Amydgala and Corpus Callosum in the classroom
The brain structures I would always have in mind are:
Amygdala
“The amygdala’s function is to assess the harmfulness of sensory inputs. If it recognizes a potentially harmful stimulus, it signals the hypothalamus, which creates the emotional changes … (e.g., increased heart rate and blood pressure)”. (Schunk, 2012, p35)
A lot of students are afraid of Maths.
Not just afraid, absolutely frightened. “Maths class” or “Maths teacher” is a
sensory input that is harmful for them. This starts in about grade 5 or 6. They
also freeze. “Maths phobia” (Raghunathan, 2012) is real. Especially in India as
even now professions that depend on Maths are treated as higher than others.
Dignity of labour is not visible yet. So I realised that this is real and I
need to tackle it, along with teaching Maths, if I want to have teenagers to
learn Maths happily.
“Teachers who create a positive classroom climate will find that behaviour problems are minimized and that students become more invested in learning”. (Schunk, 2012, p67) Hence I worked towards being a non-threatening presence myself.
I did this through the following:
- Having a teaching approach that is interactive and dialogue based.
- Being more of a friend than a strict teacher for them. Play with the kids in the field. Get to know them better. Deal with their life issues and step out of the box of ‘maths teacher’.
- Taking feedback from students about my teaching and personality on regular basis (end of a term, so twice a year).
- Use heavily cooperative learning model in the class blended with individual study. So typically, students would work in a group and then follow it with work alone to assimilate the learning.
- Take continuous very small assessments (formative) in order to have students achieve well in smaller goals. This made them confident in themselves and open to learning maths.
- For “Emotions can help to direct attention, which is necessary for learning”, (Schunk, 2012, p60) Use variety of teaching strategies as explained in the next section.
- I wear simple and smart dresses that makes me look younger and chilled out person that a formal dress code that creates a division between kids and me.
I tackle this in a pleasant way by:
1.
Keeping extra textbooks in my
class for them to borrow.
2.
Having a set of pencils (they
are cheap if they disappear!) for them to use. Interestingly, not only they
return the pencils, but they also add to the stock!
3.
Ask them politely if there is
an issue with the HW itself (instead of being threatening) in order to build a
trustful space with them.
4.
Swallow my ego and build a good
bond with the students who defaulted.
5.
Visit the boarding students
post school in their dorms to be a nurturing maternal presence.
“…if the visual stimulus is the classroom
teacher, the perception sent to the cortex will match the stored representation
of the teacher and the stimulus will be recognized.” (Schunk, p43) So I worked
on changing the perception of me as a Maths teacher from someone ‘scary’ to
someone ‘welcoming’.
Corpus Callosum
“From a neuroscientific perspective, learning is the process of building and modifying neural (synaptic) connections and networks.” (Schunk, 2012, p68).
Hence it is important to understand that the brain has 2 hemispheres that
work together to help towards learning. There is a debate about whether to use
the two hemispheres as separate or working together. “Analytical thinking seems
to be centred in the left hemisphere, whereas spatial, auditory, emotional, and
artistic processing occurs in the right hemisphere…” (Schunk, 2012, p38).
I
believe that “…The hemispheres work in concert;” (Schunk, 2012, p39). I do not
wish to separate them and see them local entities. So the teaching strategy I use
is variety and novelty. “Novelty attracts attention; the brain tends to focus
on inputs that are novel or different from what might be expected.” (Schunk,
2012, p43).
Teenagers
get bored easily. So I switch between various strategies of teaching that keeps
students on their toes. I am also very organised and well planned so ready for
all surprises.
For example:
- Switching between settings. “I teach. They work in groups. Then they work alone.” This is the cycle that runs through a single or 2 lessons. This blends both the hemispheres.
- They have laptops and school and school has free Wi-Fi. So, I often flip the class. I use a Moodle and that takes care of planning and submissions.
- Blend in art and Maths. Wherever possible I bring in the use of colours and give them space to express themselves.
4. I
find that colours have a huge impact on liking to learn. “The scientific studies conducted recently in the world
show that color influences emotions, productivity and learning. Everything we
see around us has a color. Colors are an integral part of our lives.” (Etsiki,
2017) I discovered the students’ dislike of red colour for corrections
and I discontinued it. In fact, with younger students I ask them which colour
they would prefer their work to be corrected. I keep a whole set in my drawer.
It is interesting how students pick their choice of colour!
5. I
am very flexible with physical set up in the class. Students can sit on their
chairs, sprawl on the floor or work outdoors. I have only 1 goal for them
“focus on the work”. I find that this has helped out a lot in managing
discipline issues.
References:
1.
Etsiki, Renk. 2017. COlors and
learning. Retrieved from http://renketkisi.com/en/color-and-learning.html
2.
Jensen, Eric. Principles of
brain based learning. Retrieved from https://www.jensenlearning.com/what-is-brain-based-research/principles/
3.
Raghunathan, Abhishek. Maths
Phobia. 2012. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/math-phobia/article3832443.ece
4.
Schunk, D. H. (2012). Learning
theories: An educational perspective (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
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