BRAIN CONNECTIONS CRITICAL FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Presented by Jill Hay Highly Effective Teaching Master Consultant.

BRAIN CONNECTIONS CRITICAL FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Presented by Jill HayHighly Effective Teaching Master Consultant

Native Texan Living in Sequim, Washington

Sequim, Washington

Lavender

Roosevelt Elk

Gardening

Olympic Peninsula

My Connections to Special Education

Speech Pathologist Teachers

Self-Contained Resource Co-Teaching

Educational Diagnostician

My Profession Spencer, My Son

AGENDA

Why the Time is Now… Prioritizing What is Important Stay focused on the brain

Engaging Emotional and Physical Safety Meaningful Participation Enriching

What Direction Do We Go?

COMMON CORE STANDARDS In June 2010, the final version of the

Common Core State Standards was released. These standards address the following: What students are expected to know and be

able to do . They are designed to be robust and relevant . They reflect the knowledge and skills that all

young people will need for success in college and careers.

OUR CHALLENGE

This goal applies for all students. Students who are receiving special education services are no exception. They too are expected to be challenged to excel within the general education curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards.

This will be accomplished by Use instructional strategies that support student

engagement by presenting information in multiple ways and allowing for students to access and express what they know in a variety of ways

Accommodations provided that focus on the standards and do not lower the expectations for students to successfully accomplish the work.

Assistive technology devices and services to enable access to the standards.

Enduring Understanding

Important to Know and Do

Worth Being Familiar With

Establishing Curricular Priorities




Develop the topic with facts, definitions and details.Use linking words and phrasesProvide a concluding statement or section

Write an informative/explanatory text to convey ideas and information clearly using whatever technology necessary.Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.

Be able to write to convey ideas





Identify the counterargument and state:Why people hold that opinionWhy they might be wrong

Be able to state one’s opinion on a topicBe able to identify others’ point-of-view

People do not always agree about issues. They can have opinions.An opinion may not be right or wrong; it is what a person believes.





Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies using the dollar and cent sign appropriately.

Know the value of dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies so that amounts of money can be added and subtracted.

Count and use money to meet individual needs





A line that has a slope of 0 is horizontal and parallel to the X axisA line that’s slope is undefined is vertical and is parallel to the Y axisParallel lines have the same slopeTwo lines are perpendicular if the product of their slopes is -1.

The slope of a line can be used to make predictionsThe slope of a line tells us information about linear equationsA slope is the rise over the run: Up to the right is a positive slopeUp to the left is a negative slope

Slope is a measure of steepness/rate of change of a lineExamples of slopes are handicapped ramps, mountainsides, pitch of a roofWe can find the slope from two points on a lineA slope can go up or down


Brain research has confirmed that strategies benefiting learners with special challenges are suited for engaging and stimulating all learners.

Judy Willis

The is the great equalizer!

RESPONSIBILITY OF AN EDUCATOR

Currently there are 37,000 scientists in over 62 countries producing daily studies that can give educators valuable information about the amazing brain.

Whatis our responsibility?

Some of what we are asked to do in education has absolutely no research basis at all.

Some of what we do is based on out of date or highly biased research.

Every time you experience struggle or poor achievement, there is a mismatch between what you are doing and how the brain really works.

Three Truths, One Solution

Brain Friendly Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom by

Judy Willis

Brain responds to sensory input that is engaging

Affective filter in the limbic areadetermines if the information is blocked or moved onHigh stress – noPleasurable & Motivating - yes

The informationthat is passedthrough these filters are codedinto patternsthat can beconnected to existingpathways

Relation, emotion, relevance, learner participationand experience cause frequent activationof new pathways forming long-term memories

CriticalConditionsFor Learning

Brain-Friendly Strategies, Willis, Judy, pg.17




“Emotion drives attention which drives learning, memory, problem solving, and just about everything else.”

—Robert Sylwester

EE 2.1

The amygdala controls emotion.

The hippocampuscontrols learning.

Engagement:Student to Content

Element of surprise Bag or box

Dramatization Sensory Input

Experiences Items Pictures Video

Use songs Start with a question

Metaphors Universal Truths Common Factors Make a real world connection

Use quotes Personal stories Teacher’s enthusiasm

Offer choice

Reflecting To Make Connections

Personally, reflect upon curriculum you have taught in the past that students have shown little or no interest

Choose an idea that would make the curriculum more engaging




Brain-Friendly Strategies, Willis, Judy.

The amygdala controls emotion.

The Amygdala is the Incredible Hulk of the Brain.

•The amygdala values safety, success and social comfort

•Help students find commonalities•Create community •Establish consistent routines especially for admission, dismissal, and lunch

•Responds to gestures, open body language, calm tones and inflection •Things learned, using emotion, are remembered

•Amygdala does not like learning things it does not know. Get over it becauseit will soon pass.•Once the amygdala has a chemical response it will hold on to it forever.•The amygdala is aroused by differences. •Threat separates the emotional and thinking brain.

I Didn’t Know!

Pair up with another participant that you do not know very well.

Take 30 seconds to find three things you have in common.

At the command, join with another team and find 3 things you have in common. Share.

Reflection: What did you learn about yourself? Others?

Business [email protected], 2005

mailto:[email protected]

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Peer Interviews Interview your partner then share what you have learned with the class

Class Interest Graphs Have students fill out an interest survey and then graph some of the results, have the students discuss commonalities

Class Expert or Resident Expert Charts Students identify their expertise whether academic, artistic, physical, dramatic, or social. This information could be included in the students created Expert Yellow Pages.

PATTERNS AND PROGRAMS

Learning is a two-step process:

•Detecting and understanding patterns-a process through which our brain creates meaning and

•Developing meaningful mental programs to use what is understood and to store it in long term memory-the capacity to use what is understood with assistance and then automatically.

© Susan Kovalik & Associates, 2003 Pg. 35

PREMISE SHIFT

1. Student learned too much of the wrong behavior

4. Student has not had enough practice of the appropriate behavior

3. Student never truly learned the appropriate behavior or was never taught

2. Student does not understand the need for the appropriate behavior

Misbehavior should be viewed as a learning problem and not a delinquency problem for the following reasons:

Pat Belvel, Education Consultant

Trustworthiness: To act in a manner that makes one worthy of confidence

Truthfulness: To act with personal responsibility and mental accountability

Active Listening: To listen with attention and intention

No Put-Downs: To never use words, actions and/or body language that degrade, humiliate, or dishonor others

Personal Best: To do one’s best given the circumstances and available resources

Lifelong Lifelong GuidelinesLifelong Lifelong Guidelines

2.6

• INTEGRITY: To act according to what’s right and wrong

• INITIATIVE: To do something because it needs to be done

• FLEXIBILITY: The ability to alter plans when necessary

• PERSEVERANCE: To keep at it• ORGANIZATION: To work in an orderly way• SENSE OF HUMOR: To laugh and be playful without hurting others

• EFFORT: To do your best• COMMON SENSE: To think it through• PROBLEM SOLVING: To seek solutions• RESPONSIBILITY: To do what’s right• PATIENCE: To wait calmly• FRIENDSHIP: To make and keep a friend through mutual trust and caring

• CURIOSITY: To investigate and seek understanding• COOPERATION: To work together toward a common goal (purpose)

• CARING: To show/feel concern• COURAGE: To act according to one’s beliefs• PRIDE: Satisfaction from doing your personal best• RESOURCEFULNESS: To respond to challenges in creative ways

• CREATIVITY: Is the mental process of coming up with new ideas

LLIIFFEESSKKIILLLLSS

EE p. 9.13

2.7

Creating A Common Language

Target a specific skill Prepare students to show the skill

What would this skill look like if it was being shown?

Acknowledge when it is being shown Redirect when it is not being shown Use students as examples of the skill being shown

Students evaluate their use of the skill Goal Setting

The Bully Could be a student who has experienced abuse and been exposed to violence

The bully’s behavior correlates to the past emotional experiences to which they have been exposed.

The stress experienced by the bully can cause them to lash out at others

They will look for those who will react with fear to their bullying

What to do Teach social skills, develop procedures, help student’s find commonalities, teach students to say what they need

A Brain-Based Approach to Closing the Achievement Gap, Sanchez, Horacio.

"I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. As a teacher, I possess

tremendous power. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument

of inspiration." ---Dr. Haim Ginott, 1976

As a reminder…





ALL CURRICULUM MUSTBEGIN WITH THE STUDENT

HOME

INTERESTS

FRIENDS

SCHOOL

STREET

Finding Out The Known

1. Tell, draw, or write what you know about….

2. Fist to 5 rate how much you know about…

3. Who do you know that knows about this?

4. Do you think this will be interesting? Why? Why not?

5. What is the purpose for learning this?




Relation, emotion, relevance, learner participationand experience cause frequent activationof new pathways forming long-term memories

CriticalConditionsForLearning


GUIDELINES FOR DIRECT INSTRUCTION OF NEW CONTENT

K-2 5-8 minutes

Grades 3-5 8-12 minutes



Adult learners 15-18 minutes

Active Learning vs. Passive Learning Think, Pair, Share

Rally Robin Round Robin Share Face or Shoulder Partner

Take 7 and Tell Instruct 1 minute per year of age and then act on the information

Ask a question and call for hands

One teacher talking to one student

All other brains are thinking about lunch

Lecture indefinitely

Passive to Active Reading

Lowest to highest level of metabolic brain activity Independent reading Read aloud with students following the words visually

Make connections between the story and their lives

Retelling the story to someone else

Four Square VocabularyFour Square Vocabulary

Name ItName It Define ItDefine It

Picture ItPicture It Connect To ItConnect To It

The human brain is plastic and can changestructurally and functionally as a result of learning and experience. There is increased neuronal growth associated with enriched, stimulating environments, and activities.

Actual Photograph of a NEURON

© 2005 Susan Kovalik & Associates – Ph. 253.631.4400 – www.kovalik.com

HET - The Center for Effective Learning

SIX KINDS OF SENSORY INPUTSIX KINDS OF SENSORY INPUT

BEING THERE

IMMERSION

HANDS ON with the real thing

HANDS ONof representational items

S Y M B O L I C E = MC2 Adverbs

2nd HAND

© Exceeding Expectations by Susan Kovalik & Karen D. Olsen, p. 1.9

Enriched Learning

Look at your school and the area around it with new eyes Hallways as opportunities for math skills

Nature walks to support science

Collect items to investigate and use as a focus for writing

Cafeteria to observe measurement in action

School store to practice money skills

Language Arts Math

Social Studies

•10 words to describe your favorite car•Descriptive paragraph•Persuasive report•Read about the inventor of the car, cars run by alternative fuels•Alphabetize car makes•Identification of letters on license plate•Write a creative story about a car

•Measure the H, W, & D of a car•Circumference, radius, diameter of tires•Compute miles per tank of gas•Compute interest on a car loan•Place value through car price•License plate addition, subtraction,

multiplication, and division•Area/Perimeter of parking space

•Impact the car has had on society•Historical events during the time the car

was invented•Establish needs and wants of a family•Scarcity and abundance (hybrid)•Who was Carl Benz and other people associated with the invention of the car•Transportation laws•Purpose of laws for safety•Types of transportation

•Fossil fuels•Conversion of Energy•Force and Motion•Conservation of Energy•Pollution•Global Warming•Impact of humans on the environment•Alternative forms of energy to run cars

Brain-Friendly Strategies, Willis, Judy.

PREDICTIONING FUTURE BRAIN CONNECTIONS

It is predicted that during the next few decades, the neuroscience of learning will continue to provide evidence supporting three core ideas

The instructional strategies reaping the most success are those that teach for meaning and understanding

The most learning-conducive classrooms are those that are low in threat yet high in reasonable challenge

Students who are actively engaged and motivated will devote more effort to strive for meaningful goals

“WHEN WE KNOW BETTER, WE DO BETTER.”

– Maya Angelou

Students with disabilities will be able to: Live independently Enjoy self-determination Make choices Pursue meaningful careers Enjoy full inclusion and integration in the economic, political, social, cultural and educational mainstream of American Society

BRAIN CONNECTIONS CRITICAL FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Presented by Jill Hay Highly Effective Teaching Master Consultant.

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curricular priorities

olympic peninsula slide

common core standards

common core state standards

important stay

special education services

washington sequim

value of dollar bills