How Teaching Changes the Brain

Air Academy High SchoolJanuary 4, 2012Barbara A. Toney

Do you get sick of hearing:

“Why do I have to learn this” and “When am I ever going to use this?”

Coming up: The definitive answer to these questions that will stop them from asking them again.

Major concepts• Good, bad, short-term or long-term, something is

always happening in kids’ brains.

• The choices you make as an educator will be a major influence on students- _1_.

• You can only make ___2___when you are informed about which

ones matter the most.

Old (outdated) ParadigmOld (outdated) Paradigm

““Our brains stay Our brains stay mostly the same. mostly the same.

Except we lose brain cellsExcept we lose brain cells every day.” every day.”

(this is old and mostly wrong)(this is old and mostly wrong)

““Our brains stay Our brains stay mostly the same. mostly the same.

Except we lose brain cellsExcept we lose brain cells every day.” every day.”

(this is old and mostly wrong)(this is old and mostly wrong)

A New View of the Human Brain

The human brain is __3__, not fixed.The brain (depending on your age) is:• making __4__ • adding __5__• pruning __6__• allowing __7__ • changing __8__• re-organizing itself every single day!

Guess Which FactorsActually Change Our Brains?

Bad moods Playing an InstrumentDistress Daily WalksLearning Diabetes__9__ Gene ExpressionTrauma Watching TVNutrition Hands on ScienceExercise __10__Medications Sleep

• People = Shit by Slipknot Here we go again, motherfucker

Come on down, and see the idiot right hereToo fucked to beg and not afraid to careWhat's the matter with calamity anyway?

Right? Get the fuck outta my faceUnderstand that I can't feel anything

It isn't like I wanna sift through the decayI feel like a wound, like I got a fuckin'

Gun against my head, you live when I'm dead

One more time, mother fucker Everybody hates me now, so fuck it

Blood's on my face and my hands, and IDon't know why, I'm not afraid to cry

But that's none of your businessWhose life is it? Get it? See it? Feel it? Eat it?

Spin it around so I can spit in its faceI wanna leave without a trace

Cause I don't wanna die in this place

• People = Shit (Whatcha gonna do?)People = Shit (Cuz I am not afraid of you)

People = Shit (I'm everything you'll never be)

It never stops - you can't be everything to everyoneContagion I'm sitting at the side of Satan

What do you want from me?They never told me the failure I was meant to be

Overdo it - don't tell me you blew itStop your bitchin' and fight your way through it I'M - NOT - LIKE - YOU - I - JUST - FUCK - UP

• C'mon mother fucker, everybody has to die C'mon mother fucker, everybody has to die

__11__

Brain Chemistry

Neurogenesis

Cell Survival/Function

__12__

Gene Expression

Blood Flow

Teaching Changes Cell Structures (length & volume)

Jacobs, et al., 1993

Learning Experiences Physically Learning Experiences Physically Alter Student Brain CellsAlter Student Brain Cells

Dendrites Add “Spines” asDendrites Add “Spines” asResponse to Environmental InputResponse to Environmental Input

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Teaching Changes How Cells Connect

Simple to Complex

From simple to complex neural networks; that’s

the process when we

develop expert knowledge in a

topic

Learning Changes Location of Blood Flow in Our Brains

Note changes in activation L-R in subjects learning to play a game

Hai

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t al.(

1992

)

Activities and Exercise Change the Brain

Standing,Standing, a Simple Activity, a Simple Activity,Increases __13__Increases __13__

Nearly any kind of activity that boosts circulation also improvesbrain function and cognitionVaynman S, and Gomez-Pinilla (2006)

Neurogenesis Neurogenesis (the production of (the production of brand new brain cells)brand new brain cells) is… is…

Enhanced by:• Exercise • Complex Environments• New Learning• Prosocial Contact• Nutrition• Low Stress

Reduced by:• __15__• __16__• __17__• __18__• __19__• __20__

P.S. Teachers can influence many of these factors!

Time

•__22__ something is taught can be as important as __22__is taught.

Primacy-Recency Effect

We remember best what we experience first, and second best what comes last. BEM

Primacy-Recency Effect• Prime Time 1• Down time• Prime Time 2

• Teach new info when you have students’ focus.

Retention during learning episode

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Time in minutes

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Primacy-Recency Effect• New info should be

taught in Prime time 1

• It is important that only correct info be presented at this time.

• The new material should be followed with practice during down time.

Retention during learning episode

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Primacy-Recency Effect• Closure should take

place during prime time 2.

• This is the second most powerful learning position & an important opportunity to determine sense and meaning.

Retention during learning episode

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Time in minutes

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Retention varies with length of teaching episode

• More retention occurs when lessons are shorter.

• A block containing 4 twenty minute lessons will be much more productive than one long lesson.

Retention during learning episode

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Time in minutesDe

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of R

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Series1

Prime Time 1 (First 15 minutes)

Mr. X : “Today we’re going to learn the 3rd cause of the Civil War and its relevance…. Before that, let me give back some homework, collect and go over today’s homework, collect the notes from Bill and Mary who were absent and get them caught up, take attendance, read announcements…”

Mr. G: “Today we will learn the 3rd cause of the Civil War and how it relates to current times. And here is the 3rd cause.. (cause, examples, how it relates to previous..)

Down-Time (next 15 minutes)

• “Here is the 3rd cause…”

“Get into your discussion groups and discuss this 3rd cause. What are similarities and differences compared to the first two causes…”

Last 15 minutes (Prime Time 2)

• “OK, we’ve got only 5 minutes to the end of the period. You’ve listened well so you can do what you want quietly until the bell rings.”

“Take 2 minutes to review to yourself what we’ve learned about the 3rd cause. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the class in a moment.”

Website

http://www.barbaratoney.com This site is currently being rebuilt. Click on “articles” to access over 130 education articles written by me.The new website will have lots more informational material and should be up by the end of January.

Additional Workshops

• “Teaching With the Brain in Mind”

• Why Don’t They Remember What I Taught Them?”

• “Killer Teaching” (in depth learning)

• “Cooperative Learning”

• “Classroom Management”

• “How Poverty Impacts Learning”

What can I do Tomorrow?

The New Understandingof the Role of Teachers

Teachers can teach in ways that make powerful and positive changes in the brains of their students!Teachers shapebrains!