Lesson 2 Response

I've been assigned to write about how the videos I watched on vision and hearing will affect me as a teacher. I have to say, as a secondary school teacher there will be little that I can do to help affect the development of my students' brains. They will come to me after most of the sensitive learning periods have passed.

I will design my room in such a way as to make it visually interesting, colorful, and welcoming. I will play appropriate music to set the tone for the day, and will make an effort to have plants or a good quality air cleaner in my room to help my kids be at their best. I will also provide them with interesting and useful activities that engage their senses whenever possible. In short, I want to be a whole brain kind of teacher, I just think that high school students are already 75% who they are going to be.

Lesson 1 Response

After watching the videos on brain architecture, plasticity, and understanding the impact of the environment on a child, how does this information impact you as a teacher?

Understanding how the brain physically learns is vital to any teacher. How can we help our students if we don't understand what they are trying to do? My job as a teacher will be to take advantage of the sensitive periods in brain development and do whatever I can to provide positive, enriching experiences for my students. I also will need to remember that their brains are not even close to being fully formed yet, and that their inevitable mistakes are a crucial part of the learning process.