Our brain is an extraordinary learning machine.
We could define learning as the addition of new information to the
existing one; it happens by activating the construction of new neural networks
that functionally link up with those already existing.
Our brain constantly make thousands of postulations trough thousands of
connections with other neurons. When the postulations are overturned, new
postulations replace the former ones. This constant repetition inside our
brains is called Neuroplasticity.
Our brain is an extraordinary learning machine.
Memory permits to store information and then recalled it as needed. The
more we activate connections, the more often they will be strengthened,
constituting long-term memory, while those that are not will be weakened.
Teachers teach better and students learn better, when they both know how
their brains work: they need to know they have the ability to restructure their
brains to become superior teachers and learners at any point in time. For these
purposes, emotions are key.
In schools all over the world, we have millions of teachers and students
with their emotions faded. Their brain is overwhelmed by anxiety, fear, anger, boredom,
tiredness. Teachers have to support their students’ social and emotional needs
before dwelling upon academic learning. Nevertheless, before of that, educators
have to be trained and provided with adequate tools that create emotional
adjustments and empathy for themselves and their students.
1. Focus
The truth is that humans are not good at multi-tasking. Experiments have
depicted that it is very difficult for our brains to pay attention to more than
an item at a time. Attention and focus are the filtering mechanisms that allow
us to select information and to adjust processing.
2. Active Engagement
Research has proven that our brains do not learn passively. We learn by
doing, therefore we should practice Active
Listening (Teachers) and Active Learning (Students).
3. Immediate Feedback
Our brain is continuously making predictions and adjusting projections,
depending on the feedback it receives. Feedback is therefore necessary for
brain to process and readjust to learning, depending on the positive or
negative feedback received. Trial and error are essential for learning and
there should be no stress linked to making mistakes as this inhibits learning.
4. Associations
When we learn something new, our prefrontal cortex put together our
entire asset to achieve this learning. When we duplicate this task repeatedly,
the learning progressively becomes faster, more efficient, frees up gaps for
new learning.
5. Sleep
Sleep is extremely crucial. During sleep, the algorithms of
our brains reiterate everything learnt during the day, encoding new hypotheses
for the next day that boost our life-long journey of teaching and learning.
