Principle 8: Environments matter

Strong scientific evidence suggests that environments not only directly influence our mind, mood and

behaviors, but can also trigger changes (e.g. gene expression)

Environments that Shape our Brain

Physical

Academic

Emotional

Social

Every Environment Has the Capacity to Enhance

or Impair Learning

A well-designed learning environment can...

encourage a positive relationship between the Ss and the subject matter

build relationships between the T and the Ss

stimulate thought, creativity, and curiosity

increase Ss’ level of responsibility, sense of justice, and positive feelings about school

help make your classroom a cool place to be

Elements of a Brain-based Learning EnvironmentLighting

Seating

Temperature

Noise

Color

LightingDaylight is best; maintain a constant, adequate level of bright lighting in the classroom.

Limit S exposure to darkened lecture halls and similar environment - darkness produces melatonin, a hormone associated with regulating the sleep schedule (levels are low during teen years)

Avoid fluorescent lights - bad for migraine and ADHD - flicker and barely discernible hum can raise cortisol level (stress hormone)

Maximize S exposure to daylight

Hold class outside on occasion

SeatingMatch appropriate seating arrangement to the activity

Give Ss a sense of control through flexible seating

Where Ss sit influences stress levels and access to resources

Provide unattached chairs and movable desks

Group carefully

Allow Ss to position themselves in different ways

Ask Ss to stand occasionally for brief periods

Encourage Ss to avoid incorrect posture while sitting

Temperature

Range: 22-26 degrees Centigrade

Very warm temperatures can increase anxiety and aggressiveness

The cooler the brain is, the more relaxed, receptive and cognitively sharp you are

NoiseIncreases stress level

Excessive noise can reduce comprehension and work performance, especially in the early stages of learning a new task

Control the noise level in the classroom

Using soothing music when Ss are working

Heads-up for Teachers!Pay attention to the classroom/learning environment.

Provide the Ss with an enriched environment.

PRINCIPLE 9:PRINCIPLE 9:MIND AND BODYMIND AND BODY

THERE IS NO SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO. BODY INFLUENCES MIND AND MIND INFLUENCES BODY. LEARN HOW TO APPLY THIS KNOWLEDGE

IN YOUR WORK.

What are “States”?What are “States”?• They are bodily responses

created by:

1. momentary aggregate of signals from emotional, cognitive and sensory neurons AND

2. a corresponding chemical signature

How the Brain’s Response How the Brain’s Response Systems WorkSystems Work

1. All behaviors are dependent on the state that one is in.

2. The path to engagement is through reading and managing states.

3. The longer anyone is in any state, the more stable that state becomes.

4. Your state is as important as (or more important than) the student’s state.

Why Are States So Critical?Why Are States So Critical?• Brain Can Learn Under

Extreme Conditions...

• But Complex Learning Requires Background Knowledge, Working Memory, Processing Skills, Long- Term Retrieval and Risk-Taking.

• These all require Positive Learning States.

StatesStates1.States usually last for seconds or

minutes; moods last for hours or days.

2.We experience hundreds of states every day.

3.More states impair learning than help it.

• There’s no such thing as an Unmotivated Student...only students in Unmotivated States

Qualities of StatesQualities of States1. States usually “run a course” and one

state will often lead to another state.

2. States are self-reinforcing; the longer you’re in a state, the more comfortable it becomes.

3. We all range from being very flexible to very inflexible with our states.

Importance of Accurate, Fast Importance of Accurate, Fast Readings of Emotional StatesReadings of Emotional States

• A frustrated student, if ignored by a teacher, will likely either...

1) detach and become apathetic or,

2) intensify and get angry.• Teachers who “missed the cue” for frustration, end up dealing with the next (usually worse) state.

Which do you want?

OLD: Kids have “behaviors” (i.e. character)NEW: Behaviors are not what we “have” but rather what “emerges” through the interactions of the person and context.

At school, thecontext, the environmentmatters far more than you

may believe it does.There are four domains:

Academic Physical

Social Cultural

The Distinction is ProfoundThe Distinction is Profound• We often feel tired,

sleepy or unmotivated. But those are just states. Humans go in and out of many states per day. It would be unfair to judge or define you by those very temporary states.

All Behaviors Are State All Behaviors Are State DependentDependent

To get the behavior you want, first notice what state they’re already in.

Then ask yourself if they’re in a state that would allow them to say, “Yes.”

If not, change their state to a more receptive one before asking them for the eventual behavior you want.

• Teachers Can Influence Students’ Feelings of Well-being

Serotonin -- “Ahh-hhh”• Safety & Well Being•Positive Social Status•Regular Physical Activity•Familiarity

Dopamine is the Dopamine is the feel-good chemical feel-good chemical

“Yahoo!”“Yahoo!”• Dopamine is triggered

both by experience of pleasure AND by the anticipation of pleasure.

• Dopamine supports both working memory and neural plasticity.

How Teachers Can Influence How Teachers Can Influence Students’ Positive FeelingsStudents’ Positive Feelings

• Celebration of success

• Prediction of pleasure

• Voluntary repetitive activity

• Problems solved

• Strong bonding

• Winning or fun

Teachers Influence Teachers Influence Students’ Stress LevelsStudents’ Stress Levels

• Impairs memory, promotes atrophy to neurons

Promotes attention, focus, and memory & bonding

OpenOpen or Closed State? or Closed State?• In closed states,

behavior is unpredictable; it’s usually “No way” or “Whatever.” To get a more positive response, shift the state first. Always think ... “Better states get better results!”

Use Frequent Use Frequent “Micro State “Micro State Changes”Changes”

• The more often you keep students in engaged states, the easier it is to engage them the next time. They simply won’t get lethargic. Here are some simple examples...

Strategies to EngageStrategies to Engage• “Take in a slow, deep breath... hold it... and now

slowly... let it out.”

• “Please angle your chair to face three others, so now you’ve got a group of four.”

• “Let’s vote. How many of you think option #1 is plausible? Raise your hand.”

Continually involve, never stop!

Constantly Engage StudentsConstantly Engage Students Write this down, even it it’s the only

thing you write down all day.”

Look at your neighbor’s paper. If the assignment’s written correctly, say ‘Great job!’

Count off by tables starting here.

All at this table say, ‘This is table #1, where is table #2?’ etc...

Strategies Strategies (for slow responders)(for slow responders)Build relationships

Discover their areas of interest and expertise

Engage a variety of peer pressure tools

Use micro state changes

Never, ever, give up hope reaching them; as soon as you give up, they do, too.

But the Most Important State of But the Most Important State of All is...All is...

Your own state! Students respond to the state you’re in constantly.

Heads-up for Teachers!Heads-up for Teachers!Read states quickly

Read states accurately

Respond to states of concern

Manage states proactively

Engage your students

Manage your own state

Exercise/Physical Activity can actually change brain structure and increase brain cells!

The scientific link between The scientific link between enhanced physical activity enhanced physical activity

and cognition grows and cognition grows stronger every year.stronger every year.

• The “mind over matter” studies are clear: we can influence our physical performance through mental training.

The Brain-Changing Value of Recess, The Brain-Changing Value of Recess, Activities and Physical EducationActivities and Physical Education

• Compelling behavioral, social, academic and neurobiological evidence support the strong role of daily exercise. Activity Rocks!

• Brain chemicals released during physical activity strengthen focus, energy levels, learning and even memory. Thus, when you put P.E. right before an academic class, the scores should go up. They do! Evidence for this was uncovered by Harvard professor John Ratey.

Heads-up for Teachers!Heads-up for Teachers!� Be sensitive to the energy level of your Ss.

� Integrate brief physical activities in your classes.

� Lead a healthy lifestyle and encourage your students to do the same!

Strong scientific evidence suggests that Strong scientific evidence suggests that memories are often not formed correctly, memories are often not formed correctly, formed with a bias, alter after formation or formed with a bias, alter after formation or

inadequately retrieved at a later time.inadequately retrieved at a later time.

� Do your students often forget what was just taught a few days (or minutes) ago?

� Why are memories so malleable?

� Memory is not a thing, but an ongoing process.

� This discovery means that memory is neither fixed nor permanent.

� Any memory can be, and usually is changed!

False memories� False memories

occur when we intentionally or by accident, alter one or more of the properties of the memory so that it “feels” real and true to us.

Memory Summary� Memories are not “things.”

� We don’t have a “memory bank.”

� Memories are encoded through multiple pathways.

� Memories consist of properties bound together.

It’s rare that a retrieved memory will have all the properties re-activated.

What would you recall from the Educational Tour/Immersion/an out of town

trip?� Who you were with?

� Clothing

� How you felt

� Weather

� What you saw and did

� The day, month, time

� Reason you were there

� Amazingly, you are designed by nature to forget...

In fact, you are supposed to forget everything except what is required for survival.

There’s not room in our brain to store endless amounts of trivia. We prioritize memory-making

by how it supports our survival.� Aroma and Smells (foods

could kill)

� Pain and Pleasure (tell us whom to trust or love)

� Food and Housing (home or new opportunities)

� Locomotion and Tools (how to walk, run, eat, drive and make things)

Memories must be . . .

1)encoded accurately

2)maintained over time

3)retrieved in context

� to be accurate

Key Factors: (that influence memory)

� Glucose consumption Health, allergies etc.

� Stress levels Context/environment

� Gender

� Nutrition

� Speed of input

� Drugs/meds

� Type of input

� Background of subject

Heads-up for Teachers!

� Provide opportunities for students to build working memory skills.

� Make special accommodations for students who have weak working memory.

� Use the strategies for helping students remember lessons better.

You Can Build Working Memory Skills (there is no other solution but practice)

� Using “repeat after me” instructions/games

� Practicing “stretch my number recall” with partners

� Playing a musical instrument will train the brain

� Serial story telling in small groups

� Use clapping games first with the whole class, then in groups

� Write-to-recall short stories with partner: there are 2 rules, you give # of words in sentence, they have to write sentences that continue their story. They write then repeat their sentence to a partner w/o looking

� More ideas? ________________________________________________

Accommodations for Weak WM in

Ss1. Use the “pause” technique. Every few minutes,

pause to let content sink in.

2. Chunk content into smaller chunks to aid understanding, then review

3. Prime the learning to create an attentional bias to the content.

4. Do a fast physical activity to activate the frontal lobe uppers.

Maximizing Memory Question:

� How can we help our students make stronger memories more easily?

Keep in mind

ROY G. BIV!

7 Critical Strategies a.k.a ROY G. BIV

1. Repetition

2. Oxygen

3. Yearning for Meaning (Goal-directed)

4. Glucose

5. Bias the Attention

6. Intensity of Emotions

7. Variety of Pathways

Repetition: Review & Revise

1. Spaced is better than massed.

2. Review after error correction

3. Practice w/ low & high stress (match the testing state)

4. Match testing location (even if just for a review, if possible)

Oxygen from Physical Activity

� Activity Enhances Glucose Which Supports Memory

Kids with moderate to severe AD/HD have glucose metabolism deficits and tend to self-medicate with sugar. But physical activity also produces glucose.

Yearning for Meaning: Meaning-Making Tells the Brain

“This is worth saving!”� Meaning comes from

many sources including stories, emotions, personal experiences, being practical, our values, rarity of incidence, but most of all context.

Meaning comes from...

1.Personalizing the content

2.Reflection with feedback

3.Emotions triggered

4.Associations with impact

5.Circumstances or context

Glucose levels, which support memory, are

influenced by:

� Example: Acting out the learning (emotions + movement) increases chances the learning will be recalled.

Diet

Emotions Movement

� Raisins Yogurt

� Candies (to suck on) Rice/fruit sticks

� Popcorn Fresh fruits

� Chewing Gum Baked treats

� Juices/Drinks (certain ones)

� Dried fruits

� Mixed nuts

Sources of Quick Glucose

To Bias Attention...1. Frame it... “This will change the way you think about

memory, so listen carefully.”

2. Tie it in personally... “Remember when you were over at Kevin’s house the other day?”

3. Give a reason to buy into it... “This may show up on the test.”

4. Make it rare... “This is the only time we’ll go over it.”

5. Novelty... demonstrations, simulations, activities, experiments, trips and predictions

Novelty Enhances Attention via Emotional Arousal

� Use it often, but prudently� Involve students� Avoid overkill� Balance with predictability in other areas

Intensity of Emotion: Recall� Emotional events...

� are much more likely to be recalled

� get preferential encoding

� Emotional memories get preferred treatment!

Variety of Pathways� Semantic - reading, being read to, seeing signs,

net surfing, seeing pictures

� Emotional - surprise, shock, being scared, excited, suspense, fun

� Episodic - field trip, changing locations, recalling something by location, autobiographic memories, new seats

� Procedural - action-based learning, models, walks, sports, manipulatives, playing an instrument, games, energizers

Use the Body to Remember� Drama/Role play

� Hands-on

� Response Signals

� Science

� Body Demonstrations

� Energizers

� Props

� Manipulatives

To Create Associations, Link Up Key Words You Have to Learn Using

These Reliable Methods

1)Loci - use known landmarks from a walk, your body, a room or neighborhood and link it to known items

2)Peg words - make your own list of words such as one is a bun, two is a shoe ... and link them to your list

3)Acronyms - Take the letters of the key words and make up a new word; do you know what SCUBA stands for?

Principle 11:Perception, not reality matters

Our brain only knows what it takes in perceptually and is easily fooled. Our prior knowledge & expectations is a huge factor.

• Teachers MUST Shape S Perceptions

� from apathy to engagement

� from victim to enabled

� from low to higher standards

� from a fixed to a “growth” mindset

� from learning as a finite job to learning as a lifelong process

� from life as a struggle to life as a joyful, challenging adventure

• Affirmations

• Structured Journaling

• Framing

• Stories/Biographies

• Experiences debriefed

• Sharing your own personal experiences

How to Shape Your S’s Perceptions About Themselves

The Key to Affirmations• Affirm social connectedness• Egs. -Turn to your neighbor and say, “glad to be on your team.” or “Way to stick to it You’ll go far with your persistence.”

• Affirm Strategy• Eg. “You made a good choice by using that idea. It helped you succeed.”

• DO NOT AFFIRM: Luck, Genetics, Circumstances,

Success without effort

Structured Journaling Ss can be writing in their journals things that:1. build capacity through insight2. help express feelings3. support skill practice

Examples:1. What am I most grateful for in life?2. What have I learned about myself that will help me do better?

3. What am I most looking forward to?

FRAMING: An Intentional Bias

• The power of framing is that it redirects attention and focus, which can alter states.

• That can put the odds of a positive response strongly in your favor.

• Your choice of Words Influences Brain Activity

• Framing ex.

• “I’ve had many students get close to 100% on this next task. Today might be your day. Who knows? Well, in any case, let’s

experiment just to see how you do.”

• Research

• Reasons

• Compelling questions

• Inspirational Stories

• “Mom, I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?”

How to Frame?

Common Types of Framing• Repackage - put the same “news” in a different

“wrapper” or context (new value) - “You know what’s really curious . . . ?”

• Redefine - change the definition of the topic, the process or the goal. “Let’s first just focus on the solution.”

• Reposition - change the importance, the sequence, the roles of the participants. “As your leader, I’d like to . . .” or “before we begin, let’s . . .”

Framing is the “Why”

• The only time to use framing is if you believe that your audience is not yet with you and needs justification for a request.

In many cases, it is not necessary. The response of your audience will tell you if you need it.

Common Framing Examples

• Disarming: Before we begin . . .

• Elicit Curiosity: I shouldn’t be telling you this but. . .

• This is worth listening to: You know what’s interesting?

• You’re listening to an authority: As someone who used to babysit their kids . . .

• This perspective is really good: From an insider’s point of view . . .

More Framing Examples• Pay attention to this more than that: Here’s a good

one . . .

• This is not as boring as before: You know what I found interesting (or curious, weird, etc.)

• Get ready to be shocked: You won’t believe this . . .

• I have “hot” insider knowledge few others have: As someone who used to call her a friend . . .

• You won’t hear this just anywhere: Hey, can you keep a secret?

• Framing: tool used to create intentional bias

• Getting Ss to do the following, among others, may require framing:

� having to change seats/groups

� Must re-do a HW

� Take a test early

� Extra HW

� Have to get up to do an activity

• Shape your Ss’ perceptions about themselves to optimize learning

• Use affirmations judiciously

• Use framing when necessary but be cautious about manipulating

Heads-up for Teachers

Principle 12:Social Conditions

Humans are highly social and our learning, behaviors and memories are often bound up in

social experiences

• Work in assigned teams

• Jigsaw for new content

• Engage class experts

• Draw #s for partners

• Work with a study buddy

Engage with Social Structures

Social Conditions Influence

Stress levels

Cognition

Moods & Affect

Status

Immune Systems

Self-concept

Chronic or acute exposure to these may create significant brain changes.

Repeated and intermittent social defeat

experienced over multiple days suppresses

neurogenesis.

It also increases risk for stress-related

psychopathologies.

Social Operating Systems

• When this is high-functioning, Ss get along with their teachers, they make and keep friends and are typically more successful in school.

2 Brain-Based, Hard-Wired Social On-going Student Quests

• 1. Quest for acceptance and affiliation - “How can I become part of a group?

• 2. Quest for social status - “How can I feel special?”

• *HINT: DO NOT get in the way of these; simply anticipate and facilitate the inevitable process in productive ways!

Do not inhibit S pursuit of social status!

• Instead . . .Encourage pursuit of skill sets that will lead to academic success (i.e. arts, sports)

Encourage activities which help Ss feel special (positions of leadership, responsibility and those that showcase unique talents and behaviors i.e. kindness - kindness tree)

When your Ss feel special, they don’t have to act special

Support Social Status and Reduce Discipline Problems

Rituals: thoughtful, short, prearranged events

• 100% Predictable• Simple to do• Engage Everyone• Solve a Recurring

Problem• End in Positive

State

Rituals Can Influence States

• Establish and use rituals to regulate emotional states for recurring events such as:

Birthday Starting/Ending the class Visitors/Interruptions Energizers/Stretch breaks Getting the class’s attention Celebrations Team Activities

Success with Rituals

• Your enthusiasm and consistency are key elements.

• If you forget to use them, they won’t• Ss will desensitize; be ready to vary your

rituals or have the Ss innovate; they must meet the key criteria

Heads-up for Teachers

• Social conditions are altered by raising status, use of teams, and use of rituals

• Social structures need to be varied for state changes

• Discipline problems can be reduced by supporting social status and using rituals

Principle 13:Developmental

Learning

There are ideal types of learning for each stage of our developing brain. The closer we match the

natural path, the easier it is to learn and the better it is for the next stage.

Pre-Processing TimeIn your team, divide the slides in your handouts (on this Principle only) so that each person has at least 1 number. Take one minute now to divide.

Each one has to come up with 1-2 questions about the content they are previewing. You have 1 minute.

Share those questions with your entire system.

Stay on task; you have about 30 seconds per person. Raise your hand when your entire team is done.

Birth to 5: What Matters Most

Emotional Bonding

Mediation of the stress of the world: Manage the harmful download

Exploratory play, movement, games

Quality Nutrition

Lavishing Language: Complex, interactive, often

Emotionshealthy emotional attachment in the first 2 years helps develop social and emotional skills fundamental for life

relationship with caregiver is crucial - helps the child learn appropriate behavior and responses

Lack of exposure to proper models will affect development of emotional skills later

If child has poor attachments from birth to 2, relationships with parents during adolescence may suffer even if the parents are nurturing

Misbehavior & Discipline Problems

Less parent contact time = less skill building

Discipline problems emerge when teacher expect what they cannot get - many kids have not been taught certain emotional states such as humility, gratitude, forgiveness, trust, cooperation, affinity, etc.

• emotional development of children • has taken a dramatic downturn in • just two generations

Symptoms of Inadequate Emotional Brain

Developmentlack of empathypoor patiencetoo little joyweak at cooperative activitiesweak attentional skillsinability to read other’s emotions wellpoor choice of friendsinappropriate stress responses

Mediating stress of the world

Indiscriminate downloading - nearly every experience forms part of the lasting structures and messages that will run their brains

Highly immature frontal lobes are unable to delete or reframe negative input

Metaphor: like making a copy of a CD of the world - downloading culture

TV & Computers vs. Games and Exploratory Play

to help kids develop emotional and social skills, replace TV time with interactions with REAL people

Baby Einstein: many parents believe the bogus educational claims made for infant DVDs & videos. But! There is NO evidence that supports the value of so-called “Einstein” videos

Avoid Computer Time for kids under 5 years of age

Opportunity Cost: preferable that they play, move, communicate and socialize rather than watch TV

Quality NutritionMost children are not malnourished; they are improperly nourished

Foods good for the brain: leafy green vegetables, salmon, nuts, lean meats, fresh fruits

Hydration: important to the brain’s normal development and functioning - 8 to 12 glasses a day

Heads-up for Teachers!Read to kids, talk to them and ask questionsGive them time to discover and learn on their ownteach them rhyming games and the alphabetprovide simple toys that encourage imaginationprovide opportunities for social games and activitiesrole-model emotional stability and kindnessteach them how to behave with their peershelp them be comfortable away from parentsEnsure not just quality time but quantity of quality time - focus on love and emotional reciprocity

Young Kids (5 to 10 years)

brain of wonder: ready to take on new challenges such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and the world of reason

develop a wider sense of what the world offers, their social sense, more interest in friendships and criteria for friends

novelty abounds, exposed to music, new classmates, different options in clothing, exploration of environment

first become interested in computers, hobbies, sports, and sexuality

Young Kids (5 to 10 years)have definitive ideas about what they like to eat

often consume non-nutritious foods from vending machines, school lunch counters, fastfood and enticing supermarket displays

nutritional deficits have been known to decrease test scores and nutritional supplementation has improved them

Snacks good for the brain: popcorn, carrots, raisins, rice cakes, energy bars, yogurt, mixed nuts, dried fruits, veggie sticks

Heads-up for Teachers!

No time to waste - they need physical play, guided exploration and socialization more than seatwork!

Travel, explore nature, play sports, visit museums, watch plays, etc.

Teach about ethics, nutrition and morality

Tweens to Teens (11-18)

� starting the engine of a race car with an unskilled driver

Metaphors:

� blueprint more than skyscraper

Rapid and massive structural change in teens’ brains: growth spurt of grey matter followed by massive pruning - biggest reason for the often bizarre teen behavior that exasperates and bewilders adults

“under construction” brain areas are highly unstable, volatile and unpredictable

debate on dopamine (feel-good neurotransmitter) levels in teens - probably high level because they are more sensitive to the pleasurable effects of nicotine and alcohol and less sensitive to the adverse effects - predisposes them to risky behavior

Role of sleepMelatonin (hormone associated with regulating sleep schedule) levels are typically low during the teen years

teens want to stay up late and get up later

Importance of sleep: time when the teen-age brain re-organizes, prunes synapses and stores new learning

early school start times are associated with significant sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness. Solution?

Patterns that have sound biological reasons

susceptibility to risky extremes of novelty

lack of planning

emotional stew

crowd morality

difficulty in self-regulation

Heads-up for Teachers!๏ Be succinct• Teens’ frontal lobes may not be good at storing many ideas at a time. When giving directions, give just one at a time. Be straightforward, not sarcastic, circuitous, or patronizing

๏ Be a mentor & firm guide, not a best friend • Most teens can’t recognize the universe of options available so they lie and assume the lie will get them out of a bind. Guide them by showing them options and discussing these rather than lecturing

Heads-up for Teachers!๏ Be understanding rather than judgmental• Teens’ ability to recognize and accurately distinguish emotions of others conveyed by their facial expressions is weaker by 20% until the age of 18. This is even weaker at ages 11 and 12 than 10. They also have difficulty identifying their own emotions. Thus, don’t tell them how they feel – identify what behaviors you see and allow them to reach their own conclusions

๏ Cut them some slack • Make them feel the consequences of their mistake but approach punishment carefully

Heads-up for Teachers!๏ ask questions

๏ have outbound programs

๏ reduce chances for dangerous, risky behavior

๏ Guide them with focus, love and involvement

๏ affirm them and focus on their strengths - their self-esteem is weaker than they’ll let on

๏ Basic Recipe for dealing with teens: lots of love, talking, bonding, healthy stimulation, exploratory games and good nutrition

Principle 14:meaning making

A natural, built-in tendency of the human brain is to want things to make sense, to

understand “why” and to make meaning of the micro and macro world.

Micro vs. macro

The “Macro View” or “Big Picture” view may require you to THINK differently about core issues in your daily work.

The “Micro View” may ask you to DO something differently, stop DOING a behavior or START a new action SET.

This is not a case of “theory vs. practical.” It’s a deeper and wider understanding of what you’re up against. Doing the same thing won’t work.

What makes content meaningful to our brain?

Personal (me!) relevance

Context (serial/global content)

Potential gain/loss

Circumstances (situation at the moment)

Framing (alternative perspectives)

What’s meaningful to kids? much of it is developmental!

Am I safe or can I be hurt? (survival)

Do I have friends or not? (affiliation)

Am I valued by others or not? (status)

Will I be accepted or ridiculed? (relationship and self-esteem)

When is lunch? Where are the bathrooms? buses, etc? (stressors)

Relevance with 10 powerful and critical adolescent life skills

Prediction Optimism

Risk Analysis Judgment

Mate Selection Parenting

Conflict Resolution

Perspective

Economics

Teamwork

heads-up for teachers!

Avoid long lectures!

Build brain breaks/reflection time/activities into your lesson (ideally every 20 minutes)

Facilitate small-group discussion after new material has been presented -- allow students to sort things out, generate questions, explore possible scenarios

Encourage Ss to find personal meaning in their new learning

Use “framing”

It’s Your Life!Take care of your body, mind and soul.Live everyday to the fullest.Be the miracle you want to see in school.

Congratulations!

Teaching with the brain in mind is no longer a trend, it has become a

necessity.

Welcome to the “brain train.” All Aboard!