Your brain on reading, and how to motivate it

For the routine act of reading, apparently the brain must function like a massive parallel computer. Different parts of the brain in the act of reading have been identified through fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). A simplified view of reading centers of the brain is shown in the picture to the right, copied from an extensive book by neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene (2009). Although there is still a lot to understand, some of the exquisite choreography of different regions of the brain has been directly observed with fMRI, even though the activity is finished in milliseconds.

So overall we can exercise our brains by simply reading! However, students with reading disorders suffer from underdeveloped brain reading centers, or from impairment in the connection or sequence of brain reading centers working together effectively. Some hypotheses have been proposed based on this recent fMRI work that could be revolutionary treatments for dyslexia (Dehaene, 2009 and Albreezi, 2006 video).

But back to training and exercising the growing brain. Thanks to Sue’s feedback on my last posting, I checked out the Whole Brain Teaching website. This organization has spurred a growing movement for classroom techniques to highly engage students that are based on ways the brain works. When a teacher gets students to respond to an attention getter and they know to anticipate the next activity, this process is stimulating the neo-cortex and the brain is waiting for orders. For example, Jeff Battle writes on the website about saying “Classity-class-class!’ they have to say ‘yessity-yes-yes!” in return. Not only did he get students’ attention, but also they are ready for what’s next.

And in the classroom, this is teaching to the brain: students can be more focused when they feel like something is quickly happening next. There is an excellent primer text listing numerous tricks to keep the classroom atmosphere exciting (Lemov, 2009; includes DVD and I have a copy to lend if interested). Creating a sense of momentum can be very conducive to learning. The video below from Bob Zimmerli’s 5^th grade classroom is exemplary for tangible excitement.

And from the video one can see that Zimmerli uses praise that is precise, and encouraging the “growth” mindset. Remember that my theme has been about careful praise, not saying that someone is “smart” inferring a fixed intelligence without effort.

This wraps up my blog for the Technology in the Classroom, and it’s been fun and challenging. Contributions will be sporadic from here on, but thanks for your time, and best of luck to my classmates in their journey to become teachers!

Further reading and references:

Albreezi, S. (Director), Lindstrom, C. and Gilleland, A. (Writers) (2006). Episode 8. Reading and the Brain. In N. Gunther (Executive Producer), Reading Rockets. Launching Young Readers Series. Washington D.C.: WETA. Video downloaded and viewed at website http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/brain or http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid46047440001?bclid=6814364001&bctid=6799961001 on 08/05/2010.

Battle, J. Attention getter: Class-yes. Accessed at http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=159&Itemid=125.

Dehaene, S. (2009). Reading in the brain : the science and evolution of a human invention. New York: Viking.

Lemov, Doug (2009). Teach like a champion : 49 techniques that put students on the path to college (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Uncommon Schools, (2010). Video Precise Praise 1.mov. Downloaded from YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv1eixa-Qzc on 08/05/2010.

Website http://www.uncommonschools.org/usi/aboutUs/taxonomy.php. Uncommon Schools (Uncommon) is a nonprofit organization that starts and manages outstanding urban charter public schools that close the achievement gap and prepare low-income students to graduate from college.

“Growth” into the mindset to learn: Brainology®

Please remember to encourage your kids to work at challenges, and have fun with problem solving. Do not say that they are just “smart” enough. Everyone needs encouragement that learning can be a challenge that needs work.What about the classroom? Fostering a “growth” mindset to tackle problems, instead of a “fixed” mindset- -is slowly entering school curriculum. And there are tools to use: the U.S. Department of Education has recently contracted with the company Mindset Works™ founded by the originator of this psychology, Carol Dweck of Stanford (PR News, 2010).

Dweck’s company has software called Brainology that is aimed at kids, see the website http://www.brainology.us/. Brainology is based on clinical research by Dweck and Blackwell (2007) but looks like a cartoon aimed at kids. There is a good preview at http://www.brainology.us/s/brainologydemo.aspx and a screenshot to the right--I found the demo to be very lively and easy to understand.

The video below from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDEvsKIvMbM by theoherrin (2010) shows a teacher in a classroom, helping students grow their brains by visualization, and the video shows what areas of the brain are developed. It certainly is different than a teacher lecturing. And at the 3” 30 sec point the Brainology program is used in the classroom.

Of course students can be reached in the classroom, but what about their parents? I think that the Brainology® software would be effective with adults also (and the Brainology® folks point this out also). Since my first reading of Dweck (2007) a month ago, and realizing the need for a positive, “growth” attitude toward learning, it has radically changed my parenting style, the way that I study, and how I would approach teaching.

Not to sound entirely like a commercial for Brainology, I looked for other ways to exercise our brains. There are lofty claims by the inventor for the video game BrainAge™ (Fuyuno, 2007) that memory would be enhanced, or at least preserved for the elderly. Studies support this, and although pencil and paper was more efficient, the video game environment was indeed more engaging for all ages (Miller & Robertson, 2010; Nacke, 2009). However, for increasing intelligence, a recent study showed no gains (Katsnelson, 2010). So although games do not directly address the mindset, they help learn by being fun…

Next time: about praise in the classroom that motivates.

Further reading and references:

Child Development, 78(1), 246-263. https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgi-bin/drupalm/system/files/Implicit Theories of Intelligence Predict Achievement Across an Adolescent Transition.pdf, downloaded 7/29/2010.

Dweck, Carol S. (2007 December). The secret to raising smart kids. Hint: Don't tell your kids that they are. More than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort—not on intelligence or ability—is key to success in school and in life. Scientific American Mind. http://teambath.com/wp-content/uploads/Secret to Raising Smart Kids.pdf. Accessed 7/22/10.

Fuyuno, I. (2007). Brain craze. Nature, 447(7140), 18. Retrieved from MAS Ultra - School Edition database.

Katsnelson, A. (2010) No gain from brain training. Computerized mental workouts don't boost mental skills, study claims. Nature, 464, 1111. http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100420/full/4641111a.html, downloaded 7/29/2010.

Miller, D., & Robertson, D. (2010). Using a games console in the primary classroom: Effects of ‘Brain Training’ programme on computation and self-esteem. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(2), 242-255. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00918.x. Retrieved via ERIC #EJ872752.

Nacke, L., Nacke, A., & Lindley, C. (2009). Brain training for silver gamers: Effects of age and game form on effectiveness, efficiency, self-assessment, and gameplay experience. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 12(5), 493-499. Retrieved via Academic Search Premier.

PR Newswire (2010, June 28). Mindset Works™ wins contract from U.S. Department of Education to develop critical tools and programs to raise student motivation and achievement. Growth-mindset technology reflects growing interest in innovative education. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mindset-works-wins-contract-from-us-department-of-education-to-develop-critical-tools-and-programs-to-raise-student-motivation-and-achievement-97292694.html.

theoherrin (2010, May 4). Brainology.wmv. Accessed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDEvsKIvMbM on 7/29/2010.

Effort versus IQ

As a parent and teacher candidate, some studies by psychologist Carol Dweck at Stanford continue to be a revelation to me about praising students or children. In my last blog (and here again) I post a YouTube video with Dr. Dweck-that explains very clearly this posting. Also, much of what I write about here is an attempt to describe a great 2007 article by Dr. Dweck in Scientific American Minds (Dweck, 2010; http://teambath.com/wp-content/uploads/Secret to Raising Smart Kids.pdf).

Everyone, especially parents like me, have told their children that we know that they are “smart enough” to do their schoolwork. However, it is more effective to praise them for effort, and that they continue to work at their studies. Children that were always told that they are smart--often will not take on challenges for fear of failing and not being comfortably ‘superior.’ For example, my own 10 year old, who sailed through until this year in fourth grade, because now he has to study and cannot just show up and pass the tests like he used to. He and I both know he’s smart enough, but now he needs to work and study more. And I’ve got a job to motivate him, but need a new angle:

What’s the alternative? Studies continue to show that students persist at a challenge if they know they need to work and put in extra effort. Now I say to my son, that he needs to put in effort, and when he aces a test, that he did a great job because he worked hard to get that result.

It turns out that this illustrates the two categories of learners. The “fixed” mindset arises from the attitude that IQ is fixed. The other, “growth” mindset has been coined for those learners who believe that they can increase their IQ by working at it. And studies confirm this. The brain is indeed a muscle that must be exercised—and can grow, literally.

Next time: Brainology from Dr. Dweck for classroom and home.

Further reading, but just stay tuned to this blog:

Dweck, Carol S. (2007 December). The secret to raising smart kids. Hint: Don't tell your kids that they are. More than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort—not on intelligence or ability—is key to success in school and in life. Scientific American Mind. http://teambath.com/wp-content/uploads/Secret to Raising Smart Kids.pdf. Accessed 7/22/10.

Bronson, Po (2007, Feb. 11 2007). How not to talk to your kids. The inverse power of praise. New York Magazine. http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/. Accessed 7/22/10.

Dweck, Carol S. (2007)"The Perils and Promises of Praise." Educational Leadership 65.2:34-39. Downloadable from ERIC

Dweck, Carol S. (1999). Caution--praise can be dangerous. American educator, 23(1), 4-9. http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/spring1999/index.cfm

Let me introduce myself

I love technology! I am a “gadget hound,” and eagerly adopt the latest, if I can afford it. There definitely are a lot of cool toys to play with in the sciences, and that drew me into studying chemistry. Computers now give everyone the power to do a lot yourself: publish, compose art, simplify the tedious, and even perform sophisticated calculations. My background is wide-ranging from my career in pharmaceutical discovery. I first become an expert with Word to write reports that combined text with pictures (beautiful chemical structures). Early in my career I jumped at a job with a company in San Diego that was a pioneer for computer assisted drug design. I often helped develop and test software for visualizing molecules and proteins. It was great when I got the chance to teach new software to my fellow scientists.

I always enjoyed teaching. Mostly I love explaining things, especially after learning how they work. In graduate school for chemistry as a teaching assistant, I first taught freshman chemistry classes of about twenty to thirty. We even got videotaped and critiqued twice a semester. Later I got to teach chemistry lab classes. A few years later, during my first chemistry job, I also got the opportunity to teach lab classes at Stanford, even lecture to seventy students. During my research career, I treated chances to present as teaching moments—the opportunity to unveil individual discoveries to a new, wider audience. Now the economy has given me the chance to teach again. Just a few months ago I decided to pursue a teaching credential. I missed getting into the single subject cohort for this September, so I am taking classes, CSETs, and getting more classroom experience to apply for fall of 2011.

From this EDUC 422 class, I hope to learn multimedia technology relevant to teaching and reaching kids. I have two school-aged sons and see how they learn very differently from me, using videos and creating content! My younger son learned PowerPoint last year in third grade, and his presentation was flashier than any of mine! I realize that my experience using technology is different than what is needed for teaching and student engagement. I have already learned a lot of nifty tricks in my first two classes!

From my prior life. Observed binding mode of synthetic molecule in enzyme carbonic anhydrase II. From Vernier, W., Chong, W., Rewolinski, D., Greasley, S., Pauly, T., Shaw, M., et al. (2010). Thioether benzenesulfonamide inhibitors of carbonic anhydrases II and IV: Structure-based drug design, synthesis, and biological evaluation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 18(9), 3307-3319.

The following is a video of psychology professor Carol Dweck of Stanford discussing students that have a "growth" mindset better able to persist at a challenge versus those with a "fixed" mindset. I will no doubt write about this more in subsequent posts...