Research Project Touts Optimism and Learning

One aspect of the BrainSMART Model that impressed Chuck Balogh was its emphasis on the power of positive thinking to increase academic success. As he described in the BrainSMART publication, Effective Teaching, Successful Students, the then-sixth-grade teacher not only put those techniques to work in his classroom, but he also he designed an action research project around optimism and self-reflection.

Balogh, who earned his M.S. degree with a major in Brain-Based Teaching, did his research with 300 students in the Peoria, Arizona, public school district over almost two full school years. The students in his science and social studies classes came from different economic situations and different backgrounds.

A central goal of his research was to increase the positive thinking abilities of learners through self-reflection. Balogh modeled positive thinking and taught his students the power of optimism. He also encouraged them to write daily in “Happy Books,” a technique he adapted based on BrainSMART research that involves writing about emotions, events, and people in students’ lives that make them feel happy and optimistic.

Using Positivity to Reach a “Tough Audience”

High school students can be a “tough audience,” especially for a physical education teacher, but Marlene Mendes described in the BrainSMART publication, Effective Teaching, Effective Students, how she learned a variety of strategies through the brain-based graduate degree program to create a positive learning state and to encourage students to approach new challenges with an optimistic outlook.

Ms. Mendes, who has more than 30 years of teaching experience, teaches secondary students in San Luis Opispo, California. At the time of her interview, she observed that her studies to earn her master’s degree have underscored the importance of the teacher and students maintaining a positive outlook on teaching and learning.

“I had a student who had a very negative attitude,” she reported. “I talked to her about it and asked her to name three positive things, trying to get her to focus on being positive.” As a result of that conversation, the student turned her attitude around. She started dressing out and participating. She became a lot more involved and a lot less negative.

Helping Students Improve Their Performance

Editor’s Note: In conjunction with the 20-year anniversary of BrainSMART, we are sharing some of our educators’ stories. All of the featured educators earned their Master’s in Brain-based Teaching curricula and/or the Minor in Brain-based Leadership, co-developed by Dr. Donna Wilson and Dr. Marcus Conyers, co-founders of BrainSMART. Below is a synopsis of one of those stories.

For many underperforming students, the biggest obstacle to success is their own preconceived notion that they don’t have the ability to excel academically. Jeremy Green, who has experience as a high school teacher and football coach, has seen firsthand the power of breaking down that misconception and giving students the confidence they need to move improve their performance and their lives.

“If we have students who don’t read as well as they need to, then we need to explain to them that ‘You’re not stupid, you’re not deficient. You can get better, and here’s what we can do to improve,’” Mr. Green explained in an interview for the BrainSMART publication, Effective Teaching, Successful Students. “Our role as teachers and coaches is to sell them on the idea that they can get better. If we improve, we win—period.”

Never Too Young to Learn About Metacognition

Editor’s Note: In conjunction with the 20-year anniversary of BrainSMART, we are sharing some of our educators' stories. All of the featured educators earned their Master’s in Brain-based Teaching curricula and/or the Minor in Brain-based Leadership, co-developed by Dr. Donna Wilson and Dr. Marcus Conyers, co-founders of BrainSMART. Below is a synopsis of one of those stories.

Students are never too young to learn the value of metacognition. For several years, Regina Cabadaidis has taught this concept to her pre-K/K students at S.D. Spady Elementary School, a Montessori Magnet School in Delray Beach, Florida.

“We talk about metacognition all the time,” Ms. Cabadaidis said in an interview for the BrainSMART publication, Effective Teaching, Successful Students. “It was one of the first words I taught them.”

Try the High-Five Strategy “Treasure Hunters and Trash Collectors”

We encourage teachers and parents alike to help students to develop the habit of consistently focusing on what’s useful and positive in their lives. An effective way to do this is to use the High-Five strategy, as described in our book, 60 Strategies for Increasing Student Learning.

The first step is to introduce the concept of positive learning. Discuss the benefits such as better motivation, problem solving, and well-being. Ensure that students have a chance to participate. Ask students if they would like to learn a way to more consistently sustain positive learning states. When you get their affirmation, read aloud the following story about Treasure Hunters and Trash Collectors.

Edutopia Blog—Training the Brain to Listen: A Practical Strategy for Student Learning and Classroom Management

Teachers and parents alike can benefit from helping children and youth train their brains to listen and focus more effectively. Discover a powerful, practical strategy that teachers enjoy using. See our blog on Edutopia!


Training the Brain to Listen: A Practical Strategy for Student Learning and Classroom Management

Wishing You A Great New School Year!

Each year of my life for decades has brought excitement in August and beginning September with the beginning of a brand new school year! First as a young elementary aged child I anticipated both fun reconnecting to friends as well as learning of new knowledge and skills and, yes fear of failure. Would I be able to succeed?  Would my friends be in my class? Would my teacher help me learn? Now as a teacher educator and learner I am honored to know many teachers who make a positive difference in the lives of students each day. As the 2012-2013 academic year begins, we wish teachers across the country all the best and look forward to communicating with you throughout the year ahead. It is YOU who are creating our collective future through your exemplary teaching. Thanks for all you do!

Reading Today Article

If you, your school or district have a membership to International Reading Association journal Reading Today online check out this reading strategy...happy reading! 


Training The Mind's Eye: “Brain Movies” Support Comprehension and Recall. Donna Wilson. Article first published online: 9 JUL 2012. DOI: 10.1002/TRTR.

Teaching Students to Become the Boss of Their Brains

Greetings, All. 

If you copy and search the following, you should find my short article about helping students become more metacognitive and able to learn to be independent learners. 

www.learningresourcenetwork.net/topics/attention/kids-can-be-the-boss-of-th...

For the Love of Teaching: Metacognitive Thinking Skills for Life and Learnin...

Happy July 4th! I'm reposting Diane Dahl's post today for educators and other friends and colleagues who seek to learn more about the importance of optimism generally and academic optimism specifically. What a wonderful disposition to have in school and life!


For the Love of Teaching: Metacognitive Thinking Skills for Life and Learnin...: This is the first in a series of thinking skills for life and learning. Those of you who follow my blog know the dramatic successes I have...

Remember Teacher Appreciation Week May 7-11!

If you can read my blog remember to thank a teacher during this week, May 7-11. Teacher Appreciation Day is May 8. We hope that all our teacher friends and colleagues who give so much have a wonderful week and fully internalize all you do for your students and school community!

Positively Grateful Classrooms

Over the last few days I have had the pleasure of talking with a number of graduate students who are studying our education, mind and brain curriculum for teachers at NSU. These teachers are very inspirational! A theme among them is that they have found the research about the importance of positive optimism fascinating and the practical strategies they are learning helpful in the classroom! One example from their teaching strikes a particular chord during the autumn season-the importance of gratitude. Several teachers spoke with me about positive effects among their students when they encourage gratitude as a part of each school day beginning early in the year. As they bring a spirit of thankfulness into the classroom, students tend to keep it front of mind.

Effective Teaching in the Learning Zone

When teachers and students are engaged in learning, the class seems to be "in the groove" or "in the learning zone." When this is happening it feels as if the day flies by! Effective teachers provide these experiences often as they continuously improve their expertise and foster student learning. Whereas in the past the focus was more often on what happens in individual minds, many cognitive scientists today focus study on learning as both a social and cognitive endeavor.  Therefore, since school is a place where most of nation's children have opportunity for learning and thinking with others socially, the support of effective teaching is of great national importance. It is teachers who make the positive difference for our children each day! Support teaching!

Welcome Back to School - Good Teaching Matters!

Most realize the importance of good teachers! Today scientists give us one more reason to understand why teaching is key to student success and that teachers should be supported. Educators who study with us have been fascinated to read about experience-dependent synaptogenesis. This process involves the connecting of neurons ongoingly when learning occurs, followed by pruning of those connections that are not frequently used. As a new year begins, do support the important work of schooling our nation's children! Support good teaching practice! It matters!

Teacher Leader Assists Students To Become More Effective Learners

You will enjoy teacher leader D'Jon McNair's article in the Acworth (Georgia) Patch newspaper.

http://acworth.patch.com/articles/brain-based-teaching-in-our-schools-a-new-way-to-reach-students

A Good Summer's Read for Educators: Helping Students Reach Their Potential

July 10-14 I will be presenting at the International Association of Cognitive Education and Psychology alongside presenters from Feuerstein's institute (ICELP) where I did post doctoral work some 15 years ago. The following book by Feuerstein and associates, though not a how-to book, offers profound theoretical insights particularly for those interested in learners with challenges. Alternatively, check out his website at www.icelp.org. 


Beyond Smarter: Mediated Learning and the Brain's Capacity for Change offers readers insight from two important research streams. The first is Reuven Feuerstein's seminal theoretical insights that provide frameworks for research and practice based upon his theory that humans across cultures and backgrounds can become functionally smarter through the use of specific cognitive methods. The second is John Bransford's insights in the foreword. Readers may recall that in the late nineties Bransford was the leader of a group of federally funded scholars who authored How People Learn. This text has been widely read and has had a great impact on research in the field of learning over the past decade. Later, after a second committee of scholars met, Donovan and Bransford wrote a text titled How Students Learn with a focus on using research from the science of learning in the classroom for the teaching of history, math, and science. Importantly, Bransford states an eagerness for connections to be made between neuroscience and Feuerstein's theory. 

The authors, Reuven and Rafael Feuerstein and Louis Falik, discuss key concepts from the seminal work of first author, Professor Reuven Feuerstein. In this introduction the reader learns of this important body of work as a hopeful alternative for teaching children and youth with neurobiological (ie diagnosis of Down syndrome) and/or environmental challenges (ie issues of abandonment, loss, or lack of preparation for learning at school). Readers will enjoy Feuerstein's story (in his own words) of his work with Jean Piaget at the Geneva Institute and how Andre Rey's support there was critical to his work on cognitive functions and assessment. Importantly, Structural Cognitive Modifiability (SCM), the framework that gives hope for those who have learning challenges is defined and discussed. 

Mediated Learning Experience (MLE), is defined as the method by which a more experienced adult (teacher, parent, or other) assists youth to learn how to learn and, in Feuerstein's words, become more cognitively modifiable. In Feuerstein's theory, it is MLE that renders the child a motivated, effective, and successful learner. In other words, without at least one mediator (you might think of a special kind of guide) a youth would likely not become a successful thinker and learner. The necessary parameters of the mediated learning experience are discussed, for example, caring and intentionality. Further, the authors discuss other criteria for MLE such as the mediation of belonging, sharing, and individuation that should be mediated over the course of time. 

Dynamic Assessment and Instrumental Enrichment, specific tools Feuerstein developed are introduced (more training is needed to begin to become proficient at using these tools). Dynamic assessment utilizes the test-teach-test approach and is helpful to determine what kind of intervention is necessary and how much mediation is needed in order for the learner to become able to learn independently. Instrumental Enrichment, Feuerstein's program for teaching youth (approximately age 9 and up) thinking habits for school, work, and life is also introduced in this text along with the newest edition to the Feuerstein programs, Instrumental Enrichment Basic for young children. 

This book represents seminal and important work that weaves together the power of mediated learning and emerging understandings of neuroplasticity and human potential. I had the honor of completing postdoctoral study with Reuven Feuerstein in Israel. The experience has had a profound impact on how I work with teachers, administrators, and graduate students in our Brain-Based Teaching programs. In particular, this book brings the importance of mirror neurons in the process of mediating learning to life and amplifies the importance of diversity. Reading Beyond Smarter helps to empower the reader with a refreshing initial understanding of how effective educators can cultivate key cognitive skills for thriving in the 21st century. The thinking of Reuven Feuerstein has been a great gift to me over the span of more than two decades as it has been to many others across the world who have had the pleasure of learning from him. This book is an excellent way for individuals to connect to his powerful work! 

BrainSMART Blogging: In Full Support of Teachers

We are proud to introduce our blog! Here is an example of the kinds of strategies that we share on this blog.

I just saw BrainSMART graduate student Diane Dahl's blog at her blog, For the Love of Teaching. Her blog post 'Reading Levels Jump 5 Months in just 2.5 Months' tells how she is using her BrainSMART studies to benefit students. Diane also shared with us that she had a record number of students qualify for gifted programming after teaching her students cognitive and metacognitive strategies.

Though our blog focuses on practical knowledge and strategies for teaching and learning, we also share research from the fields of education, mind, and brain.