C4T #4

This month I was assigned to the Diane Dahl who created "For the Love of Teaching". The first post I read and responded to was that of Engaging Brains. She discussed about how if teachers introduce neuroplasticity to their students they can be aware of how to train themselves to succeed in school. She included an example that I found very interesting that was very relevant in supporting her topic. She wrote, ""Why do we practice so much?" For example, here's a great story about neuroscientists investigating how learning affects the brain. Medical researchers were fascinated with how veteran cab drivers could navigate the busy streets of London so effortlessly and remember all the shortcuts without consulting a map. So they did brain scans and discovered that the cabbies' hippocampal areas, the part of the brain associated with spatial reasoning, were larger than those of other adults. All those years of driving and remembering routes had literally changed their brains. Studies of musicians have found similar results of the impact of practice, practice and more practice.". I had a teacher in high school that did something similar to what Mrs. Dahl is talking about and it changed my outcome grade for the course. It was a very hard course but with her help I succeeded. I have now taking what I learned and have tried to apply it to every course I have taken since then. It was very interesting and I will definitely use this approach with my future students and hopefully it will make a difference as it did me.

Two weeks later, I went to back Diane Dahl's blog to check and see if she has created a new post since her last one. Since she has not, I read and commented on the most previous to Engaging Brains. This post was named What Does Neuroplasticity Research Suggest About the Potential of all Students to Master the 4 cs? The brain changes in response to what we hear, what we see, and what we do. The brain creates new neuro-synapses to new experiences that occur daily. An example of this is through vocabulary and reading. Learning new vocabulary words and reading broadens our personal vocabulary in our daily lives. Neuroplasticity is transforming into the form of how us as teachers think about our students success-ability. With all students receiving the same amount of belief in them, they will all feel as if they can succeed. A teacher has to set aside the thought of "natural ability" and assumptions embedded into our society. By taking this view, we can create an enabling behavior environment, rather than a constraining one, that will help students succeed in school and work life. One thing that will make this successful is understanding two things; 1) this is not just for young people, 2) even as an adult, you have to understand you will never stop learning. Some strategies for teaching and learning this are: 1) introduce neuroplasticity to your students so that they may be aware, 2) identify students who stand out with critical skill development, 3) while teaching core subjects, for example, teach math operations and comprehension strategies,4) model problem solving strategies by thinking out loud (great way to teach students how to work and study), 5) go beyond the classroom, spread the word! I commented replying that I believe everyone is born with God-given talents but also you can do anything you set your mind too. It is society that brings your drive to accomplish goals down. I will definitely use this approach in my classroom so that my students are aware that they do not have a predestined future but rather than can create it themselves!