the problem to be solved Reconsider when to use hook hook or puzzle. Accept and act on variations in students preparation. (forth grade slump). Work on your perceptionchange the pace What about Knowledge? Factual knowledge must precede skill. and memory is the the cognitive process of first resort Most of the time when we se someone apparently engaged in logical thinking, he or she is actually engaged in memory retrieval. Top chess players may have 50 thousand moves memorized. When it comes to knowledge, those that have more gain more We remember and create memory when something has meaning SoWhat knowledge yields the greatest cognitive benefit? For Reading and Listening Student must know what ever the writer of speaker assume they know and hence leave out. For Core Subject Matters (Math, Science, History Literature, etc) Student must know the concepts that come up again and again- the unifying concepts of each discipline. (less is more) Implications for Classroom Be sure that the knowledge base is mostly in place when you require critical thinking Shallow knowledge is better then no knowledge (rote?) Do WHATEVER you can to get kids to read! Knowledge acquisition can be incidental Start building knowledge early Knowledge must be meaningful Background knowledge is important for reading and listening Provided vocabulary Allows bridging of logical gaps Allows chunking (leaving room in STM) Guides interpretation of ambiguous sentences SoWhat is Memory it is the residue of thought Memory is the residue of thought Your memory system lays its bets this way: If you think about something carefully, youll probably have to think about it again, so it should be stored. Thus your memory is not a product of what you want to remember or what you try to remember; its a product of what you think about Keys to creating memories Emotion Attention Repetition Thinking about meaning How you do this will determine what you remember. (auditory, visual, etc.) How does the art of teaching impact memory (learning) Emotional bond Climate Power of Stories Human mind is exquisitely tuned to understand and remember stories Causality Conflict Complication Character Why Stories Comprehending requires inferencesforcing you to think about meaning. Stories have causal structureone thing leads to another History example: U.S.s entry into WWII vs. Japans But what if meaning is hard to createRote memory Peg word (one is bun, two is shoe, three is tree) Method of loci (tag to locations on a familiar walk) Link method (connect each item in list) Acronym First letter method (create new phrase) Songs (familiar melody) Implications for teaching Review lessons in terms of what students are likely to think about. Think carefully about attention grabbers (hooks) Set up inquiry carefully Design assignments so students know what meaning will be derived from the experience Use/create conflict Three big questions 1.Why is it so hard for students to understand abstract ideas?we understand new things in context of what we already knowand most of what we know is concrete. 2.Is drilling worth it?...It is virtually impossible to become proficient at mental or physical tasks without extended practice. (frees up STM) 3.How should I adjust my teaching for different types of learners?... Children are more alike than different I terms of how they think and learn. Think in terms of content not students. (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) 4.How does a students mindset impact their learning? Putting it all into practice. The body clock: Ultradian Patterns Our body clock seems to run in minute cycles of low to high energy or relaxation to tension. Generally speaking learners will focus better in the late morning and early evening. Mid-day is typically a low point Physical exercise can trick the body clock. Things to Remember Learning engages the whole person. (cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains) The brain seeks patterns in its search for meaning. (making connections are essential) Emotions affect all aspects of learning, retention, and recall. (novelty seeker) Past experiences always affect new learning. (knowing your students is essential) The brains working memory has limited capacity. (hippocampus) Lecture usually results in the lowest degree of retention. Rehearsal is essential for retention. Each brain is unique.