Credit:2-Quarter Hours
Clock Hours: 20 Contact Hours

Course Description

            In this era of accountability, it’s more important than ever for educators to understand how the brain learns and what they can do to facilitate learning.  During this interactive workshop, participants will explore brain-compatible strategies to improve student understanding and learning.  Participants will learn to use easy-to-implement brain-compatible instructional strategies that will help students elaborate, rehearse, and consolidate the information and skills they are learning.  Participants will learn to use a variety of easy-to-implement strategies that are appropriate pre-K through adult, including, reciprocal teaching, rhythm-rhyme-rap, simulations and role plays, mind maps and graphic organizers, as well as other brain-compatible strategies to help students find relevance and meaning in what they are learning.

Course Objectives

To increase understanding of brain development as it relates to student achievement; brain anatomy, neural growth and development, synaptic formation.

To understand how the brain forms, stores, and consolidates memories.

To become familiar with research-based, best practices instructional strategies that promote student achievement, including reciprocal teaching, mind mapping, rhythm-rhyme-rap, simulations, role-plays, and learning journals.

To learn how to effectively incorporate these best practices instructional strategies into your teaching.

Student Expectations

Attend all class sessions.

Actively participate in class discussions and activities.

Complete a written assignment by designated completion date.

Level of Application

This course focuses on application and implementation levels.

Target Audience

Teachers, classroom assistants, counselors, administrators, club and activity advisors of students of all ages preschool through twelfth grade parents and community members, law enforcement officers and everyone who works with children.

Methods of Instruction

During this course, the instructors methods of instruction will include lecture, large and small group work activities, brainstorming, guest lecturers, video presentations and/or participant presentations.

Grading Criteria

All participants must complete a written assignment to receive college credit. This course if offered for a letter grade. The following requirements are grading guidelines:

45% In-class activities including, but not limited to Socratic Circles, small and large group work, and presentations

15% Class participation

40% Written assignment completed outside of class

Texts and Required Learning Materials

Participants will receive required text and materials the first class session.

Plans for Transferring Skills into the Work Setting

Methods for encouraging the transfer of newly acquired skills into the work setting will include discussion and problem solving groups; reading; sharing of successful strategies in class, and practicing new skills during the workshop.

Suggested Bibliography & Video References

Participants will receive a complete bibliography, print and Internet. Additional resources will be distributed in class, as appropriate.

Assignment Options

Using brain-based strategies, rework two of your current teaching lessons to reflect your increased knowledge of how the brain learns.

Using brain-based strategies, create two lessons to teach skills that you currently teach.

Explore the Internet to identify websites that promote brain-based learning. Share your findings with the instructor and your peers.

Explore the Internet to discover brain-based lessons appropriate for your teaching situation. How will you adapt them to meet your needs? What do you hope to accomplish with the lessons?

Using brain-based theory, examine how: you structure your lessons, arrange the physical learning environment, build a lesson, etc. What can you change to increase student learning and retention?

Create an assignment of your choosing, based on your particular job or interests. Have the instructor approve your assignment choice.