Jody Oliver's List: Brain Research

"Neuroscience may seem like an advanced subject of study, perhaps best reserved for college or even graduate school. Two researchers from Temple University in Philadelphia propose that it be taught earlier, however—much earlier. As in first grade."

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Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically “teenage” behavior is caused by the growing and developing brain. "

"“On the other hand,” Patel says, “there’s now a growing body of work that suggests that actually learning to play a musical instrument does have impacts on other abilities.” These include speech perception, the ability to understand emotions in the voice and the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously."

"teaching students that intelligence can grow and blossom with effort – rather than being a fixed trait they’re just born with – is gaining traction in progressive education circles. And new research from Stanford is helping to build the case that nurturing a “growth mindset” can help many kids understand their true potential."

"Poverty, coupled with stress, has long-lasting effects on brain function, according to a new study. Researchers found that test subjects who had lower family incomes at age 9 exhibited, as adults, greater activity in the amygdala, an area in the brain known for its role in fear and other negative emotions. These individuals showed less activity in areas of the prefrontal cortex, an area in the brain thought to regulate negative emotion."

In honor of October's most awesome of holidays, I am going to begin a three-part series about the gentlemen zombie's choice of cuisine: the 'tween brain. However, I need to be frank. I'm not going to be able to teach you deeply about the 'tween brain here. I'm not a neurologist. What I am going to do is make an argument, hopefully a darn good one, as to why you should educate yourself further about it.

"Energizing Brain Breaks are quick 1-2 minute activities for your classroom or audience.  They take virtually no preparation and no extra materials to perform. "

"Everyone needs a brain break occasionally, especially little learners who have been working hard all day. Most teachers can sense when their class is getting antsy, but what they do about it can make all the difference."

In this rare clip from 1972, legendary psychiatrist and Holocaust-survivor Viktor Frankl delivers a powerful message about the human search for meaning -- and the most important gift we can give others.

Brain Gym exercises are short activities teachers can do with their students to release stress, expend excess energy and enhance learning. Each exercise can be done in a small area in the classroom or at the student's seat.

These simple exercises are based on the copyrighted work of Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D., and Gail E. Dennison. Brain Gym is a registered trademark of Brain Gym® International

As the jury convenes and continues speculation on the beneficial effects of video games on our students' brains, we are treated to several in-depth studies from researchers all over the world. One such study done in the U.K. is featured in the following ESchool News article. The query it tackles is whether gaming is really directly related to brain changes.

Physical activity throughout the school day is necessary for children to reenergize themselves and to be able to maintain focus on their school work. Being involved in movement positively affects children both cognitively and physically.