Interesting+Stuff!

= Meeting the Needs of All Learners: Brain-Based Learning =

Based on conversations that we have in class, I'll look for follow-up articles and videos that I can post here. If this year is like my other years of teaching this class, I'll come home after each session and remember all of the things that I SHOULD have shared- or COULD have shared about a particular topic, but just didn't think of it at the time! I'm also always on the lookout for "The Brain in the News" articles. Whenever I see something that relates to our class, or to the brain in general, I'll post a link to it here.

I know that you will probably not read ALL of the articles I post, but my hope is that you'll periodically check this page, to see if there is anything of particular interest to you. I'll most likely reference some of the articles/videos during the next class session.

[|The "Little Brain" might do Much More than We Thought]
From Par Wiss- Article about the Cerebellum

[|Brain "Rewires" itself to Enhance other Senses in Blind People]
==[|Doctors May Now Be Able to Predict Autism Before Age One]==
 * **Posted Feb. 2017: This article is from The Huffington Post, but I saw the story on the NBC nightly news, as well. The potential break-through focuses on the actual physical growth of the brain during the first year of life. Abnormally fast brain growth seems to point to a greater chance of an Autism diagnosis later, and can result in earlier intervention. It can also put parents at ease- especially parents who already have an Autistic child, so know that the risk of having a second or third child with the diagnosis is greater. It's a positive development in the research on Autism!**


 * [|Ted Talk: Lara Boyd on Neuroplasticity] **


 * **Posted Feb. 2017: Pat Wiss brought this video to my attention. Dr. Lara Boyd discusses neuroplasticity- the brain's ability to change in response to the environment/ stimuli. (Neuroplasticity is a term that we'll discuss during session 5 in late February. It's a wonderful "brain feature", but has its drawbacks, as well. Interesting talk! Thanks, Pat!**

**[|Paraplegic Man walks with His Own Legs Again]**

 * **Posted Nov. 2016: This article explains new technologies that are making it possible for people with spinal cord injuries to potentially walk again.**

**[|Resources for Learning and the Brain]**

 * **Posted Oct. 2016: I found this set of resources on the Edutopia website- one of my favorites. There are lots of articles and videos here, all of which deal specifically with the "science of learning." I haven't read- or watched- all of the articles/videos here, but the ones I've seen are very good, and are very applicable to YOU- educators learning about the brain, and the type of teaching environment that is brain-compatible.**


 * [|The Things You Don't Remember Shape Who You Are] **
 * **Posted Oct. 2016: This is a good article about the importance of the early years in re: to brain development. Even though most people don't have any memory of things that happen to them much before the age of 5 years old, studies have shown that experiences- both good and bad- during the first few years of life, make a difference in how the brain develops, and thus, "shape" how that individual develops throughout childhood and into adulthood.**

==[|Scientists Just Discovered Something Amazing about what Childhood Piano Lessons Did to You]==
 * ** Posted Feb. 2016: This is a blog article from Music.Mic. I posted it for the music teacher in our group, for all of the music lovers in our group, and for anyone who uses music as an instructional strategy. We all know that music is good for kids... but this article may help you to articulate the need for music in our schools, and for music in our homes. **

[|How "Deprogramming Kids" from How to "Do School" Could Improve Learning]

 * ** Posted Feb. 2016: This is a blog article from Mind/Shift. It describes one high school math teacher's change in his teaching practices, and his students' success as a result of the change. I like this article because it "paints a picture" of the type of classroom climate/ culture that is most conducive to learning. Though the focus of this article is a high school math class, teachers at ALL levels will understand. (especially those who know about the Basic Psychological Needs, and Iowa's Characteristics of Effective Instruction) **

[|Poverty Linked to Childhood Depression, Changes in Brain Connectivity]

 * **Posted Feb. 2016: This article comes from Eureka Alert, and describes research findings from Washington University School of Medicine. As the name implies, the studies (which involved fMRI imaging of children between the ages of 7 and 12) showed significant differences in the brains of children who had lived in poverty during their preschool years, vs. those who had been raised in more affluent homes.**

[|The Science of Intuition: An Eye-Opening Guide to Your Sixth Sense]

 * **Posted Nov. 2015: Pat Wiss sent me this one, and it's good! This is a scientific look at exactly what we've touched upon in class- the amygdala and it's job of scanning everything that comes into the brain, and determining what has significance and what can be dropped. The amygdala's split-second head-start on logical/ rational processing is most likely responsible for what is sometimes called a "sixth sense." There's a great book on this phenomenon: //Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking,// by Malcom Gladwell. It is excellent, and tells story after story that illustrates the science of intuition. It's a fun and interesting read and is one of my favorites! Thanks for sending the link to this article, Pat!**


 * ** Posted Nov. 2015: Check out these brain scan images that compare a normal brain to one with Depression, Bi-Polar, ADHD, and/or PTSD. Thanks for sharing these, Cassandra! **

[|Violinist Still Making Music after Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery- Mayo Clinic]

 * **Posted Nov. 2015: Here is another EXCELLENT video that shows a brain surgery success. This one is about a professional violinist who developed Essential Tremor in his right hand, making him unable to smoothly pull the bow across the strings. A neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic implanted electrodes into his brain and successfully suppressed the tremors. One of the amazing things about this story is that the video shows the man playing a specially equipped violin while on the operating table- so that the doctors could determine the exact location for the electrodes. This video is just over 4 minutes long, and is very cool--- something I know you will like, and that may be worthy of sharing with your students, as you talk about some of the things you are learning in "brain class." Thanks for sending this link to me, Delayne Stallman!**

[|National Geographic- Brain Surgery, Live!]

 * **Posted Oct. 2015: Television viewers will be invited into the operating room on Sunday (Oct. 25) to watch brain surgery in a live broadcast. A team of three specialists will perform deep brain stimulation surgery on a patient who is awake. The program, //Brain Surgery Live with Mental Floss//, will air at 6 pm Pacific Standard Time on the National Geographic Channel. (8:00 Central Time) The link above is to an article and short video that tells about the doctors, the surgery, and details of the broadcast. I'll be watching!**

[|Podcast: The Hidden Brain]

 * **Posted Oct. 2015: This link was shared with me by class member Jordan Sadecki. This is a new Podcast series with each episode focusing on a different aspect of the brain. I have not listened to all of the episodes, but the one I did listen to was very good. Some of the topics thus far include the science of compassion, connections between students and teachers, and the science of stereotypes, so this series promises to have some very relevant topics for classroom teachers. These can be downloaded (free) from iTunes. Thanks, Jordan!**

[|Can Exercise Make an Old Brain Look Younger?]
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 * **Posted Oct. 2015: This article tells about research being conducted on the aging brain. It tells the story of 93 year old Olga Kotelko- a decorated athlete who didn't begin training until the age of 77! Her brain- and the brains of other older individuals- are being studied to determine the effects of exercise on the aging brain. Interesting!**

[|This is Your Brain on Knitting]

 * **Posted Oct. 2015: This is an interesting article about the benefits of hobbies such as knitting- on the brain. (Other hobbies are discussed, as well--- and an explanation is provided re: how engaging in certain types activities keeps the brain agile and healthy as we age.)**

==[|A Man's Incomplete Brain Reveals Cerebellum's Role in Thought and Emotion]==
 * **Posted Oct. 2015: This article is from NPR- about a man who was born with a cerebellum. This is a good example of how studying abnormal brains helps scientists understand "normal" brains.**

[|The Power of Music]

 * **Posted Sept. 2015: EVERYONE should read this article and watch this video! It will give you goosebumps! It tells the story of a choir in Minneapolis, made up of Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. It is a powerful story about music and the brain!**

Your Brain is Particularly Vulnerable to Trauma at Two Distinct Ages

 * **Posted Sept. 2015: This is an interesting, quick and easy read that talks about when the brain is most vulnerable to trauma and why. Since trauma can have long-term negative effects, it's important for parents and educators to understand its impact on brain development. The information here will be discussed several times throughout the year in our BBL class.**

Poverty's Most Insidious Damage is to a Child's Brain

 * **Posted Sept. 2015: This is another interesting article that nicely summarizes what we now KNOW... that poverty negatively affects brain development in young children.**