Transcript Welcome Back! - Kidurong International School

Our Learning Targets for this session:
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To know more about Learning
To know more about the Brain and Brain
Friendly Learning
To know more about how the IPC, is based
on aspects of Brain Friendly Learning.
Structure of the IPC units
Exit Point
Recording
Activities (MI)
Research
Activities
(VAK)
Entry Point
Units
Knowledge
Harvest
Explaining
The Theme
(The Big Picture)
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What is learning?
What do you already know
about learning?
“Learning is new when we add to that
which already exists.
Learning is consolidated when, even if
nothing new is added, our existing
learning becomes more secure and faster.”
“ When the neurons are
firing the brain’s hard
wiring.”
Pat Wolfe
(Mind Matters inc.)
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Neurons are the building blocks of
learning.
The more we learn, the more extensive
the connections between the neurons,
the bigger the neuronal constellations.
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The better we learn, the faster those
connections operate and work together.
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The more the brain learns the more it
becomes capable of learning
How do you help the
children make
connections in their
learning?
Enriched learning environment:
wide variety of sensory stimuli
 Give the Big Picture
 Use mind-maps in learning
 Identify links in (subject) learning
 Make connections to previous
knowledge, skills and understanding
 Build on previous learning:
Assessment for Learning and
differentiation (building on existing
neurons, not in isolation)
 Links with home
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What do
you
know about
the brain and
Brain Friendly Learning?
 Water
 Complex
carbohydrates (for
breakfast)
 Sleep
 Exercise
 Anti-oxidants
 Iron and zinc
 Oxygen
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Reptilian brain
Ensures ‘survival’: controls
routine body functions &
instinctive behaviours
Limbic system
(mid brain)
Deals with the emotions,
belief and value systems &
long term memory
Neo-cortex
Cognitive or thinking area
Territorial space
 Emotional &
physical comfort
 Belonging and
rituals
 Safety:
physically &
emotionally
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Clear expectations
 Praise
 Be fair & consistent
 Provide opportunities to talk about
feelings
 Opportunities to develop social skills
 WIIFM
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Governs emotions, belief
values and sense of
identity
Attach concept of truth
to what we learn
Develop a sense of self
Site of the long term
memory
Rich in brain chemicals,
including endorphins
Filters massive amounts
of data
Directs what is important
to conscious attention
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The more emotion attached to a learning
experience to more memorable it
becomes
Positive emotional states are crucial to
learning
To keep children’s attention, information
has to have direct relevance to self
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Upper part of brain, 80% of the whole brain
Oversees higher order skills: thinking, problem
solving, development of language, pattern &
model recognition, metaphors, reflective
thought and creative expression
Searches for novelty
Looks for self value in learning
Organises incoming data, stimulation from all
senses
Works in peaks & plateaus, not on one level
Works in short spurts of concentration
Requires feedback
Left brain
dominated
learners prefer:
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Structured, sequential
material & tasks
Moving from the parts
to the whole
Explicit instructions
Written information
Working in a linear
way
Right brain
dominated
learners prefer:
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Open ended tasks
Going from the ‘big
picture’ to parts
Self-selected tasks
Working from
intuition, guesses
and hunches
The most effective thinking
& learning occur when
both sides work together.
Think of
a teacher who influenced you the
most
as a learner and tell a partner
how
he or she accomplished this.
 Curiosity
 Interest
 Anticipation
 Challenge
 Alertness
 Motivated
 Mental
well-being
 Physical well-being
Self esteem
“Betty Youngs”
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Physical safety
• Emotional
security
• Identity
• Affiliation
• Competition
• Mission
Emotional
Intelligence
“Daniel Goldman”
Confidence
• Curiosity
• Intentionality
• Self-control
• Relatedness
• Communication
• Cooperation
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How do you encourage
children in your class
to believe in
themselves as
capable learners?
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When time passes quickly
We have achieved something significant
We have enjoyed the experience
Learning takes place most effectively
in a state of ‘relaxed alertness’.
“Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind”
Guy Claxton
The brain needs time to work out more
complex issues.
Some learning will benefit from slow
thinking: the process of digesting input
information and cementing ideas
The learning styles are about
how your brain takes in information
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IPC focuses on V.A.K.
Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic
We often prefer one learning style over the other
 Learning is optimised when learning style is catered for
We need to be aware of our own preferred learning style and
how this influences our teaching style
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Unique
Characteristic way in which we interact with our
learning environment, taking in and filtering
data to enrich and enlarge our models of the
world.
Dependant on:
hemisphere dominance
environmental preferences: light, temp, sound
physical preferences; time of day, food 7 drink
requirements
Psychological preferences: motivation, working
alone/with others
gender: biological differences as well as
environmental/society influences
How do you cater for
Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic
learning in your classroom?
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Using internet and reference books
(Relies on good reading and interpretation skills)
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Dialogue (parents, peers, teacher, visitors)
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Using the community: guest speakers
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Observation
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Experimenting
“ the ability to operate successfully in your
environment”
Influenced by genetic end environmental factors
o Individuals develop intelligence at different rates
o No limit to how far intelligence can be developed
o Cultural considerations influence what is valued as
intelligence.
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“Consider the all round potential of
each individual & actively develop all
intelligences”
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Linguistic
Musical
Visual/Spatial
Bodily-Kinaesthetic
Naturalist
Logical and Mathematical
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Word smart
Music smart
Self smart
People smart
Nature smart
Logic smart
Picture smart
Body smart
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Do you think the author chose the
words well?
How do you think the main
characters will get on from now on?
How would you have felt about that?
How have you given the
children the opportunities
to use their multiple
intelligences through their
IPC learning?
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Mind-map
List
Prose
Diagram
Pictures, sketches
and paintings
Graphs
Tables
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Role Play
Song
Dance
Construction
Oral presentations
(taped)
Discussions
Categorising…
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Good health is important to an effective brain
Relaxed alertness, not stress, is the best state for
learning
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Pupils need to see the ‘big picture’.
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Learning is about making connections
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You need to address children’s different learning styles
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Each child has a portfolio of intelligences
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WIIFM: emotionally rewarding learning is the most
effective
Time needs to be created for complex (slow) thinking
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A broad curriculum, making connections between subject
learning
Challenging learning: new knowledge, skills and
understanding
Offering research tasks, using different
Learning Styles
Offering recording tasks, developing
Multiple Intelligences
Gives children ownership of learning and raises self esteem
(WIIFM), enabling children to engage emotionally in their
learning
Rigour and
engagement:
the links between stress
and learning and the
importance of ‘high
challenge, low stress’ or
‘relaxed alertness’.
Multiple
Intelligences:
the way in which
information and
experiences are
processed.
Learning Styles:
the way learners
access, take in
information and
experiences
differently.
Structure of the IPC units
Exit Point
Recording
Activities (MI)
Research
Activities
(VAK)
Slow thinking: the way
the brain processes
complex information over
time- reflecting and
revisiting.
Entry Point
Units
Knowledge
Harvest
Explaining
The Theme
(The Big Picture)
Neuronal
constellations:
the existing neuronal
clusters to which
new learning is
added or existing
learning is
consolidated.
The behaviour of
neurons and the
importance of
connections.
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