Making the Connections!: Brain-Based Learning and Promoting Healthy Students

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Making the Connections!Brain-Based Learning and
Promoting Healthy Students
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Objectives

• 1. Discuss brain research and review how the
  brain processes information
• 2. Discuss how better health can improve
  student achievement
• 3. Discuss how we can use this research to
  convince leaders to promote the health of our
  students

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What is brain-based learning?

• What it is!
• Attempt to match the research on how the brain
  processes information with the strategies and
  processes we utilize when working with
  individuals

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Mechanics should understand cars.Attorneys
should understand the law.Generals should
understand the art of war.Professionals should
understand the brain.
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Rationale for Promoting Healthy Students?

• 1. Increased demand for accountability
• 2. Expanded curriculum to teach
• 3. Increased focus on math/language arts
• 4. Decreased number of trained teachers
• 5.Decreased number of health professionals
• 6. Decreased funding
• 7. Increased competing interests
• 8. Decreased understanding of true needs
• 9. Increased amount of rhetoric

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Promoting Healthy Students in West Grand School
District

• 1. Health Coalition
• 2. Dental Van
• 3. Medical Van
• 4. Community Liaison
• 5. Early Childhood
• 6. Incredible Years
• 7. Sun Safety
• 8. Physical Education
• 9. Staff Wellness
• 10. Nutrition
• 11. Mental health
• 12. Reduced academic time

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Brain Fact Composition of the brain

• 1. Weighs 3 pounds
• 2. Is 2.5 of weight
• 3. Uses 20 energy
• 4. Uses oxygen 10 X faster
• 5. Uses glucose 10 X faster
• 6. Made of 78 water
• 7. Has 100 billion neurons

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Brain FactAdaption has been outpaced

• 1. Adaption was slow
• 2. Time allowed change
• 3. 20th Century change
• 4. Survival is key
• 5. Safety is impacted
• 6. Food is an issue
• 7. Reading for all
• 8. Life expectancy is lowered

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Brain Fact Brain is designed for survival

• 1. Survival is primary
• Brain will sacrifice all, including higher
  order thinking skills, to survive.
• 2. Limited attention span
• 3. Uses unconscious input
• a. Priority control
• b. Automatic systems
• c. Nonverbal clues
• d. Smell

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Brain Fact Healthy prenatal care is critical

• 1. 15 million neurons per hour
• a. 250,000 neurons per minute
• b. 4,166 neurons per second
• 2. Neuron growth
• a. 8 months 1,000 trillion synapses
• b. 10 years 500 trillion synapses
• 3. 17th week of pregnancy
• a. One billion neurons
• b. More than adult
• 4. Premature 13
• 5. Fourth week folic acid
• 6. Childs brain 225 more active
• 7. First year 60 of nutrition
• 8. Establishing neural pathways

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Brain FactEarly Childhood Prime Time

• 1. Cell migration/elaboration
• 2. Apoptosis
• 3. Plasticity
• 4. Windows of opportunity
• a. 3 months language
• b. 8 months vision
• 5. Nature of neurons
• a. Programmed for specifics
• b. Dependent on environment

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Brain Fact Humans need social interaction

• 1. Reduces stress by 8
• 2. Isolation/smoking
• 3. Isolation/physical pain
• 4. Need 12 positive comments
• 5. Laugher creates T cells
• 6. Talking - oxygen/blood
• 7. Designed to live 120 years
• 8. Impacts body weight
• 9. Brain needs purpose
• a. Retirement
• b. Loss of spouse

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Brain FactHumans need personal contact

• 1. Prenatal environment
• 2. Touch signals brain to grow
• 3. Safety signals brain to grow
• 4. Infant massage
• 5. Reduces stress
• 6. Touch impacts brains
• a. Humans 20-30 smaller brains
• b. Zoos 20-30 smaller brains

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Brain FactChildren need movement

• 1. Fine/gross motor skills
• a. Must have movement
• b. Reticular Activation System
• c. 60 hours per week confined
• 2. Cognitive processes
• a. Dependent on survival
• b. Motor needs take priority
• 3. Sensory motor deprivation
• a. Inhibitory control impaired
• b. Need for over-stimulus
• 4. Impact of policies
• a. Safety equipment
• b. Recess /Physical education

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Brain FactPhysical activity has many benefits

• 1. Important in early ages
• 2. Stimulates neurons
• 3. Increases blood flow
• 4. Fuels brain with oxygen
• 5. Provides neuorotropins
• 6. Increases serotonin
• 7. Trains quick response/recovery
• 8. Improves oxygen exchange

• 9. Creates more capillaries
• 10. Strengthens basal ganglia
• 11. Prolongs life of neurons
• 12. Stimulates BDNF
• 13. Activates LPT
• 14. Creates NGF
• 15. Stimulates dopamine
• 16. Cerebellum/Frontal lobe

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Brain FactBrain unconsciously learns

• 1. Subconscious learning
• a. Key to survival
• b. Unimportance of verbals
• c. Safety is key to all learning
• 2. Facial expressions
• a. Anger/Sarcasms 33 ms
• 3. Peptides
• 4. Power of the individual
• a. Affective communication
• b. Super collider experiment
• 5. Neurological search warrants

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Brain Fact Rhythm and Rhyme

• Music Enhances Learning
• Brain Responds to Rhythm
• 1. Pitch and tones impact more
• 2. Rhythm strengthens memory
• 3. Rhyme strengthens memory
• 4. Provides connections

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Brain Fact Stress damages the brain

• 1. Telomeres
• a. 1,700 at birth
• b. 300 at age 70
• c. Lost 9 17 years
• 2. Control is important
• 3. Hippocampus/danger
• 4. Electrical/rat experiment
• 5. Reduces immune system
• 6. Reduces T cells
• 7. Hardens arteries
• 8. Morality is compromised
• 9. Inactive kids have stress
• 10. Tunnel Vision

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Stress Process

• a. Designed for action (heart attacks)
• b. Increases blood sugar
• c. Activates immune system
• d. Activates clotting (platelets sticky)
• e. Attention becomes tunnel vision (no
  multi-tasking)
• f. Creates flashbulb memory (pathological)
• g. Creates a gas and brake situation with body
• h. Activates hypothalamus (no sense of
  morality/ethics)
• i. Stress is self-imposed

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Brain FactNeed to stay healthy

• 1. Stress in school
• a. 20 green
• b. 60 red
• c. Allostatic load
• 2. Continual Stress
• a. Trauma
• b. 1/2 neurons hippocampus
• 3. Survey of workforce
• a. 28 Scream
• b. 14 Hurt someone
• c. 27 no personal friend

600 1200 600
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Brain FactDiet impacts the brain and learning

• 1. Not designed for abundant food
• 2. Hunger creates consumatory prowling
• 3. Tyrosine Tryptophan is critical to memory
• 4. Breakfast is critical to brain processes
• 5. Low/high calorie diets impact brain function
• 6. Need certain foods for neuron polarity
• 7. Glucose and fat are not always bad

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Brain Fact Substance abuse impacts brain

• 1. More harmful to youth
• 2. Less awareness of impact
• 3. Impact basic brain development
• 4. Invades membrane of brain
• 5. Causes irreversible damage
• 6. Impairs neurotransmitters
• 7. Concrete principle

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Brain Fact Mirror neurons impact our actions

• 1. We respond to experiences
• a. Consciously
• b. Subconsciously
• c. All senses impact this
• 2. Examples of Mirror Neurons
• a. Yawning
• b. Charismatic
• c. Talking softly
• d. Moving slowly
• 3. Physically experience
• a. Experience motor reaction
• b. Emotional experiences

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Brain Fact Brain needs sleep to process data

• 1. Operates 16 cycles
• 2. Cycles of 90110 min.
• 3. Memory Conversion
• a. Converted to long-term
  
  memory
  during sleep
• b. Consolidation of learning takes place
  during sleep
• 4. Sleep reduces aggression

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Frontal Lobe Prefrontal

• 1. Controls thought
• 2. Planning
• 3. Decision making
• 4. Emotions
• 5. Rational thinking
• 6. Creativity
• 7. Makes us human

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Brain Areas Cerebellum

• 1. Key to balance
• 2. Posture
• 3. Coordination
• 4. Movement
• 5. Procedural memories
• 6. Age 2 adult size
• 7. Automated responses

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Brain Areas Amygdala

• a. Controls alarm system
• b. Controls emotions
• c. Evaluates danger
• d. Unconscious emotions
• e. Damaged amygdala
• afraid of everything
• afraid of nothing

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How do we learn?

• Learning is a physiological process consisting
  of highly complicated bio-electrical and chemical
  interactions

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Neurons Key to Learning
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Synapses
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Connection Electrical/Chemical

• 1. Dendrites (80)
• 2. Nucleus (20)
• 3. Action Potential
• a. calculates input
• b. releases NT
• 4. Receptors
• a. specific shapes

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Bioelectrical Process

• 1. Ions of power
• a. Sodium
• b. Potassium
• c. Calcium
• d. Chloride -
• 2. Produces 25 watts

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Neurotransmitters
Histamine Activates allergic reaction, runny nose and watery eyes
GABA Inhibitory 1/3 of synapses in cortex, Anti - insomnia, anxiety, and depression
Glutamate Excitatory critical to hippocampus memory/learning, calm, focused, in control
Acetylcholine Alertness, memory, appetite control, growth hormones
Phenylalanine Feelings of bliss, infatuation, happy, love, high in chocolate
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Neurotransmitters
Dopamine Enhances pleasure, control conscious motor activity, relaxation, alertness
Epinephrine Adrenaline Fight/Flight heart rate, respiratory, blood
Serotonin Mood enhancer calms and makes brain feel good, affects memory, sleep, appetite, self-esteem, body temp.
Oxcytocin Bonding, attachment, feelings of belonging
Nonrepinephrine Stress, anxiety, insomnia, dilates pupils, strengthens heart, inhibits digestion, releases glucose
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Neurotransmitters
Cortisol Stress inhibits digestive/immune process, extreme focus, senses alert, muscles tense, palms sweaty, clotting, rational thought stops
Melatonin Rest and recuperation, anti-aging hormone
Endorphins Pleasure receptors, mood elevators, euphoric feelings, and pain killers
Phenyl- ethylamine Allows us to pay attention, low in ADD and high in people with insomnia, autistic, and schizophrenia
Angiotensin Thirst kidney conserves water, makes you feel thirsty
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Brain Summary?

• Learning, emotions, personality, intellect, -
  who you are
• is not a spiritual event but a complex series
  of
• bio-electrical and chemical processes
• Restak (1994)

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Understanding the Teenage Brain

• Adolescence is a time between infancy and
  insubordination.

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentHealth Paradox

• Biological Impact
• 1. Physical zenith
• 2. Morbidity/Mortality
• a. 200/300 increase
• b. Accidents/Suicides
• 3. Drug abuse
• a. Alcohol dependent 12
• b. Greatest use (age 18-20)
• c. Marijuana use Age 15

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentPrefrontal Cortex is
developing

• Biological Impact
• 1. Regulation of words/ideas
• 2. Body language jokes
• 3. Makes bad social inferences
• 4. Limited social conscious
• 5. Uses little common sense
• 6. Cant read social emotions
• 7. Last area to mylienate
• 8. Phineas Gage example

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentAmygdala is fully
developed

• Biological Impact
• 1. Acts on emotion more than rational thought
• 2. Amygdala is impacted by dopamine
• 3. Conflict and stress is processed by amygdala
• 4. Reduces influence of the prefrontal cortex
• 5. Automated verbal response

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentBonding instinct is
strong

• Biological Impact
• 1. Females
• a. Oxytocin (bonding)
• b. Serotonin (attachment)
• 2. Males
• a. Vasopressin (dominance)
• b. Testosterone (competition)
• 3. Strong need to bond or mate
• 4. Neurotransmitters impact vision

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentPuberty is occurring
earlier

• Biological Impact
• 1. 1860 Age 16 17
• 2. 2007 Age 13
• a. Energy Balance
• b. Electricity
• c. Stress
• 3. Maturation Gap
• a. 1800s 2 years
• c. 2000s 7 years
• 4. Post-puberty
• a. Creates anxiety
• b. Startles more quickly

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentEngage in at-risk
behaviors

• Biological Impact
• 1. Brain discovers dopamine
• 2. Necessary in animals to move out of nest
• 3. Consistently seeks dopamine or pleasure
• 4. Pleasure reinforces at-risk behavior
• 5. Eliminates common sense approach
• 6. Dopamine rush must be increased to impact

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentRapid growth and
changes

• Biological Impact
• 1. Sudden changes in maturity level
• a. Brain becomes tired
• b. Creates poor sleep patterns
• c. Increases cortisol
• d. Decreases effective memory
• 2. Teens experience uncertainty
• a. Unsure of who they are
• b. Unsure of future
• 3. Corpus Callosum develops
• a. Connections begin to occur
• b. Begin to understand complexity

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentVulnerable to
substance abuse

• Biological Impact
• 1. Drugs act like neurotransmitters
• 2. Decreased sensation of drug impact
• 3. Substance abuse reduces dopamine
• a. Need drugs to replace dopamine
• b. Creates cyclical issues
• 4. Alcohol reduces glutamate
• a. Destroys memory glue
• b. Impacts the hippocampus
• 5. Drugs alter brain formation
• a. Has greater impact
• b. Creates permanent damage

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentSleep patterns are
interrupted

• Biological Impact
• 1. Second growth spurt
• 2. Need 8-9 hours
• 3. High school Students
• a. Get less than 7 hours
• b. Sleep 1130/Wake at 615
• 4. Lost of sleep cause
• a. Memory/attention loss
• b. Violence/irritability
• c. Cognitive loss
• d. Sleep may be tipping point

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Teenage Male Brain Scenario Exposure to
Confrontation

• 1. Receives sensory input
• 2. Processed in thamlus
• 3. Sent to amygdala
• 4. Testosterone
• a. Confuses response
• b. Stimulates action
• 5. Neural Pathway
• a. Connects to motor cortex
• b. Causes physical activity

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Teenage Brain DevelopmentTime for igniting
passions

• Biological Impact
• 1. Romantic adventures
• 2. Social consciousness
• 3. Permanent values
• 4. Opportunity to teach
• 5. Searching for models

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Brain Facts There are gender differences

• 1. Tendencies/not absolute
• 2. Mature differently
• 3. Different chemicals
• 4. Use different areas
• 5. Designed for purposes
• 6. Structural differences (100)
• 7. Have different visual perceptions

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Male Brain
Brain Difference Impact
Entire brain 11 larger Has more potential
Entire brain Designed to protect/fight Builds muscle/need to rest
Amygdala Larger in males More aggression
Language Areas Compartmentalize Rely on simple directions
Temporal Lobe 12 smaller Give short and clear directions
Motor Cortex More active in males Need to move/physical space
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Male Brain
Brain Difference Impact
Amygdala Testosterone/Motor cortex Aggression/ need to fix problems
Hypothalamus Denser in males More constant sex drives
Testosterone Greater in males Need for Competition
Vasopressin Greater in males Need for dominance
Serotonin Increased levels later in life Attachment
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Female Brain
Brain Difference Impact
Entire Brain Female brain more active Utilizes brain more effectively
Basal Ganglia More active in females Better thoughts and actions
Cerebral Cortex More active in females Multitask more effectively
Corpus Callosum Females 20 larger Multitask/use both hemispheres
Language Areas Females use both sides Focus many things
Parietal Lobe More active in females Females are 20 more sensitive
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Female Brain
Brain Difference Impact
Hippocampus More active/matures faster Better memory/attention to detail
Frontal Lobe More active/matures faster Morals, values, decisions, planning
Occipital Lobe Greater vision for females Can see more items
Amygdala Estrogen/Language Arts Stabilize, calm, need to talk
Serotonin Increased levels Attachment
Oxytocin Increased levels Bonding and intimacy
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Impact of Educational Practices?

• Boys in Crisis?
• a. 70 of Ds and Fs
• b. 66 of LD diagnoses
• c. 76 of ED diagnoses
• d. 90 discipline referrals
• e. 80 of the drop-outs
• f. 71 of suspensions
• g. 77 of Expulsions
• h. 38 earn master

• Boys in Crisis?
• a. Lowest literacy rate in 35 nations
• b. Female GPA 3.07
• c. Male GPA 2.92
• d. Females 57 College
• e. Males 43 College
• f. Males - educationally fragile brain

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Things to do to Help Males

• 1. Add more competition
• 2. Add more spatial activities
• 3. Include more male teachers
• 4. Include more gross motor skills
• 5. Include more gross motor skills
• 6. Provide simple directions
• 7. Give clear limits
• 8. Provide clear consequences
• 9. Provide movement

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Contact

• Jeff Perry
• PO Box 8179
• Wise VA 24293
• 276-328-8017
• jperry_at_wise.k12.va.us