On October 12, 2004, Churchill High School staff members who attended the Jensen "Teaching with the Brain in Mind" presented the lessons they learned to their colleagues. They have broken the lessons into three parts, and this was Part I.

The CHS Brain Team does last minute coordination for the three part training.	Handouts included "Strategies for teaching with the brain in mind." Click here to download a printable PDF format.	As a warm-up, Larry Johnson, Wallace intern, had staff members complete a quiz on their beliefs about what promotes good learning.
Click the picture above to see the quiz - click here to download a PDF version.	When answers were checked against current research, there were some surprising results.	The training then moved to how the brain functions, and what influences the process of learning.
Put your hands together like this...	...this is the size and approximate shape of your brain...oh, wow....	Then the training moved into the various parts of the brain, and what the parts control.
What promotes brain function...what "feeds" the brain?	Well, actual food does, for one thing! (Click the picture to see what was in the cups.)	The psychology teacher checks his class notes to see what he might want to include on his lessons on the brain.
The presenters model good teaching strategies in discussing nerve interation.	Okay, so these are the dendrites, and they want to send a message....	The presentation totally grabbed the attention of all the staff - this is where they live!
As a model to be used in the classroom, staff members mix to discuss what they have learned.	Interaction was high in regard to what staff members thought about physical influences on learning - good light, good hearing conditions, and good temperature control were tops.	Then Larry Johnson wraps up the end of this first part of training on teaching with the brain in mind - more will be revealed!
Click here to see a QuickTime Movie of the staff practicing a physical activity to waken brain cell activity.	Click here to see a QuickTime Movie of the staff adding hand & arm movements to even livelier music - this focuses brain activity.	Click here to see the closing activity - touch 5 tables, then partner with someone to talk about what you have learned.

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