ENGAGE THE BRAIN WAT CH B EHAVIOR CHAN G E! January 22, 2014 HPS Curriculum Fair Presenter: Titus L. Hopper,
Jan 16, 2016
ENGAGE THE B
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January 22, 2014 HPS Curriculum FairPresenter: Titus L. Hopper, Hickory High School
WHO’S THE MOST DISTRACTED?
STUDENTS DON’T LOOSE FOCUS THEY CHOOSE FOCUS!
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT MADE CONCRETE
MORE CONCRETE!!!
1. The Fellowship of the Rings
2. The Two Towers3. The Return of the King4. The Hobbit: The
Unexpected Journey5. The Hobbit: The
Desolation of Smaug
CONSEQUENTLY….
My Attention was divided.
STUDENTS DON’T LOOSE FOCUS THEY CHOOSE FOCUS!
WHO’S THE MOST DISTRACTED?
INFORMATION
INPUTPROCESSRETRIEVE OUTPUT
THE BRAIN
Essential Questions
1. How does the brain impact the “choice” to learn?
2. How do teachers impact and increase students’ ability to think and learn?
3. What does “learning to learn and think” look, feel and sound like?
THE BRAIN STEM
The BRAIN STEM is responsible for basic vital life
functions - breathing, heartbeat, and blood
pressure. It is referred to a reptilian
brain because a reptile’s entire brain
resembles our brain stem.
•Basic vital life functions
•Reptilian brain
THE CEREBELLUM
The CEREBELLUM, or "little brain", it has two
hemispheres.
It regulates and coordinates movement, posture,
and balance.
THE LIMIBIC SYSTEM (THE FILTER)
The LIMBIC SYSTEM, mid-brain, and often
referred to as the “emotional brain”. Buried
within the cerebrum. It contains the thalamus,
hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus
The CEREBRUM, or cerebral cortex, controls
higher brain functions such as reasoning. The
two sides of the cerebrum, or hemispheres, are
connected by the corpus callosum. The Frontal
Lobe is the location of reasoning, planning, and
problem solving.
TWO TASKS…
The brain filters information by predicting its risk
for harm, or value for pleasure.
Value Pleasure
or
Sense Danger
THE LIMBIC SYSTEM
The thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus
• The thalamus is first part of the brain to receive all the signals gathered from the environment .
• Before the information travels to the cerebral cortex the AMYGDALA get’s it and it’s categorized as WONDERFUL OR TERRIBLE!!!
THE CEREBRUM
The CEREBRUM, or cerebral cortex, controls
higher brain functions such as reasoning.
The Frontal Lobe is the location of reasoning,
planning, and problem solving (higher brain
function such as reasoning)
However, the information must get there!!!
SUMMARY…
• Atmosphere matters• You cannot let the Amygdala hijack sabotage
your lesson• Amygdala » DANGER SIGNAL » (fear/anxiety)
floods the body with adrenaline.• Adrenaline directs the brain to react
automatically ↗ low level thinking… “Just Do It!”• Adrenaline also inhibits neurotransmitters
messages to the cerebrum ↘ higher level thinking.
OR…
The amygdala might perceive incoming
information as not dangerous… but valuable
or delightful…
If so then there is not an emergency alert and
the cerebrum has a chance to think about to the
information.
ENDORPHINS INSTEAD OF ADRENALINE
Amygdala » Valuable » signals the body to
produce endorphins.
•Endorphins increase neurotransmitters’ ability to carry messages to the cerebrum ↗ higher level thinking
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT MADE CONCRETE
MORE CONCRETE!!!
1. The Fellowship of the Rings
2. The Two Towers3. The Return of the King4. The Hobbit: The
Unexpected Journey5. The Hobbit: The
Desolation of Smaug
ONCE STUDENTS TRUST YOU... PLAN!!!
7 Thinking Skills Proficiencies
1. Critical Thinking – Analysis Evaluation Problem Solving
2. Creative Thinking – Generate Associate Hypothesize
3. Complex Thinking – Clarify Interpret Determine
4. Comprehensive Thinking – Understand Infer Compare/Contrast
5. Collaborative Thinking – Explain Develop Decide
6. Communicative Thinking – Reason Connect Represent
7. Cognitive Transfer – Synthesize Generalize Apply
ONCE AGAIN…
THE TRUTH ABOUT DIFFERENTIATION!
• It’s more than academic• It’s social• It’s motivational• It’s cultural• It’s generational
ACTION PLAN!
• Think about your classroom setting
• Neuroscientists have found that rats exposed to enriched environments develop thicker and heavier cortex, greater synapse density, and increased dendrite branching. Rosenzweig, Krech, & Bennett. (1962); Greenough & Volkmar.(1973); Gage (1997)
ACTION PLAN!
1. Gain the students attention
2. Bring to mind relevant prior learning
3. Point out important information and show relevance
4. Present information in an organized manner
5. Help students categorize and connect information
6. Provide students with an opportunity to elaborate on new information
7. Provide repetition
8. Provide opportunities for the overlearning of fundamental concepts and skills
9. Let the students provide written or verbal explanations. Make them say it!!!
ENGAGE THE B
RAIN
WA
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HA
VI O
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