Teaching With the Brain in Mind

FIGURE 5.4
Allow Time for the Brain’s Connections to
Solidify
Axon
Synapse is
strengthened
when there are
no competing
neural stimuli
for several
minutes
Dendrites
(Lasley 1997). He says the rest time allows the
brain to recycle CREB, an acronym for a protein
switch crucial to long-term memory formation.
Other research also suggests that periods of purposeful
processing time, as an “incubation for
learning,” may be ideal (Scroth et al. 1993). It may
be the down time, which we now know is not
really “down,” that’s most important for new information
processing. Learning can become more
functional when external stimuli is shut down and
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Getting the Brain’s Attention
the brain can link it to other associations, uses, and
procedures. “This association and consolidation
process can only occur during down time,” says
Allan Hobson of Harvard University. This finding
suggests that we may want to allow for several minutes
of reflection time after new learning. Writing
in journals or discussing the new learning in small
groups makes good sense for the learning brain.
The essential point here is that teachers must
encourage “personal processing time” after new
learning for material to solidify. The variety of
options above reflect different student needs, learning
styles, and intelligences. Cramming more content
per minute, or moving from one piece of
learning to the next, virtually guarantees that little
will be learned or retained. In fact, many teachers
who complain of having to do so much “reteaching”
are the same ones trying to cram too much.
How much processing time depends on the difficulty
of the material and background of the learner.
Teaching “heavy, new” content to novice learners
may require processing time of 2–5 minutes every
10–15 minutes. But a review of old-hat material to
well-rehearsed learners may require only a minute
or so every 20 minutes. (See fig. 5.5.)
This old notion of continuous attention also is
a problem for teachers themselves. Teachers need
more personal and better quality down time during
the day. With schedules that rarely allow for
more than a moment of solitude or quiet, stress is
the order of the day. The work schedule wreaks
havoc on the teacher’s high- and low-brain cycles.
To stay alert, teachers often become caffeine
junkies, consuming a steady stream of coffee and
soft drinks. It makes sense for teachers to find a
few moments for quiet time, if possible. If not,
they should reduce their intake of carbohydrates
that induce drowsiness and stay as physically