Brain-Based Strategies for Our Kids
Years ago, a parent was concerned about her daughter who wouldn’t stop moving during class time. This little girl had a problem focusing and we did extra multi-tasking exercises with her to help her focus better. She was allowed to move in class, stretched, and skipped during learning. Years later, she’s an accomplished budding junior athlete and a good student who is much better at managing her attention span independently.
Thank goodness, we have listened to her body’s needs to move and nurture her unique way of learning without suppressing her natural talent.
Each child has a set of natural abilities. Do we listen to their cues or is our school system still stuck in old ways?
Here are some brain-based learning strategies for you to help your child or maximise your classroom efficacy. Adopting the ‘right’ way is a battle half won.
Macro strategies
Physical movement. Physical movement enhances instruction. In an age when PE is reduced in most schools, exercise oxygenates the blood that nourishes the brain. Students who move during instruction internalize their learning more quickly.
Socialization. Humans are social. We need to interact with others, and brain-based instruction includes collaborative strategies that teach how to work with others.
Embrace differentiation. Most teachers recognize that students learn differently. It’s also critical to teach students that these differences are normal.
Chunk learning. The human brain can process only so much information at a time. That is why breaking complex tasks down into manageable chunks facilitates learning. Teachers know that giving process directions one step at a time helps their students focus. So does present information in small bites. Brain-based learning research indicates that students are more likely to remember the instruction presented in segments.
Encourage creativity. Although schools seem to be removing arts programs from the curriculum, art teaches students to think in ways quite different from sequential learning experiences.
Make emotional connections. The amygdala, a tiny organ in the center of the brain, stores important emotions for the brain to recall later. Emotional connections help to cement concepts in learner’s minds.
Teach stress management. Like their teachers, students experience stress. Some stress is beneficial, like the kind that motivates us to complete an assignment or perform well on an exam. Negative stress can create distractions and impair learning. Students have to learn that everyone experiences stress, so they must learn stress-management.
Study brain development. Finally, educators who learn as much as possible about the brain and how it learns are in the best position to provide brain-based learning strategies. What we already know about the relationship between neuroscience and behavioral psychology is still in its infancy. New research creates new opportunities for reaching students with brain-based teaching strategies.
The sum of our experiences accumulated to the person we are. Our experiences are captured in the form of memories in our minds.
In conclusion, every child is unique, with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. As parents and educators, we need to see our child for who he or she is, be clear of the person we want to raise, and pay less attention to societal expectations. Once we have a clear image of the person we want to raise, there are many brain-based techniques to help us in parenting, bringing a whole new meaning to mindful parenting!
Daisy Ng
Chief Education Officer,
Trinity Kids Malaysia
