Add more water and our brain will fill up with more oxygen. More oxygen will keep us alert. This applies to all human beings but if you are an educator you really need to keep this in mind. Alertness is not the only aspect of human behavior teachers should keep an eye on.
Our educational system strongly weights towards left brain functions such as writing, reading, listening, and activities that focus on sequencing and logic. This tendency is a consequence of the increasing pressure and demands for standardized testing and state requirements. What about right brain skills? What if we, as educators, balance and add some images, colors, music, creativity, and intuitive skills to our lessons to satisfy our right brain needs? Right and left brain skills in action, through meaningful lessons would transform our classrooms, add more joy, and enlighten the lives of students and teachers as well.
The ideal classroom atmosphere considers different learning styles. There are ample opportunities to hear, smell, touch, and collaborate. Personal and communication skills are exhibited in a variety of ways, through role playing, debates, and community service projects. Planning calls for short breaks to maintain the attention spam by standing up, stretching, or simply by changing the focus of the activities. Variety enriches the learning experiences and ignites curiosity. Chunk the lessons and vary the tone and rhythm. Add music. Baroque music, for example, has proven to have calming effects on students of all ages and it improves brain performance. Short periods of music are beneficial for certain activities like brainstorming and writing. Vary the music according to the activity and you will have an interactive classroom where all the students are engaged.
Accelerated learning uses all these techniques to enhance education. It was developed to enhance the ability to absorb information rapidly and to think logically and creatively. These techniques are not only use in education but in many other fields where these skills are vital. It sums up what it is needed for optimal learning and results; contextual learning, collaboration, total involvement, a positive learning environment, and variety.
In times when technology is so used and misused, educators must be awared that although a great teaching aid, technology does not constitute the core of teaching our students how to use all their senses in the process of learning how to learn. In teaching our students how to meaningfully use all their skills and strengths in a stress free environment, educators could make a difference in the way education should be shaped and delivered. In educating the whole individual we are making a contribution to the world of the new millennium where the students must be prepared to successfully immerse in a world where they must demonstrate learning and innovation skills, digital literary proficiency, and a balanced life and career management.
For more information on how to integrate accelerated learning or to get some ideas on how to improve your classroom environment for better and more meaningful results you can access the Center for Accelerated Learning. (http://www.alcenter.com/index.php)
Norma Casas has been a high school and college foreign language teacher for over nineteen years. She has been studying methaphysics since an early age and is passionate about helping others achieve their highest potential. She is currently studying numerology and neuro-linguistic programming to improve education.