Learning with the Brain in Mind
Participant Guide
Workshop Developer:
Carol Koran, Association Instructor
With contributions from:
Jamie Kryzanowki, Association Instructor
Joni Turville, Executive Staff Officer, Alberta Teachers’ Association,
Professional Development
The Alberta Teachers’ Association, 11010 142 Street NW, Edmonton T5N 2R1.
© 2003 by the Alberta Teachers’ Association. All rights reserved.
Published 2003. Printed in Canada.
Revised 2012.
Any reproduction in whole or in part without prior written consent of the
Alberta Teachers’ Association is prohibited.
Workshop Goals:
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Increase understanding of how the brain functions.
Examine recent discoveries related to brain development.
Understand the processes of learning and memory.
Examine the influence of emotions and learning.
Apply this knowledge to instructional strategies.
Your Personal Learning Goal for Today:
What would you like to learn today?
Goal Setting in the Classroom:
What was the objective of a recent lesson you taught? Did you share this objective with the
students?
How do you ensure that students have clear goals for their learning?
If a learning objective is lacking authenticity and relevance, the human brain is
more likely to reject it. The brain is designed for survival, not boredom.
Bennett and Rolheiser, 2008.
2
Reflection Page
Use this page to record important ideas and strategies you will use after the workshop.
Important ideas:
How I will apply them:
Brain Fact:
The brain needs a reason to pay attention to new information. Do you share the
goals of each lesson in your classroom with your students?
Brain Myths or Facts?
Check to indicate whether you believe the statement is a Myth or a Fact:
Myth
1. We only use about 10% of our brain.
2. A person’s personality displays a right or left brain dominance.
3. Brain damage is irreversible.
4. Boys and girls have different brains.
5. Stress affects the ability of the brain to learn and retain
information.
6. The brain feeds on glucose, so eating candy during a test is a good
idea.
7. Physical exercise improves brain function.
8. Play in mammals affects frontal lobe development. Abnormal
play behaviour is often an indication of brain disorder.
9. The brain is a “blank slate” at birth.
10. Babies are born with cells that allow them to hear and pronounce
the sounds of every language in the world.
11. After the age of 12, it is more difficult to learn a new language
fluently.
12. Smell is the strongest memory trigger.
13. The brain never forgets; we just lose the ability to recall the stored
information.
14. A bigger brain means more intelligence.
15. You can’t tickle yourself.
Fact
Emotion and the Brain
Stress and Learning
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Anxious students act out or shut down.
They have a shortened attention span.
They filter out all “unnecessary stimuli” not connected to survival.
How can teachers reduce stress in students?
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Choice.
Physical Activity.
Predictability.
Sense of Control.
Social Interaction.
Based on the 5 factors (in above slide), what specific actions could you take in your classroom to
reduce stress in students?
BrainFact:
Fact:
Brain
Thebrain
brainis isprogrammed
programmed
to attend
to information
a strong
emotional
The
to attend
to information
with with
a strong
emotional
content. How
content.
can
you use emotion and help students learn?
Small Group Participation
1. Choose a topic that interests you.
2. Use any sources, including the Internet, print material and personal knowledge.
3. Spend up to 20 minutes collecting information.
4. Create a Visual Diagram or Graphic Organizer to summarize your learning on large chart
paper.
Notes:
Reflection—Bringing it Home
What will you do differently in your classroom based on what you’ve learned today?
What did you learn today that validates and reinforces what you already do?
What will you have your students learn about their brains?
What should parents know about their child’s brain and learning?
Education is discovering the brain and that’s about the best news there could be … Anyone
who does not have a thorough, holistic grasp of the brain’s architecture, purposes, and main
ways of operating is as far behind the times as an automobile designer without a full
understanding of engines.
Leslie Hart, “Human Brain, Human Learning”
Learning with the Brain in Mind—Participant Guide
Appendix A
Answers for the Brain Terminology Card Sort
1. Acetylcholine—a neurotransmitter. It is necessary to form long-term memories; it is in
short supply in Alzheimer’s patients. It increases when we sleep and is released through
movement.
2. Amygdala—the part of the brain that is the source of emotions and emotional memory. It
matures BEFORE the frontal lobe. The amygdala is programmed for immediate emotional
response.
3. Caffeine—acts as a stimulant; puts the brain into a high state of arousal, so concentration
and focus may become difficult. Increases heart rate and anxiety.
4. Consolidation—the process of stabilizing a memory over time, moving it from working
memory to long-term memory.
5. Cortisol—the hormone released when the body is under stress. It interferes with the
brain's supply of glucose and causes an influx of calcium into brain cells. Calcium creates
free-radical molecules, which can actually damage brain cells. When the brain is damaged by
cortisol, the patient has difficulty paying attention which prevents adequate storage of
memory; therefore, interferes with general intelligence. In other words, a stressed brain is
less able to learn.
6. Dopamine—the “feel good” neurotransmitter. It allows us to focus and make decisions.
It’s linked with addiction and pleasure. Exercise releases dopamine. Students with ADHD
have lower levels of dopamine in their frontal lobes.
7. Glucose—the fuel for the brain. It cannot be stored. The frontal lobe requires glucose in
order to function. However, too much glucose (from eg, soft drinks) can cause the body to
kick out more insulin to deal with the overload of glucose. Ultimately, the brain becomes
“glucose-starved”.
8. Hippocampus—the part of the brain that is most responsible for storage and retrieval of
memory.
9. Myelination—the process of strengthening neural pathways to consolidate learning. There is
some evidence that alcohol use in a young person’s life can disrupt the myelination and
pruning process of the brain.
10. Nicotine—interrupts the flow of oxygen to the brain—decreases learning and memory and
reduces the production of glucose. Teenage smokers grow twice as many neural receptors for
nicotine than people who begin smoking in their 20’s—hence, it is easier to get hooked on
nicotine as a teenager.
11. Plasticity—refers to the ability of the brain to change as the result of experiences;
experiences include ANY sensory input. The use of drugs at an early age can actually affect
later plasticity, that is, the ability of the brain to learn and memorize later in life.
12. Pruning—the natural process by which the brain eliminates neural pathways that are no
longer used. Occurs at least twice: between the ages of 2 and 3 and again at ages 14 through
18. Pruning is based on environment—the brain chooses to keep what it has discovered is
important to the individual.
13. Marijuana—results in low activity in the frontal lobe (reasoning) and temporal lobes
(memory) due to a decrease in blood flow. It interferes with the ability to long-range plan
(there’s a reason it’s called “dope”)
Learning with the Brain in Mind—Participant Guide
Appendix B
Information for “Examining the Net-Gen Brain”
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The RAS (Reticular Activating System) is the part of the brain that filters information. There
is evidence that the RAS in young people scans more quickly and expects more information
than our generation. This is a result of their involvement with more information at a fast
pace.
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The average person spends about two seconds per website when doing a search. Our students
are programmed to scan more quickly and are less likely to focus attention for a significant
length of time.
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The increase in immediate connectivity is related to increased stress in students. Students
know immediately if negative information is being said or shared about them.
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Net-Geners are keyed into visuals when they “read” or scan for information. They do not
“read” sequentially. Don Tapscott (Grown Up Digital) says they develop hypertext minds.
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Net-Geners are more likely to explore first and then look for instructions.
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Playing video games does NOT activate the frontal lobe—Researchers found (2008) that
video games stimulate the visual and motor function, but not the frontal lobe.
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Adolescents who are completely immersed in technology may suffer from stunted frontal
lobe development—particularly in the areas of social ability and the ability to empathize and
relate to others.
Learning with the Brain in Mind—Participant Guide
Appendix C
Brain Compatible Teaching Strategy
Think, Pair, Share (An Instructional Tactic)
What is it?
It is a process for students to communicate and share answers in a safe manner that encourages
accountability and participation.
What is its purpose?
Think, Pair, Share results in increased student participation and improved retention of
information. Using the procedure, students learn from one another and get to try out their ideas in
a non-threatening context before venturing to make their ideas more public. Learner confidence
improves and all students are given a way to participate in class, rather than the few who usually
volunteer. The benefits for the teacher include increased time on task in the classroom and
improved quality of student contributions to class discussions. Students and teachers alike gain
much clearer understandings of the expectations for attention and participation in classroom
discussions.
Process
Students are given a limited amount of time to think of their own answer to the posed
question. Students should understand that while there may be no one right answer, it is
important that everyone comes up with some reasonable answer to the question.
Each student discusses his or her answer with a fellow student. They begin working
together to reach consensus on an answer to the question. Together, each pair of students can
reformulate a common answer based on their collective insights to possible solutions to the
posed question.
Students now share their answers with the whole class. Students see and hear the same
concepts expressed in several different ways as individual students find unique expressions
for answers to the posed question. The concepts embedded in the answers are in the language
of the learners, rather than the language of the teacher or a textbook.
How can I use this in my classroom?
Virtually any time—to review, encourage discussion, brainstorm, check for understanding, or
start a discussion.
More information:
Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration, 2008.
Brain Compatible Teaching Strategy, cont’d
Placemat (An Instructional Tactic)
What is it?
Placemat is a collaborative learning tactic that combines writing and dialogue. It involves groups
of students working both alone and together around a single piece of paper to simultaneously
involve all members.
What is its purpose?
Placemat ensures accountability and participation of all students. It provides a safe environment
as students have time to reflect and can rely on the group for success.
Materials Required
Chart paper is preferable, but not necessary
Pens and pencils
Process
Students are in small groups (4–6 works best).
Students divide a piece of chart paper into the number of students in the group.
A centre square or circle may be used to consolidate information.
Students are provided with a question to answer.
Students work individually and silently first to write answers on their portion of the chart
paper.
Students share their thinking with their group. The Round Robin tactic works well for
ensuring equal opportunity. Students may be given the option to Pass.
Students may then share with the large group through reporting, Walk About, or any other
techniques appropriate to the assignment.
When could I use this approach?
 Achieving consensus
 Before doing a Mind Map—to identify key ideas
 Brainstorming
 Finding out what students already know
 Focusing on key ideas
 Practice responses (Math)
 Review
For more information:
Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration, 2008.
Brain Compatible Teaching Strategy, cont’d
Mind Mapping (An Instructional Strategy)
What is it?
Mind mapping is a strategy that helps the learner to connect existing knowledge with new
knowledge; this makes knowledge dynamic, rather than passive. As a framework tool, it assists
in the formation of connections and in organizing concepts and the relationships between facts,
concepts and ideas.
What is its purpose?
It is an analytical process that can be used to take notes, to study for an exam, to brainstorm, or
to make connections between ideas. It enhances memory. It also allows students to work in
groups to practice social skills.
Essentials of Mind Mapping
 The central image represents the subject being mapped
 The main themes radiate like branches from that central image
 Those branches have a key image or key word printed on an associated line
 The branches have a connected structure
 The use of colours and images helps link the ideas to memory in the brain.
Materials
A sheet of paper for each student or group
Coloured pens or crayons, even scissors and glue, if pictures will be used
Process
 Select a topic. It helps to think of a visual that captures the essence of that topic and use it in
the centre.
 Brainstorm the key ideas related to that topic.
 Record all ideas.
 Group into common categories.
 Draw a picture or symbol that represents each of the key ideas brainstormed.
 Position those visuals around the outside of the visual in the centre of the map.
 Put in the key word, then connect the key words to the centre.
 Flow with ideas radiating out from each of the key ideas and continue the above process.
 Reflect alone, with a partner, with a small group or with the class. Talk through the journey
you took to conceptualize the key ideas related to the topic. Explore the relationships
between different aspects of the map.
Note: Complex Mind Maps, when completed, may seem difficult to read or to decode. However,
the effectiveness of the activity is the process students work through as they complete it.
More Information:
Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration, 2008. p 274–291.
Sample Graphic Organizers
A. Ranking Ladders
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Ideas are placed on the steps or rungs of the ladder.
To make a ranking ladder a truly evaluative organizer, ideas should be placed on the steps in
order of importance.
Next to the idea on the rung, students may write their rationale for placing the idea at that
point, or provide an explanation of the idea.
B. Fish-Bone Diagram
Fish Bone Organizer
Note: This sample of Fish Bone is for Teacher reference
only and is only a framework for understanding. Students
should create their own headings and supporting evidence.
Fish Bone is used to organize information. It is often used in
problem solving or to identify and organize factors. The diagram
below illustrates the structure of the Fishbone Organizer. Notice
how the head of the Fish Bone provides the idea that acts as the
focus for the thinking. In a way, Fish Bone is a more
sophisticated form of Brainstorming. The students do more than
simply identify or recall ideas; they also organize them according
to some type of classification of the main ideas and the sub ideas
(this is the analysis and evaluation level of Bloom’s Taxonomy).
Bennett, Barrie and Carol Rolheiser. 2008. Beyond Monet,
Toronto: Bookation Inc. p.102.
Appendix D
The Adolescent Brain: A Work in Progress—June, 2009
By Pat Wolfe
One day a child is cheerful, loving and obedient, comes to a parent or teacher for advice, dresses
in appropriate clothing, and turns in for the night at 10:00 pm. Homework is done without
nagging and parent/teacher conferences are a joy. Then somewhere between 10 and 12, a strange
thing happens. Almost overnight it appears someone has unzipped this child and put someone
else inside. No longer could this child be called sweet and loving; surly and antagonistic would
be better descriptors. Gone are the days when they ask for advice and if it is offered, you can be
certain it will be ignored. This teen comes to breakfast in the morning dressed in an outfit on
which you would like to pin a note stating, “What this person is wearing to school today is not
my idea of good taste!” The teen spends hours on the computer, but homework doesn’t get done
and teacher/parent conferences are no longer pleasant.
It doesn’t take a brain scientist to tell you that adolescents can be frustrating. Most of us
understand that the teen’s life is shaped by factors such as family, friends, school, and
community institutions. But there are also powerful neurological issues at play. Neuroscience has
made great strides in shedding light on the changes occurring in the teen’s brains and why they
behave the way they do. Interestingly, the new information focuses not only on the oft-blamed
raging hormones, but on what’s going on above the neck as well. Many of the new insights into
the adolescent brain have been gained using the brain-imaging techniques that were discussed in
Chapter One. What the scientists are seeing is that the teen years are a time of significant change
in the activity, anatomy and neurochemistry of the brain.
As we have seen, the brain grows by expanding and pruning the connections between cells,
keeping the connections that are used the most and getting rid of the unused ones. We have also
seen that one of the most active periods of reorganization occurs early in life around two years of
age when there is a huge build up of neural connections in the child’s brain. Recall that this build
up is followed by a massive pruning which allows the strongest and most efficient connections to
function more effectively. Until recently, scientists assumed that this period of growth and
winnowing away occurs only in early childhood and that most, if not all, of the major changes in
brain organization and development occurred before adolescence. This view seemed reasonable
in light of the fact that the brain reaches its full size by puberty. The conventional wisdom had
been that the adolescent brain is fully developed and functions similarly to an adult brain. This
turns out, as many middle-school teachers and parents already suspected, not to be the case.
Instead scientists have discovered that very complex changes are taking place in the brain during
adolescence and that the brain is not fully installed until between ages 20 to 25. The brain is still
changing during the teen years!
Changes in the Adolescent Brain
In what parts of the adolescent brain are the greatest changes occurring? A central area of focus
has been the frontal lobes. A long-range study by Jay Giedd and his colleagues at the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has involved using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(fMRI) to scan the brains of nearly 1,000 healthy children and adolescents aged 3 to 18. Giedd
discovered that just prior to puberty, between ages 9 and 10, the frontal lobes undergo a second
wave of reorganization and growth (Giedd, 2007). This growth appears to represent millions of
new synapses. Then around age 11 a massive pruning of these connections takes place which
isn’t complete until early adulthood. Recall that although it may seem like the more synapses, the
better, the brain actually consolidates learning by pruning away connections. The brain is getting
rid of the least-used pathways, a method for ensuring that the most useful synapses are
maintained which in turn allows the brain to operate more efficiently.
In addition to this winnowing of connections in the adolescent brain, another developmental
factor is also at play. One of the final steps in developing an adult brain is myelination. Recall
that myelin develops in the more primitive areas of the brain first, gradually moving to the higher
level functioning areas. Myelin increases the speed of the axon potential travelling down the
axon, up to 100 fold compared to neurons that have no myelin. So, during the teen years not only
does the number of connections change, the speed of the connections becomes faster. It is not
surprising then to find that myelination occurs in the frontal lobes last. Researchers at the
University of California at Los Angeles compared scans of young adults, 23–30, with those of
teens, 12–16, looking for signs of myelin which would imply more mature, efficient connections.
As expected, the frontal lobes in teens showed less myelination than in the young adults. This is
the last part of the brain to mature: full myelination is probably not reached until around age 30
or perhaps later.
Why are these changes in the frontal lobes significant? The frontal lobes, specifically the area
right behind the forehead called the prefrontal or orbitofrontal cortex is often referred to as the
CEO of the brain. It is in this part of the brain that executive decisions are made and where
ethical/moral behaviour is mediated. In fact, this part of the brain has been dubbed “the area of
sober second thought”. Persons with damage to this part of the brain often know what they are
supposed to do, but are unable to do it. In these persons the damage also appears to impair their
ability to imagine the future consequence of their actions. They tend to be more uninhibited and
impulsive. Observations such as these suggest that teens may have difficulty inhibiting
inappropriate behaviours because the circuitry needed for such control is not fully mature. The
list below summarizes the cognitive and behavioural functions of the prefrontal cortex.
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Adjusting behaviour when situation changes
Empathizing with others
Forming Strategies
Impulse inhibition
Initiating appropriate behaviour
Insight
Making sound judgments
Organization of multiple tasks
Planning ahead
Self control
Setting goals and priorities
Stopping an activity upon completion
These functions are practically a laundry list of characteristics that adolescents often lack. Many
researchers suspect that an unfinished prefrontal cortex, with its excess of synapses and
unfinished myelination, contributes to the adolescent’s deficits in these areas. Their brains often
aren’t ready to take on the role of the CEO, resulting in a lack of reasoned thinking and
performance.
Another factor is at play in the adolescent brain that sheds some light on their often overemotional behaviour. Scientists have discovered that in the teen brain, the emotional centre
matures before the frontal lobes. Emotion therefore often holds sway over rational processing.
When we realize that the prefrontal cortex allows reflection while the amygdala is designed for
reaction, we can begin to understand the often irrational and overly emotional reactions of teens.
Our often-asked question when teens engage in irrational behaviour, “What were you thinking?”
is difficult for teens to answer because in many cases they weren’t thinking reflectively; they
were reacting impulsively. This phenomenon has been further validated by a team led by
Dr Deborah Yurgelun-Todd at Harvard–affiliated McLean Hospital. They used functional
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to compare the activity of adolescent brains to those of
adults. They found that when identifying emotional expressions on faces, adolescents activated
the amygdala more often than the frontal lobes. The opposite was seen in adults. In terms of
behaviour, the adult’s responses were more intellectual, while the teens responses were more
from the gut or more reactive. Giedd comments that adolescents can be thought of as trucks with
no brakes!
The neurotransmitter dopamine plays an important role in the often reckless, sensation-seeking
behaviour of adolescents. Recall that dopamine is a naturally-produced stimulant, critical for
focussing attention on the environment, especially when there are conflicting options. When a
goal is not obvious, reflection, not impulse, is necessary to make a good decision. Early in
adolescent development, dopamine levels are relatively low which may account for their reactive
behaviour. The good news is that dopamine inputs to the prefrontal cortex grow dramatically as
the teen ages, resulting in an increased capacity for more mature judgment and impulse control.
But until this system is mature, decisions are often made on impulse.
Substance Abuse During Adolescence
Now that it has become clear that, in contrast to previously-held assumptions, there is a
tremendous amount of change taking place in the teen brain, we need to look at the possibility
that alcohol and other drugs impact both brains and behaviour differently in adolescents and
adults. The shaping and fine-tuning of the frontal lobes is, at least in part, mediated by
experience. This raises the possibility that drug abuse could alter normal development of the
brain. This is an area of critical importance. Current estimates suggest that roughly 50% of high
school seniors consume alcohol at least once a month, while 17% regularly smoke cigarettes and
nearly 50% have smoked some marijuana (Kann et al, 2000; Johnston et al, 2001). The National
Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse reports that alcohol kills six and a half times more
individuals under age 21 than all other drugs combined.
Much of the research on the effects of alcohol has been conducted using animal studies. In
studies of rats, Markwiese et al (1998) found that alcohol disrupts the activity of an area of the
brain essential for memory and learning, the hippocampus, and that this area is much more
vulnerable to alcohol-induced learning impairments in adolescent rats than adult rats. Rats are
not humans, however, there is some evidence that the human hippocampus reacts in a similar
manner. A study by De Bellis et al (2000) found that hippocampal volumes were smaller in those
who abused alcohol during adolescence and that the longer one abused alcohol, the smaller the
hippocampus became.
Research by Sandra Brown and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego has
produced the first concrete evidence that heavy, ongoing alcohol use by adolescents can impair
brain functioning. They found several differences in memory function between alcohol
dependent and non-drinking adolescents, none of whom used any other drugs. In the study, the
15 and 16 year-olds who had drunk heavily (more than 100 lifetime alcohol use episodes) scored
lower on verbal and nonverbal retention of information.
Additional research by Brown and Tappert (2000) is trying to answer whether or not heavy
drinking at 15 is more dangerous for the brain than at 20. Their preliminary hypothesis is that
drinking may be more dangerous at age 15 because the finishing touches on brain development
(myelination and pruning) haven’t been completed and alcohol may interrupt or disturb these
refining processes. Brown and Tappert point out that more studies will be needed to produce a
definitive answer, but at least their work is an important step toward confirming what many
scientists have suspected for some time—teenagers who drink may be exposing their brains to
the toxic effects of alcohol during a critical time in brain development.
Not only are the frontal lobes of adolescents going through major changes, the molecular and
chemical systems are being re-shifted as well. Many substances appear to have a heightened
effect on teens. Researchers at Duke University found that adolescent brains respond more
intensely to nicotine than do adult brains. In rat brains, the levels of dopamine receptors in the
pleasure centre (the nucleus acumens) of the brain increase dramatically between 25-40 days, the
rat adolescent phase (Spears, 2000). These receptors play a huge role in the pleasure-producing
properties of drugs. It is not yet clear if the human adolescent brain evidences this same increase,
but many researchers think it is highly probable.
Adolescent Sleep Patterns
A common complaint of parents of teenagers is that their kids insist they can’t fall asleep until
midnight, but every morning is a struggle to get them out of bed on time for school. And parents
aren’t the only ones with complaints about adolescent sleep habits. Teachers of early morning
classes complain that their students seem to be in class in body only, frequently nodding off or at
the least, drowsy and difficult to teach. It may not be the fault of teens; biology may be behind
their sleep problems. Recent research has shown that here is yet another area where adolescent
brains move to the beat of a different drummer.
Our sleep cycles are determined by what is called circadian rhythms, a sort of internal biological
clock that determines not only how much sleep we need, but also when we become sleepy at
night and when we awake in the morning. Sleep researcher, Mary Carskadon in her sleep
laboratory at Brown University’s Bradley Hospital, has discovered that teenagers need more
sleep than they did as children and that their circadian rhythms appear to be set later than those
of children or adults.
The conventional wisdom has been that young children need 10 hours sleep and that as we
become adults, the need decreases to 8 hours. Teenagers have been included in the adult group.
Carskadon has shown that teens, far from needing less sleep than they did as children, need
more. In order to function well and remain alert during the day, they need 9 hours and 15
minutes, possibly because the hormones that are critical to growth and sexual maturation are
released mostly during sleep. One survey of the sleep patterns of 3,000 teenagers showed that the
majority slept only about 7 hours a night with more than a quarter averaging 6 hours or less on
school nights. Given that sleep is a time when brain cells replenish themselves and when
connections made during the day are strengthened, sleep deprivation can have a major negative
effect on learning and memory.
A second finding from Carskadon’s research is that these teen biological clocks appear to be set
later than those of children or adults. They do not get sleepy as early as they did when they were
preadolescents and therefore tend to stay up later at night and sleep later in the morning. Most
teenager brains aren’t ready to wake up until 8 or 9 in the morning, well past the time when the
first bells have sounded at most high schools. Teens who have to get up before their internal
clock buzzes, miss out on an important phase of REM sleep, that is important for memory and
learning.
Not all scientists agree totally with the research on the adolescent brain. Giedd’s theory that brain
changes are responsible for the often erratic behaviour we see in teens is speculative. The theory
is somewhat controversial because the roots of behaviour are complex and cannot be easily
explained by relatively superficial changes in the brain. However, if the theory turns out to be
true, it would underscore the importance of providing careful guidance through adolescence,
which isn’t a bad idea in any case. Giedd states “...unlike infants whose brain activity is
completely determined by their parents and environment, the teens may actually be able to
control how their own brains are wired and sculpted.” Adolescents are laying down neural
foundations for the rest of their lives. As parents and teachers, we have an opportunity and an
obligation to educate adolescents about what is going on in their brains and the role they play in
determining the structure and functioning of their brains for the rest of their lives.
Teaching the Adolescent
Later chapters in this book will focus on brain-compatible strategies designed for various ages,
however, given the unique characteristics of adolescents, it seems appropriate to take a look at
some general considerations which may help teachers when they plan classroom instruction for
these students.
In a sense adolescent brains are primed to learn, however, we often see boredom and apathy in
their behaviour. When we consider the hyperactivity of the amygdala and high-energy level at
this stage of brain development, this isn’t surprising. Too much classroom instruction is sit and
git, adolescents’ least favourite classroom activity! Very few teens like to sit still and listen to a
teacher deliver a lecture. While lectures are sometimes appropriate during the teen years,
consider having the students use interactive note-taking guides. After hearing or reading new
information, students can be asked to demonstrate their understanding of the content by various
methods such as role play, poster demonstrations, teaching another student or writing their
reflections in a journal. Most parents will attest to the fact that adolescents like to argue. This
propensity can be put to good use in debates where students discuss the pros and cons of
complex ethical issues. Project-based activities are especially motivating to teens. In
collaborative groups they can be encouraged to seek answers to problems facing the school or
community, perhaps interviewing other teachers, parents or adults for their points of view. When
concepts have been learned, it is helpful to give students real-life problems to solve that require
the use of the concepts.
Few of us are as proficient in current technology as adolescents. They text, download music and
information on ipods, and surf the Internet with ease. Teachers should consider ways to integrate
teens’ ability to use technology in the classroom. Given the option, students might prepare multimedia presentations, rather than book reports or use email to dialogue with experts in biology,
history, music, mathematics, neuroscience, or other fields of study. The Internet provides a
speedy manner for researching topics for term papers and projects, however, with its increasing
use, many students will need guidance in determining the validity of the data.
Teens are full of promise. They are energetic, caring and capable of making many contributions
to their communities. They are also able to make remarkable spurts in intellectual development
and learning. But we must remember; they are not adults and need to be taught in a manner that
enables their brains to make sense of information, to see what they are learning as relevant to
their lives.
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Appendix E
Resources Available in the ATA Library
Books
Baron-Cohen, Simon. 2003. The essential difference: the truth about the male and female brain.
New York: Basic Books.
Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne and Uta Frith. 2005. The learning brain: lessons for education. Malden,
MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Brown, Stuart and Christopher Vaughan. 2009. Play: how it shapes the brain, opens the
imagination, and invigorates the soul. New York: Avery.
Caine, Renate Nummela and Geoffrey Caine. 2011. Natural learning for a connected world:
education, technology, and the human brain. New York: Teachers College Press.
Caine, Renate Nummela. 2005. 12 brain/mind learning principles in action: the fieldbook for
making connections, teaching, and the human brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Christensen, Clayton M and Curtis W Johnson. 2008. Disrupting class: how disruptive
innovation will change the way the world learns. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Corbin, Barry. 2007. Unleashing the potential of the teenage brain: ten powerful ideas.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Dehaene, Stanislas. 2009. Reading in the brain: the science and evolution of a human invention.
New York: Viking.
DeLandtsheer, John. 2011. Making all kids smarter: strategies that help all students reach their
highest potential. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Doidge, Norman. 2007. The Brain That Changes Itself. New York: Viking Press.
Eide, Brock and Fernette Eide. 2006. The mislabeled child: how understanding your child's
unique learning style can open the doors to success. New York: Hyperion.
Erlauer, Laura. 2003. The brain-compatible classroom: using what we know about learning to
improve teaching. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Feinstein, Sheryl. 2004. Secrets of the teenage brain: research-based strategies for reaching &
teaching today's adolescents. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.
Feuerstein, Reuven. 2011. Beyond smarter: mediated learning and the brain's capacity for
change. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Fisher, Douglas and Diane Lapp. 2009. In a reading state of mind: brain research, teacher
modeling, and comprehension instruction. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Fogarty, Robin. 2002. Brain-compatible classrooms. 2nd ed. Arlington Heights, IL: Skylight.
Gayle, Gregory and Terence Parry. 2006. Designing brain-compatible learning. 3rd ed.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Given, Barbara K. 2002. Teaching to the brain's natural learning system. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
Goldberg, Johanna. 2009. Neuroeducation—learning, arts, and the brain: findings and
challenges for educators and researchers (from the 2009 Johns Hopkins University Summit.)
New York: Dana Press.
Gregory, Gayle. 2005. Differentiating instruction with style: aligning teacher and learner
intelligences for maximum achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Gunn, Angus M and Rita Smilkstein. 2006. Igniting student potential: teaching with the brain's
natural learning process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Gurian, Michael and Kelley King. 2008. Strategies for teaching boys and girls—secondary level:
a workbook for educators. Jossey-Bass.
Gurian, Michael and Kathy Stevens. 2005. The minds of boys: saving our sons from falling
behind in school and life. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Hanson, Anne. 2002. Write brain write: proven success tools for developing the writer in every
student. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.
Hardiman, Mariale M. 2012. The brain-targeted teaching model for 21st-century schools.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Healy, Jane. 2004. Your child's growing mind: brain development and learning from birth to
adolescence. 3rd ed. New York: Broadway Books.
Howard-Jones, Paul. 2010. Introducing neuroeducational research: neuroscience, education and
the brain from contexts to practice. New York: Routledge.
Immordino-Yang, Mary Helen. 2007. Mind, brain and education in reading disorders. New
York: Cambridge University Press.
James, Abigail Norfleet and Michel Lyons. 2011. Enseigner les mathématiques et les sciences
aux filles: stratégies pour un enseignement différencié. Montréal, PQ : Chenelière Éducation.
James, Abigail Norfleet. 2009. Teaching the female brain: how girls learn math and science.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
James, Abigail Norfleet. 2007. Teaching the male brain: how boys think, feel, and learn in
school. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Jensen, Eric. 2008. Brain-based learning: the new paradigm of teaching. 2nd ed. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Jensen, Eric. 2006. Enriching the brain: how to maximize every learner's potential. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Jensen, Eric. 2007. Introduction to brain-compatible learning. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Jensen, Eric. 2006. 7 amazing discoveries: practical applications of new brain research.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Jensen, Eric. 2009. Super teaching: over 1000 practical strategies. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Jensen, Eric. 2009. Teaching with poverty in mind: what being poor does to kid's brains and
what schools can do about it. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Jensen, Eric. 2005. Teaching with the brain in mind. 2nd ed. rev. and updated. Alexandria,VA:
ASCD.
Kytle, Jackson. 2004. To want to learn: insights and provocations for engaged learning. New
York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Léna, Pierre J. 2008. The educated brain: essays in neuroeducation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
University Press.
LeVay, Simon. 2011. Gay, straight, and the reason why: the science of sexual orientation.
Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
Mangan, Margaret Angermeyer. 2007. Brain-compatible science. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Materna, Laurie. 2007. Jump start the adult learner: how to engage and motivate adults using
brain-compatible strategies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Medina, John. 2008. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and
School. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.
National Association for Music Education. 2000. Music makes the difference: music, brain
development, and learning. Reston, VA: MENC.
Neuroscience: Implications for education and lifelong learning. 2011. London: The Royal
Society.
Nevills, Pamela and Patricia Wolfe. 2011. Build the brain for reading, grades 4-12. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2002. Understanding the brain:
Towards a new learning science.
Palk, Wendy Bailer et al. 2007. Teaching Smarter Not Harder. Edson, AB: A. H. Dakin School.
Philip, Raleigh. 2007. Engaging Tweens and Teens: a brain compatible approach to reaching
middle and high school students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Pohlman, Craig. 2008. Revealing minds: assessing to understand and support struggling
learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Ratey, John J and Eric Hagerman. 2008. Spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and
the brain. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Restak, Richard M. 2004. The new brain: How the modern age is rewiring your mind. Rodale
Press.
Riley, Edward P. 2011. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: management and policy perspectives of
FASD. Weinheim, Germany. Wiley-Blackwell.
Rivers, Caryl and Rosalind C Barnett. 2011. The truth about girls and boys: challenging toxic
stereotypes about our children. New York: Columbia University Press.
Smilkstein, Rita. 2003. We're born to learn: using the brain's natural learning process to create
today's curriculum. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Smokler, David. 2005. Making learning come alive: interactive experiences for the secondary
classroom. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.
Sousa, David A and Gervais Sirois. 2009. Un cerveau pour apprendre à lire: mieux comprendre
le fonctionnement du cerveau pour enseigner la lecture plus efficacement. Montréal, PQ :
Chenelière Éducation.
Sousa, David A and Gervais Sirois. 2010. Un cerveau pour apprendre les mathématiques: mieux
comprendre le fonctionnement du cerveau pour enseigner les mathématiques plus
efficacement. Montréal, PQ : Chenelière Éducation.
Sousa, David A and Gervais Sirois. 2002. Un cerveau pour apprendre: comment rendre le
processus enseignement-apprentissage plus efficace. Montréal: Chenelière/McGraw-Hill.
Sousa, David A and Carol Ann Tomlinson. 2011. Differentiation and the brain: how
neuroscience supports the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.
Sousa, David A. 2008. How the brain learns mathematics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, David A. 2005. How the brain learns to read. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, David A. 2006. How the brain learns. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, David A. 2011. How the ELL brain learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, David A. 2003. How the gifted brain learns. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, David A. 2003. How the special needs brain learns. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, David A. 2010. Mind, brain, and education: neuroscience implications for the classroom.
Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.
Sousa, David A. 2003. The leadership brain: how to lead today's schools more effectively.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sprenger, Marilee. 2002. Becoming a wiz at brain-based teaching: how to make every year your
best year. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.
Sprenger, Marilee. 2010. Brain-based teaching in the digital age. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Sprenger, Marilee. 2003. Differentiation through learning styles and memory. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin Press.
Sprenger, Marilee. 2008. The developing brain: birth to age eight. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Press.
Strauch, Barbara. 2003. The primal teen: what the new discoveries about the teenage brain tell
us about our kids. New York: Doubleday.
Sykes, Judith Anne. 2006. Brain friendly school libraries. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Sylwester, Robert. 2003. A biological brain in a cultural classroom: enhancing cognitive and
social development through collaborative classroom management. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin Press.
Sylwester, Robert. 2005. How to explain a brain: an educator's handbook of brain terms and
cognitive processes. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sylwester, Robert. 2007. The adolescent brain: reaching for autonomy. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Tapscott, Don. 2009. Grown up digital: how the net generation is changing your world. New
York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Tate, Marcia and Warren G Phillips. 2011. Science worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20
instructional strategies that engage the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Tate, Marcia L. 2012. Social studies worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 instructional strategies
that engage the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tate, Marcia. 2004. "Sit & get" won't grow dendrites: 20 professional learning strategies that
engage the adult brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tate, Marcia. 2008. Mathematics worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 numeracy strategies that
engage the brain, pre k-8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tate, Marcia. 2005. Reading and language arts worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 literacy
strategies that engage the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tate, Marcia. 2006. Shouting won't grow dendrites: 20 techniques for managing a braincompatible classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tate, Marcia. 2003. Worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 instructional strategies that engage the
brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tileston, Donna Walker. 2004. Learning, memory, and the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Press.
Tileston, Donna Walker. 2007. Teaching strategies for active learning: five essentials for your
teaching plan. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tileston, Donna Walker. 2011. 10 best teaching practices: how brain research and learning
styles define teaching competencies. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tokuhama-Espinosa, Tracey. 2010. The new science of teaching and learning: using the best of
mind, brain, and education science in the classroom. New York: Teachers College Press.
Walsh, David and Nat Bennett. 2004. Why do they act that way?: a survival guide to the
adolescent brain for you and your teen. New York: Free Press.
Willis, Judy. 2006. Brain-friendly strategies for the inclusion classroom. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
Willis, Judy. 2006. Research-based strategies to ignite student learning: insights from a
neurologist and classroom teacher. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wolf, Maryanne. 2007. Proust and the squid: the story and science of the reading brain. New
York: Harper Perennial.
Wolfe, Patricia and Pamela Nevills. 2004. Building the reading brain: Pre-K–3. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin Press.
Videos
Coyote, Peter. 2007. The brain fitness program. s.l: Santa Fe Productions.
Extreme sports and teens : the psychology of risk addiction. 2005. New York: Films for the
Humanities & Sciences.
“Fixing my brain: neuroplasticity and the Arrowsmith Program”. 2008. Video 52 minutes.
http://ffh.films.com/id/16340/Fixing_My_Brain_Neuroplasticity_and_the_Arrowsmith_
Program.htm
Jennings, Wayne. 2006. Teaching the adolescent brain. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Levine, Mel. 2007. Understanding. s.l: WGBH.
Maté, Gabor. 2009. Brain development & addiction [video recording]. [Kaslo, B.C.]: Heartspeak
Productions.
Oliver, Sacks. 2008. Musical minds.
PBS. The science of healing with Dr Esther Sternberg: understanding the mind/body connection.
2009. Washington, DC: PBS.
Sousa, David A. 2008. How the brain learns: a multimedia kit for professional development. 3rd
ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Wolfe, Patricia. 2007. Brain-compatible practices for the classroom: grades k-6. s.l: National
Professional Resources.
Wolfe, Patricia. 2008. Brain-compatible practices for the classroom: special education. Port
Chester, NY: National Professional Resources.