BRAIN GAMES
This is a page utilized to test and demonstrate the application of blogs for the course EMD 510
Research has shown that constant stimulation of the brain helps students be able to grasp and retain information. Most of my classes will begin with some form of brain stimulation prior to delivery of any material that is required for the student to retain. This stimulation can come in form of review/quiz on the material, or completely irrelevant work offered by some other medium. Below are some links to other outside work I utilize or adapt to fit my class.
https://icebreakerideas.com/brain-teasers/
https://sharpbrains.com/brainteasers/
https://buzzkenya.com/brain-teasers-for-adults/
Although there are plenty more ideas for brain stimulation in this form, the study of neuroscience develops well beyond brain teasers. Everything from the color of the room, to the color of the instructor's shirt can have an effect on the students reception of material. Brain based learning is an evolving field that gives teachers in any domain the opportunity to enhance the student's ability to succeed.
I've never thought about opening class with a brain teaser. That's a great idea! The only class openers I've seen have been heavily content-driven. I think it's important to give students the opportunity to work their brain just to work their brain, though. That's the kind of learning they will take into life to pursue learning forever. I also like that it can wake students up, get their brains warmed up, and prime them for learning that day. I also really like the visual brain games at sharp brains! Those always are fun!
ReplyDeleteI love brain teasers because it is a way to get the mind focused without actually missing out on any of the material. In a time crunch, using review material can be just as beneficial, but I don't usually get as positive a response from the students. For some reason, they really like the requirement to think about something other than school work for just a couple minutes before settling into academics.
DeleteI think the idea of brain games is a great way to start class. It gets students out of their comfort zone. Hopefully, it gets their creative juices flowing. My daughter has "brain breaks" in her second grade class. Sometimes they do yoga poses, jumping jacks, silly dancing, etc. I know that is different from brain games in the fact that it is not preparing the brain for new information. But, I think the two correlate in that they offer a re-charge of the brain to retain more information.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the body movement techniques are not necessarily focused on the brain in particular, those exercises prove very beneficial for certain times of the day. First thing in the morning and immediately after lunch tend to be times when students may be a little sluggish. Waking up their bodies can help prime their brain as well.
DeleteAre bell ringers the same as brain teasers? I always think it's a good idea to start every class with one--especially homeroom/first period. I find it works best after the weekend. Students are usually very sluggish on Monday, or they're usually very talkative with their friends. So, I've found that getting them to write about their weekend events is a great way to wake up their brain and prepare them for another week of classes.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting strategy. I need to research more to see if it fits for ELA since I am required to tie my bell-ringers to my lesson of the day. This could work well for Guided Study classes or even Fridays (test day in my class). I appreciate all things outside of the box. This can make class much more exciting.
ReplyDelete