The Learning Brain

Nathan Mikaere-Wallis
- Notes from workshop

http://www.raisingchildren.org.nz/2012/06/nathan-mikaere-wallis/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CB-A4awkRU

Social interacting - brain most active, more connections to help learning

Sitting & being quiet - least active, fewer connections being activated in brain, less learning

Perry's Neurosequential Model (Perry, 2002):

1. Brainstem - for survival (Heart rate - fight, flight, freeze) - this area of the brain needs to be less active before the Cortex can be engaged - learning can only happen in a calm state. High brainstem activity = low cortex activity.
2. Midbrain - Coordination, movement
3. Limbic - Emotional Response
4. Cortical - activity in the cortex (Empathy, Controlling yourself, Literacy, etc) - most of the school curriculum relies on engaging this part of the brain

Relationships are key to accessing the frontal cortex for learning...
  • safe, interactive, emotional needs met = able to learn.
  • Unsure, in fear, untrusting, nervous, unsure, angry = brainstem is overactive, and child unable to learn
  • More important for children to develop brainstem, midbrain, limbic brain, when very young, than to develop cortex. Concentrating on development of cortex (learning to read as pre-schooler, etc) leads to underdevelopment of other areas. Long term impact is that brain not able to operate in Cortical area, which is necessary for learning.

Healing the Brain

Dr Denise Guy - 'Growing Frontal Cortex' - video to support parents / caregivers to heal poor brain development.


Think of brain as a garden...

Endorphins = fertiliser. Physical exercise, laughter, singing (which is meaningful to the singer) increases endorphins. research in this area is scant, however.

Cortisol = weedkiller. negative feelings, stress hormone - strips away myelin. research in this area is more readily available than around endorphins.

Bottom-up approach to healing the brain -
1. Heal brainstem - calming activity, consistent relationship, attention to needs, love
2. Heal mid-brain - rhythmic patterning - rocking, swinging, dancing to a beat, singing, music, rhythmic stroking of head, hand, etc, trampoline, ricking horse
3. Heal limbic brain - work on dispositions (as in Te Whariki) - build self-esteem, self-love, less emphasis on academic and more on relationship

(When these three areas are healed, the cortex can be accessed, for learning)

4. Cortex - four executive functions (higher order thinking):
  1. Build Self Control (most important factor for determining success as an adult) = help build self-regulation, rather than externally regulating (help to build responsibility for actions and teach reasoning, rather than punish or impose behaviour modification strategies like time out). Grows frontal cortex.
  2. Build Working Memory = practise memory-building activities (many available) 'Lumosity' - a Smartphone App
  3. Build Metacognition = build ability to think about thinking, knowing self as a learner, understanding how learning is happening, learning how learn
  4. Build Cognitive Flexibility = Singing, then maths equation - build ability to swap from right-brain activity to left brain

1. Calm the brain - build safety
2. validate - full attention, recognising feelings
3. Cognitive Training - teaching what should do, not what should not do

Perry, B.D., (2002). Brain structure and function1: Basics of Organisation. Adapted in part from 'Maltreated Children Experience Brain Development and the Next Generation (W.W. Norton & Company).

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