Brain Learning Log

What?

This week in classed I learned about the different parts of the brain. The brain consists of several different parts: the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the occipital lobe, the hippocampus, the amgdala, the reticular activating system, the cerebellum, the brocas, the callosome, and the parietal lobe. The frontal lobe is in control of emotions, personality, motor functions, and judgement. The temporal lobe is in control of emotional responses and hearing and verbal understanding. The occipital lobe is in control of vision and color recognition. The hippocampus is in control of memory, learning, and recalling emotional experiences. The amygdala is in control of the fight-or-flight response and hormonal secretions. The reticular activating system is in control is the core of the brain stem, and it controls the state of consciousness. The cerebellum is in control of balance and muscle tone. The brocas is in control of language processing and comprehension. The callosome is the connection between the two hemispheres. The parietal lobe is in integrates sensory information and controls and creates a sense of self. Also in class RAD teaching was discussed. This stands for reticular activating system (attention), amygdala (emotion), and dopamine (feel good neurotransmitter).

So What?
Learning about the brain is important for teachers because it is a lead-in to understanding learning, thought processes, and brain development. I know from learning about the different sections of the brain the the frontal lobe controls emotions, personality, and judgement. I also know from class that this is the last section of the brain to develop: this is importance knowledge for a teacher of adolescents to be aware of. Maybe now I can have more patience with my students when they demonstrate poor judgement or emotional control. By being aware of the brain's parts and how they work can help me to implement different teaching strategies such as RAD into my class, and I can now understand why this method helps students.

Now What?
So now that I'm a bit more aware of the different parts of the brain and their functions I can be more aware of how brain development affects my students. I can also be aware of how possible brain injuries can affect my students. Knowing these items can help me to be more empathetic and understanding to my students. Okay, so I know the parts of the brain, and I can spout out a few basic facts about what each part does; however, I'm still not aware of how each part affects learning. I feel like this information can also help me as a teacher.