From the Reserve - 2nd ed., rev. and updated.
Basic brain anatomy. How the brain changes over time. Cooperation and competition in the brain. How the brain learns
Preparing the brain for school
What to do to get a child's brain ready for school. Sensitive periods in brain development. Developing social and emotional skills. The importance of nutrition. The dynamic teenage brain
Increasing student engagement. Variations on repetition. The importance of prior knowledge and mental models. Taking advantage of the body's natural rhythms. The role of hormones. Trial-and-error learning. How positive and negative emotions affect the brain
The mind-body link. How exercise affects cognition. The importance of play, recess, and physical education
Why emotions are now "mainstream." How emotions are processed in the brain. The power of emotional states. How to influence emotional states
Physical environments for learning
Why research on the physical environment has spawned new interest among neuroscientists. How seating, temperature, lighting, noise, and overall building design affect learning. Factors to consider for designing smarter schools
Managing the social brain
How social interaction affects the brain and cognition. The impact of stress, bonding, bias, and peer pressure. How to make school a more positive social experience
Motivation and engagement
Common causes of demotivation. The brain's reaction to rewards. The nature of intrinsic motivation. Tools for motivation. The supercamp model
How gender, culture, disorders, and life experience shape a unique brain. How the brain tackles problem solving. How the brain's maturation process affects learning. How the brain adapts to changing circumstances
Links between memory and survival. How the brain encodes and maintains memory. The different kinds of memory. Ways to enhance memory retrieval
What to do before, during, and after teaching to take full advantage of what we know about the brain and learning
Schools with the brain in mind
Connecting brain research to curriculum, assessment, and staff development
Supporting good instruction and good instructors. Change with the brain in mind.