Whole%20Brain%20Learning

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Whole Brain Learning

• Twelve Principles

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1. Brain is a parallel processor

• Imagination, thoughts emotions operate and
  interact simultaneously
• teachers need to use variety of approaches to
  reinforce brains holistic approach

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2. Learning engages entire physiology

• Stress, threat and boredom limit the brains
  ability to learn
• teachers should invoke sense of excitement and
  contextualisation

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3. Innate search for meaning

• Can only be channelled and focused
• lessons need to be meaningful and contextualised

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4. Search for meaning through patterning

• Brain resists meaningless patterns
• students should be allowed to create meaningful
  and personalised patterns

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5. Emotions are critical to patterning

• Emotions and cognition cannot be separated -
  essential for storage and recall of information
• caring emotional climate needed
• students need time to engage in reflection and
  metacognition

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6. Brain process wholes and parts simultaneously

• Neither should be overlooked
• vocabulary and grammar best in genuine holistic
  experiences
• equations and science/math principles in living
  context
• social studies in community context

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7. Learning involves focused attention,
peripheral perception

• Class environment, enthusiasm, community, family
  and technology all affect learning

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8. Learning involves conscious and unconscious
processes

• We learn more than we understand, remember what
  we experience, not just what we are told
• teaching should emphasise active processes of all
  acquired information

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9. We have different learning systems

• Spatial - instant memory of experiences
• Rote - deals with facts and skills in isolation -
  requires more practice for recollection
• memorisation is sometimes useful
• too much interferes with understanding

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10. Understanding and Memory

• Best when facts and skills embedded in natural,
  spatial memory. Experiential learning sets
  spatial memory in motion
• teachers need to use real life activities with
  complex interactive experiences

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11. Enhanced by challenge - inhibited by threat

• teachers should create state of relaxed alertness
  and anticipation
• provide students with life-relating
  intellectually challenging problems

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12. Each brain is unique

• Each set of systems (stem, emotional and
  rational) integrates differently
• teaching should be multi-faceted to allow all
  students to express their visual, tactile,
  emotional and auditory preferences