Hello Classmates and Instructor! This week's assignment really connected the many ideas and information we have been exploring in this course. I chose to explore lessons that could be modified to follow brain compatible strategies and transformed into an after school activity. The concept inspiration was to engage in an activity that could span the entire after school program periods, provide interactive, hands on experiences, relate to daily life and include outdoor, and movement. I found this in the lesson Let's Grow from the Scholastic website. I hope you find it interesting and inspiring. I look forward to your feedback, suggestions and insights. The comments for the Activity below do not show up in the format below, I am attaching the document for you to review the comments. ![]()
Images for Blog
Seed Sprouting: http://www.ihidrousa.com/blog/Great-Results-growing-seedlings-indoors-windowsill-vs-a-Grow-Light/ Seedling: http://eyeonlifemag.com/a-lovely-garden/designing-and-creating-a-childrens-garden Red Coat Gardner: https://www.entangledharmony.com/garden-journal-for-children/ Gardners in a group: https://www.pinterest.com/glofontana/children-s-vegetable-garden/
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Hello Classmates and Instructor! This weeks’ research into games, the video game model and creating a game with BrainRush was a lot of fun and offered an immense amount of information and learning. I was pleasantly surprised to find the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori deeply ingrained into the conversation about the video game model and its benefits. The elements and implementation was quite natural and easy for me to envision within a learning environment. I chose to present a sorting game based on phonics and the challenges I see my young readers facing each day with discrimination and solid symbol to sound associations. The letters /b/, /d/, /p/ and /q/ look very similar and the variation of what they represent is determined by the orientation of the symbol in relation to the other letters in the structure of writing words. Writing is a strong foundation for reading and in my experiences, it precedes reading. For the young child to endeavor to express their own ideas using the symbols of sound to create the written language is relevant personally to the child and the motivation comes from within, the desire to express themselves, share what they are thinking and what they know. In the Montessori environment, even before the child has mastery with a pencil for producing the letters on paper, there is a moveable alphabet that allows the child to place formed letters together to form sounds, into words, into sentences, into ideas and stories. The four letters above often get chosen from their boxes and flipped or turned to meet the need or used interchangeably early on. Refinements I would make to my game would be to add the ability to click on the sound bucket and produce the sound of the letter it represents. I would also include the ability to click on the picture and have it named, with the first sound emphasized, such as “Penguin, /p/, /p/, Penguin”. Just a quick note, I was unable to find a way to give credit for the images I used, however I did endeavor to use pictures from the public domain, I believe I accomplished that goal. However, I would like to share the images and their sources here as well. BrainRush Sound Buckets Game
Address: http://www.brainrush.com/lesson/sound-buckets Images: All images except those noted below are from: http://pngimg.com/img/insects/bug Dress:https://clipartfest.com/categories/view/cf7425c1dabd5ab19dbe168af0f25f3ce38e9ca0/dress-clipart-png.html Quarter: http://www.clipartkid.com/quarter-dollar-cliparts/ Quilt: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/crib-quilts/ Queen: http://tumundografico.com/clipart/queen-clipart.html Quail: http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-quail/ Q-tip: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/05/05/medical-minute-cleaning-ears-with-cotton-swab/ Bucket: http://www.mopedarmy.com/forums/read.php?6,3659888 Hello Classmates and Instructor, The assignment for this week was incredibly fascinating and provided many hours of reading and processing of the information. Reading has been a topic of interest from my earliest professional experiences as one of my children is dyslexic. The road to reading was challenging, but we were are among the lucky ones having access and opportunity for targeted intervention, supportive and invested educators and administrators at our small school. Dr. Dahaene offered incredible insights for learning to read and validated the intervention my child received. Images:
Reading brain: http://www.return2health.net/articles/brain-care/ Graphogame images: http://info.graphogame.com Dahaene Image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25GI3-kiLdo Hoop games: http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2013/06/gross-motor-activity-hula-hoop-games.html Hoops & obstacle course: http://www.daisykins.co.uk/daisykins-news/energetic-sports-day/ Boy on log: Personal picture by LMS Hello Classmates and Instructor! This activity of building an activity plan that implements the elements of the information processing model of learning brought much reading and contemplation. The age group I focused the activity plan for included toddlers through kindergarten. The activity intends to assist a child in gaining and refining the foundational skills for executive functions such as memory, self-regulation, inhibitory control, attention and concentration. Movement, specifically gross motor and fine motor control, for the young child is a foundation that builds and refines the integration of neurological and cognitive processes in response to the stimuli and information. As I shared in my classroom post: Neuroscience has revealed that the interaction between our brains, the stimuli and the environment shape, grow and develop the neurological pathways of information exchange and use in our brains. Each time stimuli are received they change the architecture of our brains, shape our next perceptions and influence the way new information will be compared, stored and utilized. (Wolfe, 2010) The activity I propose offers the child an opportunity to focus their attention on an active exploration of movement, balance, control and coordination. These skills require the child to engage with intentional choices to move, stop, balance, push, bend and re-balance in each move. The extensions move toward the child designing and implementing patterns and challenges for the movements as they gain mastery of each step from simple movement and demands to complex balance, movement, positioning and repetition. The intrinsic nature of movement for the young child stimulates their interest, engaging the movements in a series of specific movements progressing from simple two-foot balancing toward complex single foot balanced movement reflects the models concept of learning as a continuous growth in a gradual manner with performance as a demonstration of the acquisition of the skill or knowledge. “Attention is a critical component of processing of information in memory” (Whitman, 2011, p. 171). With the demands for attentiveness to coordinating the body, moving or inhibiting movement the young child engages in concentrative efforts, building the focus that regulates the consolidation of information into long term memory. The relevance of the information and integration of the movement directly serves the child and is useful to them. The motor refinement assists the child in gaining control and integration. “Typical infant growth and development proceeds from the head downward and from the center of the body outward” (CMS- Florida State Gov, 2012). Bilateral fine motor movement coordination of the hands is present prior to those of the legs and feet. The rope and hoop activity will support this child in gaining more refined bi-lateral gross motor coordination of their lower body. Fine motor hand and finger coordination is demonstrated through several activities such as using a utensil for scooping, eating, pouring, cutting shapes with scissors, threading beads and tying laces. Activities that support continued refinement of the upper body bi-lateral gross and fine motor control would offer further support for this child to make progress in gaining lower control. Through the continued practice, focus and refinement of the gross and fine motor movements the child will build the skills necessary for application to later skill demands such as planning, concentration, self-regulation, attentional set shifting, inhibitory control and decision making. “Exercise training programs may prove to be simple, yet important, methods of enhancing aspects of children’s mental functioning that are central to cognitive and social development” (Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2008, p. 14) Resources: CMS- Florida State Gov. (2012). Infant Toddler Development Training. Retrieved from Children's Medical Services:http://www.floridahealth.gov/AlternateSites/CMS-kids/providers/early_steps/training/itds/module1/lesson1_3.html Tomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and children’s intelligence, cognition, and academic achievement. Educ Psychol Rev / NIH Public Access, 20(2), 111-131. doi:0.1007/s10648-007-9057-0 Whitman, D. R. (2011). Cognition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. ![]()
Hello Classmates and Instructor . . . This week has brought a flurry of research and exploration of articles about neurotransmitters, their roles and the role of nutrition and movement in the production or inhibition of neurotransmitters and their functions. The conversation and research about serotonin, 5-HT and the role it regulates in mood, motivation and cognition has been fascinating to read about. Being new to a blog, I am uncertain of how to sustain it, my thought has been to share the explorations inspired by the course and my classmate’s discussion posts. The knowledge that serotonin is produced in our gut was a mind-expanding idea for me. Recently my husband and I have been discussing a book he has been reading about behavioral economics, and how the human being makes decisions. An interesting aspect to this book has been the discovery that despite having access to reliable and strong statistical support for decisions, it was noted that humans still relied on their ‘gut’ when making decisions over the data or guidelines designed to enhance the accuracy of the decision process and outcomes. The ‘gut’ reference in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that influences mood, perception and motivation resonated with the idea that intelligent, competent individuals relied on this internal feeling over statistically supported choices when making decisions. Continuing from this new perspective was the exploration that nutrition, what we eat can contribute or inhibit the production of this neurotransmitter. Our classmate discussed an activity of nutritional journaling and reflection on the resulting mood and emotional states with changes in the diet. This dietary aspect sparked a search for the ‘culprits’ in the gut and how to feed them. Lactobacillus Rhamnosus plays a salient role and interestingly is fed by fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yogurts and aged cheeses. We are truly a system of interrelated processes and supports that create a whole that seems to be more than its parts. Thank you so much for these fascinating contemplations and ‘rabbit holes’ to explore! Oh the book was The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis. Hello Classmates and Instructor! This week's activity of creating a mind map of the brain and the functions was interesting and informative. Taking the time to think about each structure, their function and then place them physically on the map and connect them was a powerful multi-sensory (multi-perspective) experience. Hello Classmates and Instructor, Please find my journal reflection on the relationships between myself as an educator and the many hats I have worn and the disciplines of education, psychology and neuroscience. I also enjoyed sharing an example of how I have experienced these disciplines working together to guide environmental design and curriculum. Journal Prompt:
Brain-Compatible Learning in Professional Roles When we think about the interplay between psychology, neuroscience, and education which encompasses aspects of brain-compatible learning, what often comes to mind is:
Reflection The educational roles in my work have been child advocate, parental advocate, child educator, adult educator and environmental design as well as behavioral consults and classroom management consults, teacher trainer and mentor. Each of these roles required me to develop a strong foundation of understanding how psychology, education and neuroscience interact in providing information, research and guidance for tackling the challenges of providing learning experiences. With an understanding of the interrelated nature of the relationship between education, psychology and neuroscience, as an educator I am able to design effective learning environments to support the children they will serve. It is important to remember that understanding the brain is only one component to understanding how humans learn the other powerful understanding is that of the multifaceted influences of environment upon the individual. This brings to the conversation the very old educational debate of which is the most influential nature or nurture in human learning. In modern discourse the understanding is that this is no longer and either or debate but that “nature-nurture systems are large and complex beyond imagining, abounding with nonlinear interactions across analytic levels.” (Schneider, 2011, p. 29). “Probabilistic epigenesis” by Gottlieb reveals an interrelated process of genes contributing to neural structures that become active before maturity and how the activity of the interactions with the internal and external environment shapes the development. (Goswami, 2008, p. xviii) In my work based on the tenant of Dr. Montessori’s philosophy, the environment is thoughtfully prepared to offer the students it will serve the opportunities to engage in meaningful learning with tasks that present challenges and the environment that facilitates learning the skills and knowledge necessary to complete the task. Sousa and Tomlinson support this with the challenge to develop curriculum that is “highly relevant to students so as to enlist their motivation to learn” (p. 59). This means an educator can bring to the environment activities and experiences intended to elicit natural demands for tasks, skills, and knowledge to accomplish those tasks. An example of the collaboration of understanding the brain, development, psychology, education, and neuroscience is well demonstrated through language learning in the toddler environment. Designing an environment to support language development requires a thoughtful consideration of the children it will serve. Each developmental age/stage child will require a specially prepared environment to meet their unique developmental needs. The preschool child will require an environment that immerses them in support for independence and a natural motivation to use language and refine it for more effective use. Supporting language development in the preschool child is quite simple and well received by the child, as they are developmentally predisposed to attuning to and acquiring language and the skills of verbal and written communication. Rousseau, a Swiss philosopher and educationalist offered “Teach the child what is of use to a child, and you will find that it takes all his time” (Rousseau, 2013/1762, p. 169). A classroom environment that can support all of these elements of language for the preschool child is dynamic, engaging and enticing. Language is found in all aspects and domains of learning for the preschool child. The preschool children in this example and for which this environment will serve are in the midst of transitioning from non-verbal toddlers to language using preschoolers. Upon entering the environment there is a sense of beauty and order, calm and pleasing appeal to the senses. There are plants and child sized furnishings as well as supports for all domains of learning where language will serve as the constant companion of the child. The first area that captures the eye is the large sliding glass door that beckons the child to the outdoor environment, rich with many opportunities for learning and language. A study done in Finland discovered that poor reading and arithmetic skills are directly related to poor motor skills. (Bergland, 2013). This outdoor environment supports motor skills both gross and fine and promotes language through this vital connection as well as providing experiences that need a broader vocabulary. The outdoor environment provides opportunities for the children to engage in social conversations, sitting on one of the child sized benches, along the building, under the tree or at the child sized picnic table. Sitting in the shade of the tree or observing the communication styles and conflict resolution strategies of classmates provides important language engagement and modeling. There are gardening activities with the vocabulary expanding introductions to plant names, discussions about what plants need to thrive, the tools of gardening, the relationships between plants, insects, animals and humans along with the clothing such as hats, gloves, boots and handkerchiefs. There are opportunities for washing the windows, the glass of the doors, the tables and chairs, watering the plants, using the sand/water table. One can paint at an easel, engage in raking, stacking, composting, arranging rocks, caring for the garden, planting, weeding, refine problem solving skills, motor skills and social skills. There are games to create, classmates to recruit, discuss the rules of the game, resolve the conflicts that arise and help classmates accomplish tasks. There are climbing opportunities with the bale of hay and a climbing play structure, paved area for tricycles, wagons for loading, pulling, pushing and unloading. Within this vibrant and active environment language abounds as the great communicator, and being expanded with each new experience. Within an environment such as this, the role of neuroscience is to guide the understandings of how the brain develops and processes experiences, education provides the intentional exposure and experience with foundational skills that are precursors to later stage academic skills and psychology informs on the value of creating support for social interactions, self-efficacy and respectful and trusted relationships with the educator and classmates. In my work these ideas guide my practice and inform my actions. In our class resource text I found a sentiment of Diamond and Hopson’s to be familiar to Dr. Montessori’s push to create living communities in the classroom to serve the whole child; “How much better it would have been for us to have had these immersion-participation-application approaches, these apprenticeships, collaborative learning groups, and micro-communities!” (Jossey-Bass (Ed.), 2008, p. 88). References Bergland, C. (2013, Oct 28). Better motor skills linked to higher academic scores. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/better-motor-skills-linked-higher-academic-scores Garvey, B. (2005, June). Nature, Nurture and Why the Pendulum Still Swings. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 35(2), 309-330. Goswami, U. (2008). Cognitive deveopment: The learning brain. New York: Pyschology Press. Jossey-Bass (Ed.). (2008). The Jossey-Bass reader on: The brain and learning. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons. Rousseau, J.-J. (2013/1762). Emile. Courier Corporation. Retrieved 2015 Schneider, S. M. (2011). The bigger picture: Development, genes, evolution, and behavior analysis. Behavioral Developmental Bulletin, 17(1), 27-33. doi:10.1037/h0100599 Sousa, D. A., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain. Bloomington: Solution Tree Press.
Hello Classmates!
I have enjoyed researching the topics of critical periods and brain-based / brain-compatible education and pedagogues. Language is a particularly interesting domain of learning that lends itself to exploration for how the brain is structured, and the environmental influences that work in concert to exert the influences that build language acquisition. The TedTalk by Dr. Patricia Kuhl is informative and thought-provoking. I hope you enjoy it too! I also found this TedTalk to be quite interesting, discussing teaching strategies (for math in particular) but it extends to the wider contemplation of how teaching strategies, expectations and the goals of learning are invaluable to effective learning. Please enjoy! Hello Classmates and Instructor! I wanted to share some resources that I have enjoyed discovering and reading. I tried to be a little creative and get some practice with the Word 2016! Please enjoy! Feedback, insights and suggestions are always welcomed.
Hello Instructor and Classmates!
This is my first foray into creating a Blog . . . I look forward to your insights, tips, and suggestions for improvement and effective communication. Best of luck to everyone! |
Laveeta
Passionate about learning; nurturing others as well as my own. ArchivesCategories |