Brain and Learning

The brain connection website is a valuable source for brain related research. Based on this week's learning, brainconnection.positscience.com also suggested that "there could be connections between brain function and educational practice." Through experiments and research that have been conducted the past 20 years, more evidence are validating the efficiency of brain-based education. Eric Jensen, a leader in the field of brain-friendly instruction also contributed to this site by stating that the brain is involved and connected with all the activities that teachers and students do. As a teacher, I have experienced this claimed by Eric Jensen. As soon as the students walk in the classroom my first objective is to wake up their brain, and I do this through cup-stacking (clicl link to read about benefits of cupstacking http://www.jmu.edu/kinesiology/hpainstitute/pdfs/SpeedStackingRationale.pdf). Cupstacking or Speed Stacking trains both sides of the brain, and it is fun, and the students get involve. Cup Stacking is now a part of the curriculum in the school site I work. We are required to practice it for 15 minutes a day, and the students get to show off their talent in a school wide tournament 3 times a year. In my professional opinion, I believe that cup stacking is a more effective way to start the day. Engaging the students in daily 6 problems, or Daily Language Review, as soon as they walk in the classroom half asleep is the thing of the past. Eric Jensen also mentioned that some students walk in the classroom disconnected, and if we do not try to connect them right away it could lead to frustration.