Why Does Neuroscience Belong in Classroom Practice?

For the last three decades, Dr. Patricia Wolfe author of Brain Matters 2nd Edition (ASCD, 2010) and Building the Reading Brain, PreK-3 2nd Edition (Corwin Press, 2009), has been a crusader for getting teachers to understand the importance of studying neuroscience and translating it into classroom practice. Being a personal mentor of mine, our group, The Brainy Bunch, meets yearly with her to discuss what is currently happening in the field of neuroscience and its implications on teaching and learning. I’ve been a part of this group of educators for number of years and it never ceases to amaze us that as we work with a vast array of educational institutions, we are astounded at how very little our teachers really understand the brain and how we learn.

DPS embarked on a mission to redefine the learning landscape for students requiring special education services. By designing specialized classrooms across 11 schools, DPS has created spaces that cater to a wide range of learning styles and needs. This section delves into the specifics of these innovations, such as small, intimate learning areas, dynamic group learning zones, de-escalation areas for emotional support, and campfire zones for social interaction. It highlights the thoughtful considerations and research-backed strategies that went into creating these environments, emphasizing DPS’s dedication to student-centric design.

What is Neuroscience? What is Cognitive Neuroscience?

Neuroscience is the study of the brain and the nervous system. Cognitive Neuroscience is “..a branch of neuroscience concerned with the biological processes of the nervous system which form the basis of cognitive functioning” (Merriam-Webster). It’s our thinking, remembering, reasoning, decision-making — how the brain learns, retrieves and applies information– everything involving conscious intellectual activity.

Our brain is constantly changing and everything that we do physically changes it. Our brains are considered “plastic.” This allows us to change and mold our brains as our environment changes and dictates how our memories are used in the future. This is called neuroplasticity and as educators, we need to realize that we (as well as the students themselves) actually have the ability to physically change their brains – and their intelligence. The brain becomes what it does. Understanding the brain and how it works is critical for our educators to become high-impact, effective teachers.

To have a student in a class with a teacher who really doesn’t understand the implications of brain-changing neuroplasticity is like sending your car in for repair to a mechanic who doesn’t understand how the engine works.

“There is nothing more human than the human brain,” said Bill Latham, CEO of MeTEOR Education and author of Humanizing the Education Machine. Educators study childhood development and now as the field of neuroscience expands, why wouldn’t educators grasp the opportunity to explore this incredible depth of knowledge to enhance their practice and daily interactions with their students?

When the senses are stimulated, the brain turns that data into information. As the neurons (the basic cell of the brain) get activated, neuroplasticity allows for new neural pathways to be formed. This encoding process requires activation of prior knowledge. “Neuroimaging research supported by cognitive testing reveals that the most successful construction of working (short-term) memory takes place when there has been activation of the brain’s prior knowledge before the new information is taught” (Willis, 2012).

John Hattie’s research of over 50,000 studies, echoes the same idea. Deep learning builds on the student’s prior knowledge and that knowledge base provides the foundation needed for deeper understanding and transference (Hattie, 2017). By making teachers aware of how the brain works, — that the brain seeks patterns, connections and relationships between the new learning and prior knowledge, the teacher then understands why the use of cross curricular studies, graphic organizers, spiraled curriculum, etc., increases encoding in the brain (Willis, 2012).

Advantages of Studying Neurological Research

1. Validating Strategies
2. Better Understanding of Students with Learning Disabilities and Learning Problems
3. Learn How to Use Technology More Effectively
4. Use Research to Improve Teaching and Learning
5. Being Able to Translate Research into Classroom Practice

Action Steps

• Read books by educators as well as neuroscientists themselves.
  • Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain Matters, 2nd Edition. Translating research into classroom practice. Alexander, VA: ASCD.
  • Sylwester, R. (2000). A biological brain in a cultural classroom: Applying biological research to classroom management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
  • Sylwester, R. (2005). How to explain the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
  • Diamond, M., & & Hopson, J. (1999). Magic Trees of the Mind. New York, NY: Penguin.
  • Glick, M. (2011). The instructional leader and the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
• Search the Internet paying particular attention to scientific journals, educational webpages focusing on neuroscience, neuroeducation, Brain-Based Education, etc. Get familiar with neuroscientists and educators who are well known in their field for their involvement with neuroeducation. Also check such research based webpages like edutopia (www.edutopia.org) and TED Talks (https://www.ted.com/talks).
• Join professional organizations.
  • Neuroscience & the Classroom: Making the Connections https://www.learner.org/courses/neuroscience/
  • The Dana Foundation http://www.dana.org/educators/
  • The Society of Neuroscience https://www.sfn.org/public-outreach/education-programs/resources-for-educators
  • International Youth Neuroscience Association https://youthneuro.org
• Attend seminars and conferences such as Learning and the Brain Conference.
• Network with other Brain Junkies, especially those in your local school district. Find others who are looking at new ways of thinking about how students learn and how to improve teaching practices. Explaining and justifying their educational practices within the framework of neuroscience with interdisciplinary collaboration is critical to the future success of neuroeducation.
• Experiment in the classroom. Design action research in your classroom and wait for the feedback from your students. I’m sure they’ll be happy to provide it for you!

Conclusion

Teaching involves changing the brain. Neuroplasticity is when experiences change both the structure and function of the brain. Given that teachers can be said to be “…the orchestrators of neuronal plasticity,” (Ansari, 2014) it seems a “no brainer” that educators should be aware of what they’re doing to their students’ brains.

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