“Teaching, Learning, & The Brain” Presented by Dondi Frisinger

1. “Teaching, Learning, & The Brain” Presented by Dondi Frisinger

2. Brain-Based Research • Making teaching and learning compatible • Attorneys = Law • Mechanics = Engines • Physicians = Human Body • Educators = The Brain

3. Composition of the Brain • Weighs approx. 3 lbs. but consumes 20% of the body’s energy • Is 78% water and is highly impacted by dehydration • Uses oxygen & glucose ten times faster than the rest of the body

4. Lobes of the Brain

5. The Brain Cells-Glia & Neurons

6. The Developing Brain • Embryo brain cells-15 million/hour • Establishing neural pathways • Sixty percent of nutrition is used by the brain the first year. • A child’s brain is 225% more active than an adult. • Personality-80% complete before kindergarten

7. The Brain Operates in Cycles • 16 cycles = 90-110 minutes • Peaks & Valleys • Too much, too fast, won’t last! • Allow process time

8. Humans Need Social Interaction • Isolation vs. Smoking • Isolation/Physical Pain-Registered in the same place. • Brain needs purpose-retirement & loss of spouse • Cooperative/Collaborative structures improve engagement and memory.

9. Laughter in the Best Medicine Reduce Pain Reduce Negative Stress Reactions Boost the Immune System

10. Growing a Better Brain Challenging – New information and experiences Interactive Feedback Novelty

11. Movement is Essential • Motor milestones can’t be reached without movement. Children need to crawl, tumble, spin, rotate, and swing. • Vestibular Stimulation - Rocking • Memory is stored throughout the body. • Physical Movement & Senses=Recall • Car Seats – 500 hours

12. Music as a Tool • Arousal – Attention or Relaxation • A carrier of words • A primer for the brain – Stimulate Neural Pathways • Integrate music across the curriculum

13. Sleep is Important! • Much of our long term memory is consolidated during sleep. • Most of the conversion from short term to long term takes place during the last few hours of sleep. • 8 hours of sleep – Learning process during the 7th and 8th hours • Poor sleep habits will detrimentally impact memory and learning-often looks like ADHD.

14. Nutritional Facts Some children get 20% of calories from drinks 20% of meals are eaten out of home Young – create fat cells Old – get fatter Modest glucose enhances memory Too much glucose causes cognitive defects

15. Beans Blueberries Broccoli Oats Oranges Pumpkins Wild salmon Soy Spinach Tea Tomatoes Turkey Walnuts Yogurt Foods that can change your life:

16. Memory Test Pin Thimble Point Knitting Sharp Sewing Pain Thread Syringe Hurt Haystack Injection Button Eye

17. Memory Test

18. Memory Test Pin Thimble Point Knitting Sharp Sewing Pain Thread Syringe Hurt Haystack Injection Button Eye

19. Learning Must Be Connected • The brain will only learn what it understands and which it can make some connection. • Building Background Knowledge and/or Activating Schema is vital. • Relevance

20. Stress is Detrimental on the Brain • Increases heart & respiratory rate • Narrows our vision • Clots the blood in anticipation of a wound • Shuts down the prefrontal lobe (controls thought, decision making, planning, emotions) • Destroys brain cells & dendrites • Makes us highly emotional

21. Gender Differences School Statistics-Grades, Special Education, Discipline, & Drop Outs Gender Differences-General Tendencies

22. The Female BrainDesigned to Communicate • Designed for nurturing, communication, & calming • Tends to be more active • Produces more estrogen (mood enhancer) • Develops left hemisphere first (language) • Loads hippocampus w/estrogen receptors (memory advantage) • Uses approx. 10,000 words per day • Uses a wider area of the brain

23. The Male BrainDesigned for Action Designed for physical activity & action Tends to seek rest Produces more testosterone (aggression & risk) Develops right hemisphere first (spatial and mechanical) Directs emotions to motor cortex Uses approx. 5,000 words per day Has a narrower scope of vision

24. “The Tale of Two Brains” A comedian’s interpretation between the male and female brains. Remember these are only generalities and laughter is the best medicine!

25. In conclusion… Ask yourself this question everyday, “Given what I understand about the brain and how it learns, is this strategy or idea good for student learning?”

26. Bibliography Perry, J. (2008) “Making the Connections-Brain Based Learning & Coordinated School Health,” Little Rock, AR Jensen, E. (1998) Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Baumann, S.(2005). Feed Your Brain for Learning. Emerging Free Press Click Here to Complete Survey