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Brain Based Education: My Philosophy
My philosophy is simple: Give students what they need to be successful and do so in a way that maximizes learning. Brain based education does just that. As I read and research brain based teaching and learning, it is quickly becoming my new passion in the classroom. It simply makes sense to use brain research in order to maximize learning for students. In order for one to clearly understand how to teach, one must first understand how the brain works and how learning takes place. For many years, teachers have been using only lecture and rote memory to “teach” students without thinking about the way they truly learn best. Brain based teaching requires educators to know their students as well as student needs and to use strategies that enhance memory and the growth of neurons and dendrites within the brain. It also requires educators to teach the same concept in many different ways and provide students with many opportunities to use what they know. “The more ways something is learned, the more pathways are built” (Willis, 2006). Many of the resources I have examined have given great strategies and ideas to use with students to boost learning. The impact of these teaching tools is endless and the students will only gain from my new knowledge of the way the brain works. After all, learning is what brains do best.
Teachers today have such an advantage because we have easy access to brain research and many educators willing to share their successful ideas. Eric Jensen believes that “brain based education is the engagement of strategies based on principles derived from an understanding of the brain” (2008). He also states that “brain based education is learning in accordance with the way the brain is naturally designed to learn. It is a multidisciplinary approach that is built on this fundamental question: What is good for the brain?” (2008). As I read, I began wondering how something that makes this much sense has taken so long to catch on. It is not a novelty, but a necessity in every classroom. I truly believe in brain based education and I look forward to implementing many of the strategies I have researched in my classroom as well as collaborating and sharing with my colleagues.
References
Jensen, E. (2008) Brain based learning: the new paradigm of teaching. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Willis, J. (2006) Research-based strategies to ignite student learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Teachers today have such an advantage because we have easy access to brain research and many educators willing to share their successful ideas. Eric Jensen believes that “brain based education is the engagement of strategies based on principles derived from an understanding of the brain” (2008). He also states that “brain based education is learning in accordance with the way the brain is naturally designed to learn. It is a multidisciplinary approach that is built on this fundamental question: What is good for the brain?” (2008). As I read, I began wondering how something that makes this much sense has taken so long to catch on. It is not a novelty, but a necessity in every classroom. I truly believe in brain based education and I look forward to implementing many of the strategies I have researched in my classroom as well as collaborating and sharing with my colleagues.
References
Jensen, E. (2008) Brain based learning: the new paradigm of teaching. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Willis, J. (2006) Research-based strategies to ignite student learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.