Brain-Based Learning: A Teaching in Science and Art

Christie GayheartJefferson MiddleMidland Public

Teaching: A Science & Art

The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.

~Mark Van Doren

Reflect on Your Own Lessons

• What strategies are you already using?

• Which strategies do you wish to know more about?

• How could you become more proficient?

Top 10 Guidelines for Planning

1. Needs to be Fun!!! 2. Brains are unique.3. Practice does not make perfect.4. Rehearsal is essential for retention.5. Lecture = lowest degree of retention.6. Working memory has limited capacity.7. Past experience affects new learning.8. Emotions affect all learning aspect.9. Brain seeks patterns for meaning.10. Learning engages the entire person (cognitive, affective and

psychomotor domains).

Unit Planning

(Wolfe, P. 55, 69)

Lesson Planning

(Wolfe, P. 76-77)

No matter the style…the lesson components fit! (Sousa, 277-278)

Direct Teaching

Demonstration Concept Attain

Socratic Method

Cooperative Learing

Simulation & Games

Independent Instruction

Drill & Practice

AnticipatorySet X X X X X XLessonObjective X X X X X XPurpose X X X X X X XInput X X X X X XModeling X X X X X XCheckForUnderstanding

X X X X X X X X

Guided Practice X X XClosure X X X X X X X XIndependentPractice X X X X

When planning…Timing matters!!!

• Consider what you will do when:– “Prime-time-1”

• (First 10-15 minutes)• New material

– “Down-time”• (15-30 minutes into hour)• Practice

– “Prime-time-2”• (30-50 minutes into hour)• Closure (Sousa, 90)

Making Lessons an Art

Activate

• Ideas– Think-pair-share– KWL– Mind map

• Toolbox– What I know about…– KWL or KLEW – Brilliant Thinking Wheel– Active Reading Card:

Predicting- (Reciprocal Teaching Cooperative Learning Activity)

– Reading Guides: Pre-reading

Acquire

• Ideas– Direct teaching– Mini lecture– Video clip– Jigsaw– Text reading– Problem-based learning

• Toolbox– Vocabulary Wheel– Active Reading Cards

(Reciprocal Teaching Cooperative Learning Activity)

– Lesson Inspection– Brain Saver– Event Web

Apply, Practice, Formative Assessment

• Ideas– Venn Diagrams– Note taking– Word Web– Pop quiz– Experiments– Projects– Problem solving

• Toolbox– Review KWL or KLEW– Review Active Reading

Cards– Review Lesson

Inspection– VENN Diagram– Web Template– Exit Cards:

Thoughts/Facts/Solving

Summative Assessment, Closure and Reflection

• Ideas– Revisit KWL or KLEW– Post reading/writing

reflections– Exit cards/Ticket out– Mind maps/webs– Presentations– Demonstrations

• Toolbox– KWL or KLEW– Reading/Video/Demo

guides– Brain Saver– Active Reading Cards

(Summarizing)– VENN Diagram– Web template

Enjoy your Teacher Toolbox