Welcome!

Hello everyone, and welcome! I'm looking forward to another great year with a new group of learners! I love teaching this class and hope that you will enjoy it as well!

For the past ten years, I've been studying about the human brain- striving to understand how it works, how learning actually happens, and how teachers can take advantage of the research provided by neuroscientists and their sophisticated brain-imaging technologies. My learning began when I (as a classroom teacher) attended a 3-day workshop with Dr. Pat Wolfe. Since that time, I have completed Dr. Wolfe's Training of Trainers course, and have attended numerous renewal sessions with like-minded colleagues. I consider Pat a mentor, setting me on a course of self-study that has become my passion!

My personal mission statement is this: I aspire... to inspire. As I work with K-12 educators, helping them to understand their students' brains, I try to model best-known practices, while encouraging the hearts of those teachers who serve our children.

This blog will be a place where our conversations from class can be extended. Additionally, the Wiki that I created will house several other blogs for use in completing and posting class assignments that all class members will be able to access.

I'm looking forward to meeting each of you on September 2!

The New Science of Learning: Brain Fitness for Kids

Watch the video clip below and then post a brief response to one (or both) of the following questions:

1. What do you already know about the science of learning and motivation?

2. What do you hope to learn & be able to do as a result of taking this class?

Thursday, July 1, 2010

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5 comments:

  1. PaulaAugust 31, 2010 at 7:16 AM

    I hope to learn how to better motivate my students to make them want to learn (not to always have to use rewards).

    ReplyDelete
  2. M TenneySeptember 1, 2010 at 3:43 PM

    Matthew: I hope to learn how to better teach my students HOW to learn; how to increase a student's ability to decipher information and choose what is valid information and what is not. (Maybe I'm asking too much? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. EvangelineSeptember 1, 2010 at 9:42 PM

    Through this course, I would like to learn about two topics in particular. First of all, motivation - how to help a child (individual) find internal motivation. Second, I would like to learn about the impacts of trauma on a brain and how to best combat that trama (ex. child abuse or neglect). I know, I am not asking for much - LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownSeptember 7, 2010 at 8:24 PM

    I am looking forward to learning different ways to catch students' attention, keep their attention, and focus that attention on the important material. I would like students to understand the importance of HOW to study so that they remember key concepts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownOctober 12, 2010 at 9:03 PM

    I am hoping to understand the best ways to make my students not only want to learn now but become life long learners. Learning how my kids think, and how their brains work, should give me some tools to impart the material they need to know and remember. Hopefully there are some lesson planning strategies, approaches, even the right words to use that are compatible for their brains to make the most of being in my class.

    ReplyDelete

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