Category: Brain Based Education

Conflict resolution among kids can be a quite daunting challenge for teachers. Especially in a class where one would find a mix of characters, it is difficult for an argument to die down without the intervention of a teacher. How can you make kids understand the right choices when a vulnerable situation arises? Can brain science teach kids the importance of self-importance? This article is based on a teacher’s experience of making the kids understand the science of the brain.

Ms Ryden’s initial attempt of making kids understand by role-playing the conflicts situation went in vain after she saw the kids unable to follow the right choices during actual conflicts. This led Ms Ryden to adopt two strategies: – to make students understand the neuroscience of anger and to implement self-regulatory power of mindfulness through breathing techniques. She gave her students a complete tutorial on the role of the amygdala and its control on self-control when they are angry. It was quite surprising to note that kids came up with the request to control their “amygdala” after understanding the whole science of the brain during the conflicts. Local SEO Services

They welcomed the idea of embracing tools that could calm their brains. Ms. Ryden began teaching them different techniques of taking deep and calming breaths. According to a study, it is found that the act of taking deep breaths sends amygdala a message that everything is OK. This, in turn, leads the amygdala to calm down and other essential functions to take over. This simple explanation of a complex process is an excellent way of imparting great knowledge to kids.

The concerns about the inability to learn math in a conventional environment have been going rounds for years. A high-school teacher based in Colorado devised a creative instructional method to meet the student’s learning need using –a Rubik’s cube. After learning that students create historical figures and landmarks on Rubik’s cube, he decided to taper Rubik’s Cube efficiency to promote critical thinking and algorithmic problem solving among the kids.

Connecting Rubik’s cube with math

One can make several connections between a Rubik’s cube and Math. Initial learning is that of time and speed. This happens when kids start solving one face of the cube. They are encouraged to calculate the time taken to address one face, and after that, the concept of speed comes in naturally.

Another mathematical concept one can learn from a cube is that of fraction, ratios, and proportional reasoning. The teacher can encourage the student to calculate the fraction of a particular colour against one face. For the older group of students, the Rubik’s cube can introduce the concept of factorials to explain the different combinations of the cube.

Although, what was started as an effort to motivate math learning in kids, Rubik’s cube technique is facilitating efficient learning of other subjects too. The students spend quite some time researching about the information they wish to develop. Thus, the Rubik’s cube learning is found to provide an engaging experience to the students, and the educators can motivate students to seek out challenges.

While some students find math a fun-filled subject, most of the students think of it as a nightmare. Can math become a subject endearing to everyone? Well, that is possible if you implement the five essential non-mathematical tips mentioned here and make the math learning a fun-filled affair.

• Proper rapport

A sense of belongingness is vital for students to develop an interest in any learning. Frequent pleasant interactions with the teachers as well as the classmates make it easier for a child to be in their comfort zone too. When students have a great rapport with all others in the class, the challenge given by math will become more fun.

• The sense of well being

Creating an environment that makes students confident, enough to take risks and push boundaries is essential to facilitate the learning of math.

• Learn with fun

Allowing students for discovery, tinkering with numbers and shapes, acting out story problems, questionings that stimulate curiosity, and playing math games etc. are some fun activities that should be included in the curriculum. The playfulness with studies will help in easing the anxiety in students and creates a sense of belonging.

• Being passionate

Passion is contagious. The statement stands true for any situation. A passionate teacher has the power to spread excitement and positivity to all those around them. Love your subject and display the passion to your students too.

• Self-Efficacy

The timely motivation for teachers is necessary to instil the power of self-efficacy. If they believe they are making an impact, success is sure to follow.