Improve your brain study methods.

Do you analyze subjects analytically? Do you prefer a step-by-step learning process with many details? If so, you might be a left-brained learner.

HERE ARE A FEW CHARACTERISTICS OF LEFT BRAIN LEARNERS FROM MATH POWER:

-Verbal

-Responds To word meaning

-Sequential

-Processes Information linearly

-Responds To logic

-Plans Ahead

-Recalls People's names

-Speaks With few gestures

-Punctual

-Prefers Formal study design

-Prefers Bright lights while studying

THE POWER OF YOUR BRAIN

Are you a left brained or right brained learner? Try the quiz here to find out! Learning about whether you are a right brained or left brained learner may help you improve your brain study methods.

Are you a right brained learner? Go to this Funderstanding article to read more about the right brain.

LEFT BRAIN DOMINANCE

Being left brain dominant does influence your learning style and even, how you write with a pen.

"In 95 percent of right-handers, the left side of the brain is dominant for language. Even in 60-70 percent of left-handers, the left side of brain is used for language," the Web site, Neuroscience for Kids said .

Left brain thinkers will also excel in math, language studies and logic problems.

Classroom Learning

If solving problems seems to be difficult because it is challenging to arrange them in a logical order, you might need to take a look at your dominant side.

".. The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner It process from part to whole It takes pieces, lines them up, and arranges them in a logical order; then it draws conclusions," Dr. Carolyn Hopper's Practicing College Study Skills: Strategies for Success 3rd edition said.

Left brained thinkers also like to make lists and have the fine details organized.

"In addition to thinking in a linear manner, the left brain processes in sequence - in order The left-brained person is a list maker If you are left-brained, you would enjoy making a master schedule and doing daily planning You... complete tasks in order and take pleasure in checking them off when they are accomplished, "Dr. Hopper's guidelines said.

"For example, spelling involves sequencing;.. If you are left-brained, you are probably a good speller The left brain is also at work in the linear and sequential processing of math and in following directions"

PROCESSING REALITY

People who are left brain dominant will be able to adapt to their situation, whereas right brain dominant learners will try to change the situation.

Future Occupations for Left Brained Learners

There are many occupations that will suit left-dominant people. Most are in fields that have the employee analyzing or computing numbers.

-Engineering

-Computer Programming

-Accounting

-Human Resources

-Administrative And clerical positions

-Banking / Finance

From: Are you a Right Brain- or Left-Brain Thinker?

TEACHING TO THE LEFT BRAIN

There are many ways for parents and educators to tailor lessons to the left brain learner Here are a few ideas:

Use sequence: By writing an outline of the lesson on the chalkboard and using a step-by-step process, you will allow your student to better grasp what they are about to do.

Ask students to take notes: The left brain student will usually like to take notes and arrange them in order.

Foster independence: Not all projects have to be group work Facilitate a healthy balance of individual and team projects and allow left-brain thinkers to work on their own every once in awhile..

Keep the classroom orderly and clear: Students will appreciate working in a quiet and well contained classroom.

NOT ONLY LEFT BRAINED OR RIGHT BRAINED

While left-brain learners have different characteristics and learning styles than right-brain learners, it is important to keep in mind that there is a gray area for most learners. A person does not have to be strictly left-brain or right-brain and could have traits of both. If you feel like some of your students may need characteristics from both sides, you can incorporate right and left-brain activities into your classroom equally.

- Kelly McLendon

Learning on Our Minds: Brain Based Classroom applications

Brain-based learning theory is guided by the assumption that "research in neuroscience should guide learning and assessment." (Gulpinar, 2005) Much of brain-based learning (or BBL) theory stresses the importance of environment and learning climate and engaging students by reducing stress and getting them to a state of "relaxed alertness." Here is where you can find our overview of brain-based learning theory.

According to Dr. Leslie Wilson who taught graduate courses on BBL for many years at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, not all teachers are graduating with a knowledge of BBL theory or how to implement it. Wilson says that the US K-12 educational system has remained relatively unchanged since the 1890s, with little of the newest research on BBL being implemented across a wide swath. Here are Dr. Wilson's tips for optimizing learning.

So, how does a teacher, with no BBL training implement some of the practices in his or her classroom? Dave Lockett, the principal of the Jefferson School for the Arts, a charter school that integrates the arts into the learning of all subjects (check out this YouTube video about the school), says that many of the classroom practices developed since the school became a charter school six years ago are based on brain-based learning theory.

CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Lockett says that the incorporation of music into classroom activities is one way to activate the brain. Research has shown that humans physiologically react to music with heartbeats matching the tempo of music. (That's probably why it's easier to workout to Lady Gaga than Kenny G! ) For a revved up classroom with a lot of participation, look for music at about 180 beats per minute. For a more calming effect, choose music with 90-100 beats per minute.

Other atmosphere considerations can include temperature, lights (for example, blinking lights hanging around a classroom can be distracting) and students' hydration. Wilson says, "Water is the best neural conductor and that in order to have those neurons firing properly students need to . be well hydrated Water fountains are now placed in many elementary class rooms Older students are allowed to bring water to class Denying kids access to fountains and water used to be the rule, and machines dispensed sugary drinks -..! no more "

LEARNING BY TEACHING

Another way to incorporate BBL into the classroom is to have students engage with and teach each other new concepts rather than sitting in their desks listening to a teacher drone on and on. Lockett says that in Jefferson's classrooms, students are often asked to discuss a question / concept with a partner before the teacher asks who knows the answer. He says after a bit of discussion, the number of students willing to participate and answer questions increases from 30 percent to about 80 percent. Students also do better on tests when they have learned by quizzing each other on the subject matter.

TAKING A BRAIN BREAK

One final tip for incorporating BBL into the classroom is the importance of "settling time." Brains need breaks in order to incorporate information learned and connect the neural networks. Much of this is done during REM sleep, however with the disturbing trend of schools reducing or eliminating music, art, PE, and recess, children are getting far less settling time than they did in the past. The decrease in these activities is often due to regulations that force instructors to teach English, math, science, social studies, etc ., for so many minutes per day that they simply do not have time for the other subjects anymore. Many of these changes came on the heels of the No Child Left Behind Act, but Lockett predicts that educating without settling time will cause test scores to drop.

A key principle to remember is that students should always be engaged in their education. No one ever learned anything sitting at a desk, staring into space. Variety and student involvement are necessary for maximum learning.

- Emily Vietti

Left Brain Vs. Right Brain Function in Learning

The notion that some of us are left-brained (logical, analytical) and some are right-brained (intuitive, creative) is nothing new. The eyes of the masses fixed on this idea starting in the 1860s when Dr . Paul Broca (and a few years later, Dr. Carl Wernicke discovered areas in the left hemisphere of the brain that were used for language. Interest in the brain's duality can be seen in literature from the era, such as Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This article explores left brain vs. right brain function in learning theories in-depth and here is where you will find our general overview on right brain left brain.

LEFT BRAIN VERSES RIGHT BRAIN HEMISPHERE

Beginning in the 1960s, the study of differences in the hemispheres became extremely popular. Dr. Roger Sperry studied split-brain patients (whose two hemispheres could not communicate with each other due to a severed corpus callosum) and won a Nobel Prize "for his discoveries concerning the functional specialization of the cerebral hemispheres. "Google" right brain / left brain "today, and you'll get over 34 million results. Not bad for something Psychology Today called its" Fad of the Year "in 1977.

FUNCTIONING OF LEFT AND RIGHT BRAIN

While research seems to confirm that there are areas in the brain for language and some for spatial functions, the brain is a series of networks. The assumption that each individual is either right-brained or left-brained is an exaggeration, according to Dr. Michael Corballis, a professor of psychology at University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand. "These centers have to do with how the normal brain processes the world, and not with how people differ from each other," explains Corballis. "To say that the two hemispheres have somewhat different functions is not a myth. But it is wrong to say that one or the other side is universally dominant. Dominance is task-related, not person-related. If we're talking or reading, the left brain is dominant, but if we are navigating the right brain is dominant I think there is a strong desire to categorize people into two groups (good / bad, strong / weak, fat / thin);. it's a kind of easy simplification, "explains Corballis.

Corballis points out that creativity is often considered a right-brain characteristic, and yet language, which is very creative, takes place in the left brain for most people, even most left-handed folks, whose hand skills are controlled by the right brain and thus have been perceived as more right-brain dominant. "People do, of course, vary in analytic powers and in emotionality," he says. "This does not mean they fall into distinct groups. Both measures are continuous rather than discrete. For example, you can be both analytic AND emotional! "

RIGHT BRAIN LEFT BRAIN TEST

While you may not want to spend your hard-earned money on tests that claim to help you discover if you're left or right-brained (and how to use it to your advantage in business in five easy steps!), Quizzes taken for fun are relatively harmless and may give insights into your personality. Corballis states, "The tests are probably telling you something about the way you think, or respond to questions, but this probably has little to do with which side of the brain is dominant. It can be useful, of course, to know that you have certain characteristics -. that's what testing is all about, but trying to relate it to brain dominance gives a false air of scientific respectability "

Perhaps understanding more about the personalities of your students and / or your children can help you develop fun new ways for them to learn, realizing that each of us has both creative and analytical skills. As an educator, it could also be quite beneficial for you to understand your own right brain vs. left brain tendencies.

- Emily Vietti

Left Brain vs Right Brain

Have you ever heard people say that they tend to be more of a right-brain or left-brain thinker? From books to television programs, you've probably heard the phrase mentioned numerous times or perhaps you've even taken an online test to determine which type best describes you. Given the popularity of the idea of ​​"right brained" and "left brained" thinkers, it might surprise you learn learn that this idea is just one of many myths about the brain.

What Is Left Brain - Right Brain Theory?

According to the theory of left-brain or right-brain dominance, each side of the brain controls different types of thinking. Additionally, people are said to prefer one type of thinking over the other. For example, a person who is "left- brained "is often said to be more logical, analytical, and objective, while a person who is" right-brained "is said to be more intuitive, thoughtful, and subjective.

In psychology, the theory is based on what is known as the lateralization of brain function. So does one side of the brain really control specific functions? Are people either left-brained or right-brained? Like many popular psychology myths, this one grew out of observations about the human brain that were then dramatically distorted and exaggerated.

The right brain-left brain theory originated in the work of Roger W. Sperry, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1981. While studying the effects of epilepsy, Sperry discovered that cutting the corpus collosum (the structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain) could reduce or eliminate seizures. However, these patients also experienced other symptoms after the communication pathway between the two sides of the brain was cut. For example, many split-brain patients found themselves unable to name objects that were processed by the right side of the brain, but were able to name objects that were processed by the left-side of the brain. Based on this information, Sperry suggested that language was controlled by the left-side of the brain.

Later research has shown that the brain is not nearly as dichotomous as once thought. For example, recent research has shown that abilities in subjects such as math are actually strongest when both halves of the brain work together. Today, neuroscientists know that the two sides of the brain work together to perform a wide variety of tasks and that the two hemispheres communicate through the corpus collosum. 

"No matter how lateralized the brain can get, though, the two sides still work together," science writer Carl Zimmer explained in an article for Discover magazine. "The pop psychology notion of a left brain and a right brain does not capture their intimate working relationship. The left hemisphere specializes in picking out the sounds that form words and working out the syntax of the words, for example, but it does not have a monopoly on language processing. The right hemisphere is actually more sensitive to the emotional features of language, tuning in to the slow rhythms of speech that carry intonation and stress.

"In one study by researchers at the University of Utah, more 1,000 participants had their brains analyzed in order to determine if they preferred using one side over the other. The study revealed that while activity was sometimes higher in certain important regions, both sides of the brain were essentially equal in their activity on average. 

"It's absolutely true that some brain functions occur in one or the other side of the brain. Language tends to be on the left, attention more on the right. But people do not tend to have a stronger left- or right-sided brain network. It seems to be determined more connection by connection, "explained the study's lead author Dr. Jeff Anderson.

While the idea of ​​right brain / left brain thinkers has been debunked, its popularity persists. So what exactly did this theory suggest?

The Right Brain

According to the left-brain, right-brain dominance theory, the right side of the brain is best at expressive and creative tasks Some of the abilities that are popularly associated with the right side of the brain include.:

• Recognizing faces
• Expressing emotions
• Music
• Reading emotions
• Color
• Images
• Intuition
• Creativity

The Left Brain

The left-side of the brain is considered to be adept at tasks that involve logic, language and analytical thinking The left-brain is often described as being better at.:

• Language
• Logic
• Critical thinking
• Numbers
• Reasoning

So Why Do People Still Talk About Right-Brain, Left-Brain Theory?

Researchers have demonstrated that right-brain / left-brain theory is a myth, yet its popularity persists. Why? Unfortunately many people are likely unaware that the theory is outdated. Today, students might continue to learn about the theory as a point of historical interest - to understand how our ideas about how the brain works have evolved and changed over time as researchers have learned more about how the brain operates 

While over-generalized and overstated by popular psychology and self-help texts, understanding your strengths and weaknesses in. certain areas can help you develop better ways to learn and study. For example, students who have a difficult time following verbal instructions (often cited as a right-brain characteristic) might benefit from writing down directions and developing better organizational skills. The important thing to remember if you take one of the many left brain / right brain quizzes that you will likely encounter online is that they are entirely for fun and you should not place much stock in your results.

10 Famous Teachers Who Changed the World

Education is just impossible without a proper and appropriate teacher and the present world that we are looking around would not be possible without an appropriate and right teacher. However, the great teachers of time had their own methods to teaching and learning and put through the foundation of present contemporary world. Below are mentioned some of the greatest teacher of our times who shaped the civilization to a greater extent.

Confucius: He was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher whose teachings have influenced Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese life to a greater extent. In his philosophies, he advocated personal and governmental morality. His teachings developed into a system of philosophy known to be as Confucianism.

Aristotle: He was a Greek philosopher, student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He has written over a good number of subjects like physics, metaphysics, poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, biology and zoology.

Johann Amos Coménius: He was a Moravian teacher, scientist, educator and writer. He was a Unity of the Brethren/ Moravian Protestant bishop, a religious refugee, the earliest champions of universal education and a concept set forth in his book Didactica Magna

John Locke: He was an emphatic follower of the belief that knowledge is needed to be taught.   He insisted on teaching of character first and academics later. He was of the belief that good character far exceeds the value of learning to read, write, and complete calculations and other uses.

Friedrich Froebel: He was a German pedagogue, a student of Pestalozzi who put forth foundation for modern education on the basis of research that students have their own specific need and capabilities for learning. He created the concept of kindergarten and coined the word as well for use in English language.

Henry David Thoreau: He was an American poet, author, surveyor, historian, philosopher and leading transcendentalist. He is better known for his book Walden, about simple living in natural surroundings. His articles, essays, journals and poetry total over 20 volumes.

Booker T. Washington: He was a noted and renowned American political leader, educator, orator and author. He was a prominent personality in the American- African community from 1890 to 1915 in the United States. He was from the last generation of those black leaders who were born in slavery and fought for the civil rights of their brethren.

Noah Webster: He was an American lexicographer, textbook author, spelling reformer, word enthusiast and editor. He is known to be the Father of the American Scholarship and Education. His “Blue-Backed Speller” books have used for five generations in US to teach children English.

Albert Einstein: He was a theoretical physicist and his contribution to the physics is known from the special and general theories of relativity, the founding of relativistic cosmology, the first post-Newtonian expansion, explaining the perihelion advance of Mercury and others.  He is best known for his theories of special relativity and general relativity. In 1921, he received Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to Theoretical Physics and his discovery of law of photoelectric effect.

Ayn Rand: She was a renowned Russian- American Novelist, philosopher, playwright and screensaver and is known for her two best selling novels and starting a philosophical system that is known as Objectivism. She came into the fame with her novel The Fountainhead in 1943 and again she became immortalized with her philosophical novel Atlas Shrugged in 1957.