A recent piece at KQED’s MindShift blog titled, “How Free Play Can Define Kids’ Success,” explores some of the ideas from Kenneth Ginsburg book Building Resilience in Children and Teens. It is part of a growing trend of research and theories related to student efficacy, tenacity, and persistence. These are important ideas for anyone working with students and kids in today’s … Read More
Walking the (Learning) Walk
We find ourselves in something of a paradoxical education landscape. On the one hand we are learning more and more about the science of learning. Neuroscience is pushing the boundaries of the known world on a near daily basis. As a result, our knowledge about working with a variety of minds continues to grow at a phenomenal rate. Yet, numerous policy … Read More
12 Brain Rules
Below are the 12 Brain Rules developed by John Medina. Each link will take you to his site and to more information about each of the rules. You can find the original list in his book “Brain Rules” and on his Brain Rules website. Enjoy. EXERCISE | Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power. SURVIVAL | Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too. WIRING … Read More
Words that Ignite Learning
Below is a guest post by Kevin Washburn, Ed.D., author of “Architecture of Learning” and Executive Director of Clerestory Learning. His most recent recording at a Learning and Brain Conference can be found here. It seems like a ridiculous question: Can a teacher’s words influence student learning? Of course, we’d respond, how well a teacher explains new ideas naturally influences … Read More
Social Emotional Learning Core Competencies
Seeing the forest despite the trees. Our nation’s educational focus continues to zero in on “achievement” as defined by test scores in specific academic areas and the resulting gaps therein. This hyper focus exacerbates our nearly systematic blind eye related to learning for living and cultivating life long learners. As a result, policies that increase the stakes of standardized assessments … Read More
The Science of Love
One last video take on the biology, chemistry, and neurology behind love. This one is by the creative folks over at AsapScience, who also produced the clever “Brain Tricks” video. We promise to move on tomorrow, after Valentine’s Day. Until then, share this with a loved one.
Love in the Brain, Scientific America Edition
Love at first sight? Maybe. Check out (and be amazed by) the chemical / neurological reactions that happen (and the speed at which they occur) during the course of feeling lust and then moving to attraction and then attachment. This Scientific America‘s video, “Your Brain in Love and Lust” is a perfect one to share with a loved one, especially … Read More
Addressing Sensory Needs in the Classroom
The following guest post is by Dr. Penny Cuninggim, Founder and Associate Director at New England Adolescent Research Institute (NEARI) and Director of the Brain-based Learning and Resource Center. You can sign up for NEARI’s “Smoothies for the Brain” Newsletter here. Imagine your child in a world where something as basic and reliable as the sound of the school bell or … Read More
Fast vs. Slow Thinking — Brain Tricks
Below is a clever and enjoyable video from AsapScience, about how the brain works in relation to systems the author dubs, “Fast Thinking” and “Slow Thinking.” You might think about these as instinctive vs. conscious thought. As you watch the video and engage in the exercises, you will probably see implications for teaching and learning. We wonder, how often we … Read More
Your Brain Is Amazing (Short Video)
The good folks over at Piled Higher and Deeper created the below video based on their awesome infographic titled, “Your Brain By the Numbers.” Coming it at only 1:17, it is well worth watching and sharing. Enjoy.