Download AHISA PASTORAL CARE CONFERENCE, 2006

AHISA PASTORAL CARE
CONFERENCE, 2006
Adapting the findings of brain research
to the senior section of a girls’ school
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part A
• The brain weighs about 1.25 kg and its
weight does not significantly change
throughout life
• It contains about 100 billion neurons
(nerve cells) which are responsible for all
our mental activity. These make up the
grey matter of the brain
NEURON STRUCTURE
A Typical Nerve Cell
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part A cont.
• The number of neurons does not change
markedly throughout life, although the
growth of axons and dendrites does
change through life, and so does,
therefore, the number of synapses.
INTERCONNECTING NEURONS
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part A cont.
• Pruning of the dendrites and increasing
the myelination are changes that happen
in adolescence.
Blakemore, 2005
MYELIN SHEATH
A Typical Nerve Cell
IMPROVING BRAIN FUNCTION
• However, it is possible to improve brain
function
• The more you stimulate the brain the more
connections that can be made, and the
easier they work and the better they work.
Greenfield, 2004
IMPLICATIONS FOR
CURRICULUM
Need for exposure to a range of learning
experiences in the early years of schooling, right
up to adolescence (end of Year 10)
- Offer a range of electives with more flexibility for
change
- More coherent language learning in primary
years
- Excursions, excursions, excursions
- Out-of-school lessons in areas such as music,
sport, art, photography etc
IMPLICATIONS FOR
CURRICULUM cont.
Need for more time for deeper learning to
activate different neurons
- Longer lessons
- Homework now matches lessons of that
day
CURRICULUM YEARS 7 - 10
Periods/cycle
SUBJECT
COMMENTS
(1 period per cycle = 20 hours per year)
Y7
(2005)
Y8
(2006)
Y9
(2007)
Y10
(2008)
English
400 hours
7
7
7
7
Mathematics
400 hours
7
7
7
7
Science
400 hours
6
7
7
7
History 100 hours (Stage 4)
2 (s)
3 (s)
Geography 100 hours (Stage 4)
2 (s)
3 (s)
HSIE
400 hours
(sitting SC tests
at end of Y9
Australian History (Mandatory Course):
(Stage 5)
100 hours
Australian Geography (Mandatory Course):
(Stage 5)
100 hours
5
5
Periods/cycle
SUBJECT
COMMENTS
(1 period per cycle = 20 hours per year)
Languages:
French
100 hours
5
Mandatory
Technology
200 hours
5
Visual Arts: 100 hours
5
Music: 100 hours
5
Creative
Arts
PDHPE
Y7
(2005)
Y9
(2007)
Y10
(2008)
3
4
4
1
1
1
All students
must take
part in
sport for a
minimum of
2 terms
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
L&L
300 hours
Sport
Religious
Studies
Y8
(2006)
5
Periods/cycle
COMMENTS
(1 period per cycle = 20 hours per year)
SUBJECT
Elective 1
Y7
(2005)
Two electives are chosen in Year 8 from:
Classical Greek, Elective Music, Financial
Literacy, French, German, Japanese,
Latin, Literacy (for selected students),
Visual Arts.
Students may continue their Year 8 electives
or choose one or two new electives in
Year 9 from Agriculture, Commerce,
Drama, Food Technology, Textiles
Technology, Visual Arts
Elective 2
Y8
(2006)
Y9
(2007)
Y10
(2008)
5
5
5
5
5
5
Elective 3
(Year 10 only)
Choose one 100-hour course from Dance,
Geography, History
(elective), IST,
Marine and Aquaculture Technology.
5
History / Geog
Elective
(Year 10 only)
History or Geography elective, or Mandatory
History
5
(s) semesterised
Mandatory
Total Periods per year
48
48
48
48
IMPLICATIONS FOR
CURRICULUM cont.
Need for different teaching and learning
styles to activate different neurons
- Learning styles are identified (courtesy of
Dr Julia Atkin)
- Some syllabuses are written according to
different learning styles
IMPLICATIONS FOR PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Need to develop other skills at a young age
- Lessons on public speaking, conflict
resolution, chairing a meeting, writing an
agenda etc.
- Hawkes, T. (2005), Learning Leadership,
Books 1 – 4, the Kings School: Parramatta
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part B
The frontal lobe of the cortex (and the cerebrum
to a lesser extent) does not fully mature until a
person reaches approximately 30 years of
age.
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part B
IMPLICATIONS FOR PASTORAL
CARE
Need to state and restate the obvious to
keep the student safe and focussed
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
CURRICULUM cont.
Cannot assume that adolescents can make
subject choices for too far into the distance
- See new curriculum
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part C
Strengthening the corpus callosum seems to
coordinate the two halves of the brain
more effectively
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part C
IMPLICATIONS FOR
CURRICULUM
Need for more physical activity in the daily
routine of the students
- See new curriculum for sport
- Compulsory sport for two terms, Year 7
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part D
The high activity level of the amydala in the
brain, especially in girls
BRAIN STRUCTURE – Part D
IMPLICATIONS FOR PASTORAL
CARE
Need to understand the effect of the studentteacher relationship on girls’ learning
- Academic care training for staff
- More pastoral care
- Better access to counsellors and Health
Care Centre (electronic roll)
EMOTIONS
• Scientific research shows that the heart plays an
important tole in reducing emotional stress,
developing higher-order thinking skills,
improving academic performance, and
regulating social and emotional behaviour.
• There is a direct link between a student’s ability
to self-manage emotions and academic
performance.
Killen, 2006.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PASTORAL
CARE cont.
Need for sleep
- Address to parents
Parent program
CONTRADICTIONS IN THINKING
• “Use it or lose it” vs “sensitive periods”
when the brain is ready to respond to
certain stimuli
• Supreme importance of first three years of
life vs plasticity of brain
• Gendered brain vs non-gendered brain
• Deak 2003/2004 and Hall 2005/2006
WARNING
We are not ready for “brain-based” education. We
need a cautious and incremental approach
which acknowledges that our current state of
knowledge is incomplete and may be, in some
aspects, inaccurate. (Hall, 2005, p.57)
Therefore, the changes made at Pymble are an
attempt to be scientific, but there is no claim that
it is complete or even coherent.
REFERENCES
•
Blakemore, S.J. (2005) The Adolescent Brain. Address given at Education and Brain
Research:j/ Neuroscience, Teaching and Learning Conference, University of
Cambridge.
•
Fuller, A., Bellhouse, B. & Johnston, G. (2001) The Heart Masters: A program for the
promotion of resilience and emotional intelligence in the middle to senior years of
primary school, Inyahead Press, Melbourne
•
Greenfield, S. (2004) Address given as part of Adelaide’s Thinkers in Residence
program. www.thinkers.sa.gov.au/future_baron.html
•
Hall, J. (2005) “Neuroscience and Education” in Teacher, ACER, Victoria, May, 2006
•
Hawkes, T. (2005) Learning Leadership, Books 1 – 4, The Kings School: Parramatta
•
Killen, D. (2006) “At the Heart of Education”, EQ Australia, Curriculum Corporation,
Victoria, Spring 2006