Multiple Pathways to the Student Brain

Energizing and Enhancing Instruction

by Janet Nay Zadina

Number of pages: 288

Publisher: Jossey-Bass

BBB Library: Education

ISBN: 978-1118567616



About the Author

She’s an educational neuroscientist who sees brain research through the eyes of a teacher and teaching through the eyes of a researcher.

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Editorial Review

In order to orchestrate optimal learning, we must have an understanding of how the brain learns and what is required prior to the introduction of new information. The purpose of this book is to inform you about the complexity of students’ brains and, thus, the challenge and importance of teaching. Our daily choices as we orchestrate learning can make a significant impact on our students’ brains and learning ability.

Book Reviews

"Multiple Pathways to the Student Brain: Energizing and Enhancing Instruction, from a neuroscience researcher and former classroom teacher, helps educators steer clear of "neuro-myths" and explains in teacher-friendly language how the brain learns."broadwayworld.com

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Wisdom to Share

In order to orchestrate optimal learning, we must have an understanding of how the brain learns and what is required prior to the introduction of new information.

Our daily choices as we orchestrate learning can make a significant impact on our students’ brains and learning ability.

Studies about the brain say that “learning means growing dendrites.” What makes dendrites grow or not grow, and how is that really involved in learning? Let’s learn a little more science.

Neuroscientists have a saying that “cells that fire together, wire together.” This concept means that when cells persistently fire together, the synapses strengthen and the dendrites get more stable.

Students who are asked to gesture as part of their learning process learn better

Something we take for granted, such as speaking in class, calls on many brain processes that must work together.

Anxiety has a negative impact on thinking and higher-order executive functions, such as planning, budgeting time, organization, critical thinking, and metacognition.

Procedures and consequences should be distributed listing the rules you expect students to follow.

The first step in addressing individual differences is making sure that all students understand how their brain learns.

It is critical for teachers to understand that learning differences are not a matter of preference but of brain wiring.

Learners may be using an alternative network of regions in the brain to process functions such as reading.

Students need to fire and wire different ways of behaving through interventions targeting specific deficits as well as general behaviors

Humans appear to have special neurons in the inferior frontal gyrus and inferior parietal cortex that react to the actions of other individuals.

Discussing results with a student in terms of progress rather than number correct is also face saving to students and reduces threat.