Priming the Brain for Learning

1/17/2017

George P. Moore, Head of School

A recent article (goo.gl/XSrh5d) in Edutopia by Butler Associate Professor Dr. Lori Desautels speaks to the importance of students’ feeling connected and safe at school. This may sound like common sense, yet without regular and consistent attention to these two dynamics, teachers will not be able to engage students in meaningful ways that maximize their learning. Fortunately, at Dawson we have long recognized the importance of social-emotional wellness in the success of all students.

The author speaks to anxiety, depression, and other “traumas,” including hunger, rejection, isolation, etc., that can trigger a stress response and over time damage parts of the brain responsible for learning. Dr. Desautels describes three ways to prime the brain for learning once the most basic need for human connection has been met. They include movement, focused attention practices, and understanding the brain.

At Dawson, we are working on all of these fronts to bring the best out of our students and faculty. First and foremost, we believe in the importance of human connection and that positive, professional student-teacher relationships are the foundation for learning. Small class sizes and low student-teacher ratios throughout all of our divisions enable teachers to know all of our students well and fosters in students an authentic connection to the adults in the community, thereby fostering the sense of safety necessary for risk-taking as well as deep and practical learning.

What about the other three factors? These are priorities for us as well. Dawson has long understood the importance of movement and activity to the learning process. Not only do we provide significant opportunities for structured physical activity in PE classes and after-school athletic opportunities, we also believe in the importance of recess and other forms of unstructured play to focus the brain and stimulate learning. Throughout all grades, teachers understand the importance of keeping students moving through different activities both mentally and physically throughout a class period, lesson, and the school day.

Focused attention practices have been a priority for Dawson since the publishing of our Strategic Plan (click here) in 2014. Beginning in the spring of that year, several teachers worked with students in our lower and upper schools to implement mindfulness practices to give students tools to increase self-awareness and focus their minds. In 2015-16 the school committed to daily mindfulness practice for all students, and we continue that practice this year. We also offer yoga as an after-school activity in grades 7-12. All of these initiatives have been well received and have provided students (and faculty) with a new skillset for improving wellness and enhancing performance. Research also continues to confirm the fact that mindfulness increases academic performance (goo.gl/H8ZoaE). We look forward to continuing to develop our efforts in this area.

We also know the importance of helping our students understand how the brain works, as it gives students additional tools and knowledge to manage the emotions and responses to events in their lives. While mindfulness certainly helps students know how to calm their brains and focus their attention, knowing how their brains work and develop can help alleviate concern and frustration that might arise when things aren’t working well for us at school. This understanding also supports the growth mindset (goo.gl/66qiFS) we work hard to cultivate in all of our students.

Students are at their best at school when they feel connected and safe. This is no different from our needs as adults, yet it is much more important for children whose brains and growth are still very much in development. It is our responsibility as adults (teachers and parents) to prioritize these objectives as a foundation for learning. Desautels’ article affirms our work at Dawson and is a useful reminder about how we can continue to meet these goals and provide the best possible learning community for our children.

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