The Brain-compatible Classroom

Book excerpt: Did you know that the best time to learn something new is during the first two hours after you wake up and the last two hours before you go to sleep? Did you know that stressing key points in color can boost memory retention by 25 percent? Author Laura Erlauer has studied brain research and applied it to classroom teaching in a way that is both intuitive and scientific. Synthesizing recent research exploring how the brain works, she explains how students' emotions and stress affect their ability to learn, how the physical classroom environment influences learning, and what forms of assessment work best. Drawing on her experience as a teacher and principal, Erlauer summarizes current brain research and shows how teachers can use this knowledge in the classroom every day. The book covers a wide variety of topics, including * The most effective use of collaborative learning; * Simple ways to keep the attention of your students for the whole class period; * Keys to involving students in decision making to increase their engagement and achievement; * Ways to make lesson content relevant to motivate students; and * Things every teacher can to do limit stress in the classroom and school environment. Each chapter provides examples from real classrooms, showing how the research can be used to improve student learning. The ideas and strategies presented are from a variety of grade levels and subject areas and can be used immediately to create a classroom where students can reach their full potential.