SMART TEACHING
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4. Why Bother Using a Brain-friendly Approach?
©2005 Ron Fitzgerald, D. Ed

A. INTRODUCTION: A teacher can present information to all students in the same traditional ways - - lecture, discussion, demonstrations, reading, homework. Results will be traditional - -
Visualize the traditional normal curve shape through the top of the score bars.
A teacher can use well-researched, brain-friendly techniques that accelerate learning for students of any age. The results will be higher achievement and less variation - -
Brain-friendly or accelerated learning teaching techniques improve student learning. Normal curve results are simply not good enough.

B. EXAMPLES: In a high school course entitled English for the Entrepreneur, instructor Sebastian Paquette converted a unit on Creating a Business Lease from use of traditional teaching techniques to use of accelerated learning techniques. Here is a graphic showing the changing achievement scores from 1996-97 (traditional techniques) to 1998-99 (accelerated learning), each group being evaluated with the same scoring rubric on quality standards for design of a professional business lease - -
Note the changes in both the median mark and the s.d. or standard deviation (high quality, less variation).

C. WHAT EACH TEACHER CAN DO: Each teacher can learn or constantly expand knowledge of brain-friendly techniques and apply them in the classroom. The clear reason for doing this is that IT WORKS!  If:

  1. Learning objectives are coordinated with state frameworks and professional standards;
  2. The teacher works carefully at anchoring and motivating students;
  3. The students are given learning style and task options that accomodate individual differences;
  4. Classroom measurement is used to celebrate and to document and, as necessary, adjust learning;

then student achievement will be higher than if one or more of these basic components of a good teaching system is neglected. Teacher training and in-service programs should focus on the brain-friendly components. School districts and federal and state governments should work diligently at supporting stronger skills in these areas. Such support is the real key to improvement in student learning.

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