Resources Available on the Web for Learning Theories and Instruction

     One of my favorite authors in Brain-Based Teaching is Eric Jensen. I read his book Teaching with the Brain in Mind (1998) several years ago and was inspired. So I checked for any newer publications. As it happens, he published an updated, second edition of the book in 2005. You can access Eric Jensen’s book via the Walden Library (http://site.ebrary.com/lib/waldenu/docDetail.action?docID=10089220).  The book starts off with an overview of the brain and how it works, as known in 2005.  Its chapters range from Meeting Your Amazing Brain and Preparing the Brain, through to Emotional Stress, Motivation and Engagement, Critical Thinking Skills, Memory and Recall, and Brain-Based Teaching. I found it extremely interesting and enlightening when I read the first edition and am looking forward to reading the second edition.  Additionally, Eric Jensen has published a few articles on the subject of understanding how the brain learns and how to modify teaching to take advantage of those facts.  He is a member of the Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD), whose web site is http://www.ascd.org/. You can join ASCD Edge for free and participate in any of the numerous groups, as well as follow any of the member’s blogs, including Eric Jensen’s.

     I found that Judith Willis also posts some very insightful blogs in the area of brain-based learning and teaching on this web site. For instance, Dr. Willis is hosting a Webinar on Thursday, October 14, 2010, 3:00 p.m. ET, entitled “Ask Dr. Judy Webinar: Strategies for Maximizing Student Memory”. This is just one of several free Webinars available. The description of this webinar refers to reducing student resistance and “how you can use the newest research about neuroplasticity, the dopamine-reward system, and active student participation (including making mistakes) to increase long-term memory.”  This web site’s list of groups is extensive. In the interests of this class, I joined the following groups: “Brain Compatible Learning”, “How the Brain Learns”, and “Social Networking”. I also added both Dr. Judith Willis and Eric Jensen to my Blog RSS list. There are also videos, audios and lesson plans posted to this web site as well as a list of publications you might find interesting.  I was able to link to a chapter in Dr. Willis’ book Learning to Love Math (2010), http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108073.aspx . I found many of my own attitudes about what is wrong with how math is taught in the United States reflected in Chapter 1: Reversing Math Negativity with an Attitude Makeover. The fact that most students’ parents admit to their children they were not good at math, and they don’t see the need for it in their lives, causes a negative attitude as well as a low expectation of performance by their children in the subject. Dr. Willis points out that “71 percent [of parents] could not calculate miles per gallon on a trip, and 58 percent were unable to calculate a 10 percent tip for a lunch bill.” (Willis, 2010) As a math teacher, I have been faced with many of these people during parent-teacher conferences. They still say they don’t see any use of math in their everyday lives. (Willis, 2010) She makes several suggestions on how to relate math to our students’ lives. Ideas like demonstrating the importance of remainders in life being simulated with index cards and toothpicks substituting for people and pizza pieces give powerful examples of how to link math skills to things the child values.

     Other subjects were eye openers for me. For instance, Dr. Willis pointed out that since stress interferes with learning by blocking the “flow of information through the amygdale in the brain’s limbic system … to the PFC [prefrontal cortex], and it diverts sensory input into the automatic, reflexive parts of the lower brain.” (Willis, 2010) She goes on to explain this as unconscious and primitive responses akin to the “fight, flight, or freeze.” One way she suggests de-stressing test situations is to allow students to retake tests they do poorly on. This gives them a chance to “regain some sense of control” over their learning and the test itself. (Willis, 2010) I did this with all my classes and many students who previously had ‘test-phobia’ were able to relax when taking tests by the end of the semester.  Another I had not heard of before was allowing students to grade her on a report card. The students and she selected areas to grade her in, such as “kindness, organization, fairness, friendliness, knows material, funny, listens, and explains material well.” (Willis, 2010) She used the results to improve her performance and rapport with her students. While I am unable to read the entire book online at this web site, the chapters available online are interesting and prompt me to purchase the book for my own library.

References

Jensen, Eric. 2005. Teaching with the brain in mind (2^nd ed). Alexandria, VA : Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development  http://site.ebrary.com/lib/waldenu/docDetail.action?docID=10089220

Jensen, E. (2008). A Fresh Look at Brain-Based Education. Phi Delta Kappan, 89(6), 408-417. Available from http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/ktoc.htm

Willis, Judith. (2010). Learning to Love Math: Teaching Strategies that Change Student Attitudes and Get Results. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Viewed online at http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108073.aspx