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Begin With the Brain
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Begin With the Brain
Orchestrating the Learner-Centered Classroom

Second Edition
Edited by:


November 2012 | 256 pages | Corwin

"Describes activities at a level of detail that will allow teachers to immediately try them out in their own classrooms. If more classrooms reflected these ideas and used these strategies, education would not only be more effective and powerful, it would be a far more joyful experience for our students."
—Barbara Clark, Professor Emeritus
California State University, Los Angeles

"Teachers who intend to make a marked difference in their students' learning and lives will profit from reading this book. Not only will they find the material useful, they will be gratified and strengthened in their commitment."
—Leah Welte, Teacher
Alpine School District, American Fork, UT

Create a high-achieving, joyful learning environment informed by brain-based research!

In this thoroughly updated bestseller, seasoned educator Martha Kaufeldt helps teachers understand and apply current findings in neuroscience research to all aspects of their classroom practice, from behavior management to curriculum design. Using what we know about how the brain learns optimally, this ready-to-go resource provides practical guidance to new and experienced teachers on how to create a learner-centered classroom, including:

  • Setting up a classroom
  • Establishing routines and procedures
  • Fostering students' intellectual curiosity
  • Reducing learned helplessness in students
  • Developing students' respect for one another's cultural and educational backgrounds
  • Building a classroom community

Complete with updates and explanations of relevant neuroscience research, this field-tested guide will help teachers maximize student learning by making instruction compatible with how the brain learns best.


 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Introduction: Brain-Compatible Learning and Learner-Centered Education
 
1. Begin With the Brain: Interpreting Neuroscience Research
 
2. Welcome Home: Designing the Learning Environment
 
3. Meeting Students' Basic Needs: Building the Foundation for Learning
 
4. Routines and Procedures: Organizing Systems for Orderliness
 
5. Building Community and Managing Conflicts: Orchestrating Positive Social Interactions
 
6. Making a Connection: Building Curiosity and Ensuring Engagement
 
7. Meaningful Experiences: Creating 21st-Century Citizens
 
8. Student Choice in a Learner-Centered Classroom: Orchestrating Opportunities
 
9. Setting Goals and Using Feedback to Reach Success: Self-Assessment and Learning Celebrations
 
Epilogue
 
Bibliography
 
Recommended Reading
 
Index
Key features

The ideas and approaches to classroom instruction and management in this book are:

  • Linked to current brain research
  • Respectful of each learner's cultural and educational background
  • Tested in classrooms
  • Designed to diminish learned helplessness in students
  • Meant to be used in creative ways, modified as needed, and not implemented as a magic bullet

This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.