Brain-Compatible Strategies, by Melodie Collier, 1st grade teacher at Tuckers Crossroads

The information for this article is from the Marcia Tate Seminar, June 2015

Marcia Tate is the author of Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites.

*What is a Dendrite?  It is pathway in your brain that leads to learning.

*Dendrites are tiny branches on the end of neurons that are responsible for passing information in the brain.  The more you learn the easier it is to retain knowledge. This is why every moment in class is so important.  The brain must be engaged constantly because when there is down time.  The brain will rest and then must be restarted.

*There are many strategies other than worksheets that are more effective in helping students retain information.  These strategies are useful for every grade level and subject.

1.  Graphic organizers make thinking and learning more visible.  (Fogarty, 2009, p. 112)

  

The graphic organizers can be made on poster board, the floor, chart paper, or have the students become the graphic organizer.  When the students are moving while they are learning, they activate the frontal lobe where skills of organizing and analyzing occur.  (Willis, 2007)(Allen & Currie, 2012)

2.  Storytelling helps students digital brain become more attentive and is an effective way to enhance emotional connection to the content. (Sprenger, 2010)

3.  Real World Application helps the students relate to life.  Example:  Tell how this situation will connect you to the inside or outside of the classroom. (Tileston, 2011)

4.  Humor in the classroom will promote a higher level of thinking.  The students can visualize, create analogies, anticipate, and recognize relationships from different point of view.  Jokes and riddles are key in the classroom.

* The following activites will promote brain compatible learning:

1.  Use of visuals- pictures, internet, books, illustrating vocabulary words

2.  Movement- Go Noodle website, teach mini lessons with activity breaks

3.  Games- Jeopardy, Tic-Tac-Toe, True or False games

4.  Role Playing- Acting the scene just studied or create a new version of the lesson.

5.  Cooperative learning- Working in small groups.

These are only a few of the learning suggestions.  Read the book or go to Marcia Tate website.

Last Thought:  Jail cells are calculated by Third Grade Reading Scores!!!!!  So start moving and motivating your students.