Brain Based Learning | Brain Based Experts

Developing our students’ secret sauce

Everyone loves a good recipe but this “secret sauce’ isn’t something you eat…instead it is what you do that is unique to you. It’s your niche, where you shine, what makes you stand out from the crowd, and something I think a lot about as a mom and as a teacher.  Developing lifelong learners is a goal of brain-based teaching and something that is “caught” and can be “taught”. Where to start:  Maybe...

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Brain Positive

Greetings to 2018 with More Brain-Strengthening Positive-Thoughts & Tips

Currently, more people are aware of the Importance of Positive Thoughts or Thinking, whether we are referring to words/expressions we say to others or our inner mind dialogue with oneself, these words/expressions can shift the thought-pathways in our brain and lead us to completely different actions or behaviors, ultimately different destiny we reach. Consider the effects of the following three ex...

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Putting relationship at the Center of Learning

How is technology affecting sleep and relationships? LeAnn Nickelsen, M.Ed. has written a wonderful post on this blog highlighting the importance of sleep to learning and memory.  In this post she points out the negative effect that screens can have on the quality of sleep and the need for parents to control screen exposure for both themselves and their children, especially during the evening.  [1...

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Celebrating Sameness While Recognizing Differences

The Irving Berlin song, Be Careful, It’s My Heart, is how I’ve always looked at teaching. Parents loan their students to me for a specific period of time, and I have the opportunity to shape, mold, and grow their child’s thinking. At the same time, I can equally turn students off to learning. As I hear Bing Crosby’s voice in the 1942 movie, Holiday Inn, the resounding message plays – be careful, i...

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S.M.A.R.T. Start to a New Year

S.M.A.R.T. Start to a New Year

For an old secondary school teacher, I always looked forward to second semester. Yes, I would grieve a little over the loss of some of the students from my semester classes, but there was also a tinge of excitement over gaining new students and figuring out how to “do class” better this semester than last. And, for those students who were in my full-year classes, I took January as a chance to rest...

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Tech Tech

1:1 Technology – Harnessing the Power of the Tool – Part 2

Technology in our schools provide teachers with so many choices never afforded past generations of students.  Strong school districts have technology plans which enable smooth district rollouts, seamless connections, and ample security.  Technology coaches across the country are helping teachers leverage the power of technology.  Yet, with the benefits of the tools come cautions educators need to ...

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Tech Tech

1:1 Technology – Harnessing the Power of the Tool – Part 1

As I read through districts’ promotional materials several slogans readily appear: Preparing learners for the 21st century; Using 21st century skills and tools; Where our focus is on 21st century learning skills; Empowering students to be 21st century thinkers…and the list goes on.  Within the next sentence or so, many districts go on to mention the use of one to one technology devices for all stu...

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Putting Relationship at the Center of Learning – Part 4

Putting Relationship at the Center of Learning – Part 4

Problems can start by looking in the wrong place One of the responsibilities that parents have is making decisions about caring for their children in a fast changing world that research cannot keep up with.  A good scientist wants well-designed research studies that address specific issues, are peer reviewed and ideally replicated before they will make statements of near certainty about the result...

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The Magic Power of Gratefulness

Just as Humor, Laughter and Positive Thoughts empower us to achieve greater happiness, so does the magic of “Gratitude or Thankfulness/Gratefulness” that can strengthen our emotion and mental health, plus physically changing our brains better. According to UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, regularly expressing gratitude literally changes the molecular structure of the brain, keeps the gray...

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The Wizard Of Oz: From A Dream In August To A Reality In April

The Wizard Of Oz: From A Dream In August To A Reality In April

The following article illustrates the many faces of emotional states and the power of positive social environments, through a vehicle that promotes profound transformation: ARTS EDUCATION.  August came as a month of uncertainty, where the idea that had been gestating among twelve graders came crashing down like a house of cards… What would I tell the students? How would I deal with their questions...

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