Re: Re: Tears

[unknown-user]

Some relevant quotes from How the Brain Learns by David A. Sousa.

What teachers learned in the past… Their training on how the brain learns has focused essentially on the behaviorist model which tries to explain what is happening inside the brain by observing outside behavior. (page1)

Under certain conditions, emotions can enhance memory by causing the release of hormones that stimulate the amygdala to signal brain regions to strengthen memory. Strong emotions can shut down conscious processing during the event while enhancing our memory of it. Emotion is a powerful and misunderstood force in learning and memory. Another way of stating the situation illustrated in Figure 2:2 is that before students will turn their attention to cognitive learning (the curriculum), they must feel physically safe and emotionally secure. (page 42-43)

Over the years, most teacher-training classes have told prospective teachers to focus on reason and avoid emotions in their lessons. Now, we need to enlighten educators about how emotions consistently affect attention and learning.

Figure 2:2 Data that affect survival and data that generate emotions are processed ahead of data for new cognitive learning. (page 43)

We also have to explore what and how we teach students about their emotions. Goleman suggests we teach about controlling impulses, delaying gratifications, expressing feelings, managing relationships, and reducing stress. Students should recognize that they can manage their emotions for greater productivity and can develop emotional skills for greater success in life. (page 44)