Guiding Principles
Guiding Principles for Brain-Based Education. Seven initial principles are proposed for discussion and it is hoped that more will be added over time. Brain-based learning means understanding these principles.
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Brain Based Learning | Brain Based Experts
Why I Love Biases
There are thousands of articles posted online for just one purpose. They want you to have fewer biases. However, you likely ignored those. This month, you will widen your understanding of biases and move forward in life instead of feeling “less than.” PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Let’s begin with a simple statement-question. Linda is 31 years old, single, bright, and very outspoken. She majored in philosophy....
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Use This Top 5 Student Booster Strategy
Use This Top 5 Student Booster Strategy Near the top of your list (professionally) is a core pathway that really boosts learning. We all take it for granted. Based on peer-reviewed brain research, it lands on my Top 5 List for ALL instructional paths. Do you use this strategy effectively already? This newsletter focuses on # 3 of my top 5. Earlier newsletters dealt with Consolidation and State Ma...
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Hook in Students with a 100 yr. Old Strategy
It was one of my most depressing moments ever as a teacher. I’m in front of the room, my mouth was moving, but every student was frozen as if their brain was on screen saver. Maybe you also have memories of sharing content with your class, but your students just stare back at you. Glazed eyes, nothing’s happening, they are zoned out. This has happened to the best of us, at least once. I will give ...
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What Trait Could Change Your Life (for the better)?
A very long time ago, I searched wide and far for role models. I just plain needed someone to believe in. At one point, I heard my role model say, “The quality of your questions will become the quality of your life.” I was, of course, a bit immature, full of myself, and definitely younger back then. I said to myself, “Yeah, sure. Sounds like a lot of Philosophy 101. I’ll pass on it.” Little did I ...
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What Do You Do in Your First 30 Minutes?
What is your morning routine? Why does it matter? For some, the morning routine begins with hitting the snooze button for an extra 10 minutes of sleep. For others, it begins a predictable roller coaster with a high-stress march and ending with a run out the front door. If your morning routine is a bit sketchy, you’ll be delighted to learn you have more to do with how your day turns out than you pr...
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Do You Prefer Comfort Over Grit?
Have you or your students changed over time? It sure is tempting to say ‘yes.’ We hear about more kids staying indoors, fewer two-parent households, and more screen time. Today, our kids grow up with fridges, cell phones, microwaves, Netflix, and maybe a car. Have we just all gotten soft and lazy? Is teaching grit to our students a lost art? Interested in how to foster a stronger mental toughness ...
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Proven Tools to Raise Student Intelligence
Catching Your Students Up? That sounds like a line out of a comedy routine or science fiction! After all, not long ago, educators (just like you) believed IQ was fixed. They said, “You either got it or you don’t.” Times have changed, so it’s time for an update. Today we say, “Either you are a lifelong learner, or unfortunately, you’re just getting older.” Interested in teaching strategies that can...
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5 Paths to Student Success this Year… Where do you start?
The correct answer for you is… it depends. Every teacher, student, school, and community is different. So let’s re-introduce you to your “Top 5 Brain-based Paths” this month. These are what your students need most (you may already be engaging several of these options). But it’s the one you’re missing that will matter the most. Background Here is this month’s insight. The human brain can put up wit...
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The Single Health Habit that Beats All Others, Hands Down
It’s time for our summer BrighterBrain® health issue. It’s likely you get more than your share of advice about health; friends, family, and the internet all have their opinions. But what if there was just one thing for you to pay attention to and manage from now on… Interested? If so, this issue is for you. Background In this post, we will discuss inflammation. Unless you lock in on this issue and...
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Admitting Mistakes: Ethics Says Yes, Instinct Says No
We have all had the experience of sensing when we were wrong about something. Maybe it’s our conscience speaking; but often we just let it go. Time heals all wounds. Others will figure it out. Right? But what if we are wrong twice? Wrong to hide the mistake and wrong to assume it will go away? Life happens pretty fast; let’s learn how to deal with mistakes and apologies a bit better. A more joyful...
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