Body-Brain Compatible Learning Environment
By applying current brain research to schools and classrooms to maximize student achievement and prepare responsible citizens, schools create a “body-brain compatible” learning environment based on eight elements:
- Absence of Threat: Students are free from anxiety about their physical safety and experience a sense of well-being as they learn.
- Meaningful Content: Teachers select topics that address standards and engage students.
- Choices: Students have the opportunity to select assignments that meet individual learning needs.
- Adequate Time: The schedule provides ample and flexible time for thorough exploration.
- Enriched Environment: The school offers an interesting and inviting setting, with emphasis on objects from the real world for students to see and touch.
- Collaboration: Students work together to enhance achievement and build social skills.
- Immediate Feedback: Students receive accurate feedback as they learn, not later.
- Mastery at the Application Level: Students internalize deeply what they learn and apply it to real-world situations.
- Movement to Enhance Learning: Movement activates and focuses body-brain systems for learning. Susan Kovalik
Article - We Must Teach in a Brain-Compatible Way by Susan Kovalik
How Many Senses Do We Have?
Every minute spent on what children experience as boring "seat work" is a minute spent NOT building intelligence. There is a direct correlation between the number of senses activated and the amount and locations of brain activity.
Robert Samples' Open Mind, Whole Mind (1987) p. 13.
SENSES KIND OF INPUT
Sight Visible light
Hearing Vibrations in the air
Touch Tactile contact
Taste Chemical molecular
Smell Olfactory molecular
Balance Kinesthetic geotropic
Vestibular Repetitious movement
Temperature Molecular motion
Pain Nociception
Eidetic Imagery Neuroelectrical image retention
Magnetic Ferromagnetic orientation
Infrared Long electromagnetic waves
Ultraviolet Short electormagnetic waves
Ionic Airborne ionic charge
Vomeronasal Pheromonic sensing
Proximal Physical closeness
Electrical Surface charge
Barometric Atmospheric pressure
Geogravimetric Sensing mass differences
The more senses a person uses, the more effective the learning. In a typical lecture & textbook learning environment only 2 senses are typically used. However, a Being There experience activates ALL of the senses! If you can't actually "be there," there are several other ways to activate multiple senses in an educational setting. Immersion will use 13 senses, Hands-On using Real things uses 9 senses, Hands-On using a representation uses 4 senses, Second Hand information uses 3 senses, and Symbolic uses only 2 senses. Typical classroom-style learning implements only Symbolic or Second Hand learning.
Robert Samples' Open Mind, Whole Mind (1987) p. 13.
SENSES KIND OF INPUT
Sight Visible light
Hearing Vibrations in the air
Touch Tactile contact
Taste Chemical molecular
Smell Olfactory molecular
Balance Kinesthetic geotropic
Vestibular Repetitious movement
Temperature Molecular motion
Pain Nociception
Eidetic Imagery Neuroelectrical image retention
Magnetic Ferromagnetic orientation
Infrared Long electromagnetic waves
Ultraviolet Short electormagnetic waves
Ionic Airborne ionic charge
Vomeronasal Pheromonic sensing
Proximal Physical closeness
Electrical Surface charge
Barometric Atmospheric pressure
Geogravimetric Sensing mass differences
The more senses a person uses, the more effective the learning. In a typical lecture & textbook learning environment only 2 senses are typically used. However, a Being There experience activates ALL of the senses! If you can't actually "be there," there are several other ways to activate multiple senses in an educational setting. Immersion will use 13 senses, Hands-On using Real things uses 9 senses, Hands-On using a representation uses 4 senses, Second Hand information uses 3 senses, and Symbolic uses only 2 senses. Typical classroom-style learning implements only Symbolic or Second Hand learning.
Links
Integrated Thematic Instruction
Highly Effective Teaching (Susan Kovalik)
Nine Brain-Compatible Elements That Influence Learning
Being-There Experiences
Brain Connection
Resources on Learning and the Brain
Brain Research and Education
The Science of Learning, Part 1: Neuroscience – What’s It Mean to You?
The Science of Learning Part 2: How the Brain Learns
How Many Senses Do Humans Have?
Highly Effective Teaching (Susan Kovalik)
Nine Brain-Compatible Elements That Influence Learning
Being-There Experiences
Brain Connection
Resources on Learning and the Brain
Brain Research and Education
The Science of Learning, Part 1: Neuroscience – What’s It Mean to You?
The Science of Learning Part 2: How the Brain Learns
How Many Senses Do Humans Have?
