THE PROCESSCREATING NEURAL NETWORKS AND NEURAL PATHWAYS TO
THE OBJECTIVE: Think of it as walking through a yard of tall grass, or a forest, until the grass is worn down or the trail is clearer with less brush.
REPETITION grows number and thicknessNumber increases surface connectionsThickness decreases resistance
SEVEN CORRELATESClear and focused missionSafe and orderly environmentStrong community relationsTime on taskFrequent monitoring and assessmentStrong instructional leadershipHigh expectations
VOCABULARY Neuron-brain cell consisting of a body, with an axon and dendrites
Dendrites – fingerlike input extensions that branch off from the neuron (brain cell)
Axon – output extension that pairs with dendrites
Synapse - synaptic gap the juncture between two connected neurons (the axon and dendrites)
Neurotransmitters – serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine) and hormones like cortisol and adrenaline
Myelin sheath-covering of neurons that thicken with use
Neurogenesis – or regeneration is the creation or growth of new brain cells
How The Brain Learns and Remembers Neurons are constantly firing, integrating, and
generating new information
Stimulation creates new Dendrites Fibers
Axons grow to connect with other dendrites
Frequently used Axons develop a fatty sheath of myelin = REPETITION
Association & GroupingAssociating objectives with relevancy and
meaning to the student’s experiences increase interest, student buy-in
Grouping objectives allows students to “Chunk” items because of the relationships that exist between the grouped items
Both increase TRANSFER TO LONG TERM MEMORY
Short Term-Memory RetentionThe seeds may initially be an obscure notion
Associate with relevanceShow interest in student state
Holds only 7 bits of informationChunking allows brain to grasp information
and not feel overwhelmed
Long-Term Memories & Practiceaka Short-Term Practiced Memoriesmemories get stronger and become more and
more fixed as the myelin sheath gets thicker CONVERT TO LONG TERM MEMORY
WORKING IT INTO OUR LESSONPre-exposure- covertly introduce days, weeks,
months ahead-PLANTING SEEDPriming- covertly teach objective for multiple
purposesPreviewing- aka long term priming-set up content
minutes before….activate prior knowledgeReviewing- minutes after learning; going over
previously exposed material, re-firing the same neural connections
Revision- hours, days or weeks after; reconstructing the learning and solidifying neural connections
Grouping Correlates-NarrativeA strong instructional leader who provides
a clear and focused mission along with a safe and orderly environment and who has good community relationships. The leader has high expectations and students are provided ample time on task and are monitored and assessed frequently.