Brain-Based Learning

By: Erin Bockenstedt

What is Brain-Based Learning?

Brain-based learning is using scientific research about the brain and how it works in
order to apply it to your teaching strategies.

Top 10 Achievement Boosters For Students ©2016 Eric Jensen

Strategies for Brain-based learning
● Better Stories: Change the “story” of your students’ expectations of their goals
and how well they will do, and setting high goals for the future. In an elementary
setting, you could have your students write letters to their future selves, or tell
them success stories of former students.
● Connections: Building strong and positive connections with your students, and
strengthening the bond between students. In an elementary setting, you can
play games or do activities to help the students get to know each other.
● Nitty-Gritty: Helping students develop a persistent mindset and help them
bounce back from failure. Don’t make excuses, but instead, give praise that
focuses on the things required to be successful.
What I Observed and How I Plan to Use
Brain-Based Learning
In my in-class observations, I saw many instances of brain-based learning, the most
obvious being “Nitty-Gritty”, and the teacher made many strides to praise the
children on how they were getting through the process of their work. She also made
sure that they went beyond the bare minimum in their work, always asking when
they handed in an assignment if it was their “best work”. When I am a teacher in my
own class, I plan to set my students up to be able to deal with failure and push them
past what they think they’re capable of. I want them to do their “best work” and not
give up and stop doing their work when they encounter failure or mistakes.