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As educators, there are many things we wish we could control with our students. Some might include:
Their behavior
Their ambition to learn
Their perseverance in the face of challenges
Their accuracy and proficiency
Why do we, as educators, have such a strong desire to control these things? The answer is simple: we care deeply and work hard to make them a reality. When we put in passion and effort, and the results fall short, disappointment and frustration often follow.
Empowering Students: Redefining the Role of Educators
As educators, we often feel we are in charge of their proficiency. In reality, we are not.
This is where I might lose some of you, but I encourage you to stick with me.
We are not in control or in charge of their proficiency, their accuracy, or their knowledge. That is their job! Now, I’m not suggesting we shirk all responsibility to these young learners with their developing prefrontal cortexes. What I am saying is that we are in charge of their experiences. Let me explain this in a simplified way, showing how we, including our young learners, attain knowledge in the brain.
How the Brain Learns (Simplified)
When new learning happens, the brain develops a neuron. I will use the image of a house or building to represent different neurons.
As new learning experiences occur, more neurons develop, and the brain categorizes them according to their similarities. Once many neurons cluster together, this new group of houses and buildings, or “town”, is called a nucleus. Over time, with more thinking and learning experiences, other nuclei or “towns” form.
Eventually, with continued learning, the brain begins to make connections between these “towns” or nuclei. This is when students might say something like, “I just noticed that x is just like y except for…” or “x and y are alike because…” When this happens, students are developing a synapse, or a “dirt road” from one nucleus to another. This is an important development in understanding because connections are happening beyond isolated groups.
Although these roads are crucial for new learning, they are still new and thus underdeveloped, underutilized, and fragile. Much like our city roads, they need to be cultivated or "paved" to be fully functional. If a student develops a synapse or “dirt road” and it is never used again, the brain will recognize that it is not vital and will undergo synaptic pruning, or removal, due to lack of use.
Therefore, as educators, experiences are everything to us! This includes:
Asking quality questions--repeatedly!
Doing the same or similar activities more than once
Tapping into students' metacognition by asking them what their strategy is, why they are doing it, and why it is working for them
Modeling learning experiences in multiple forms, including concrete, pictorial, auditory, and verbal forms
When we determine the experiences we want students to have, we control the exposure they have to develop new learning. Once the brain recognizes that an experience or learning is present multiple times, it wants to protect it. In this way, the “dirt road” or synapse is preserved. A myelin sheath, which is a fatty protective layer, is created by the brain to safeguard the synapse from pruning and to store it into memory or knowledge. This is akin to turning our “dirt road” into a “paved highway.”
The Significance of Educators Understanding the Brain
So, why is it important for educators to understand this about the brain?
We cannot control their knowledge, but we can control the quantity and quality of the experiences we provide. The greater the exposure, the more likely their brains will do the necessary work to develop true knowledge and understanding.
Let me know what you think!
Would you like to hear more? Contact Anne Venable at anne.venable@able-math.com for additional resources and services for you and your staff.
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