Lesson 1

After watching the videos on brain architecture, plasticity, and understanding the impact of the environment on a child, how does this information impact you as a teacher?

The brain is absolutely amazing.There is no other way to describe it. When a child is born, the brain has nearly no knowledge. It is over a course of 25 years that a person's brain is developed and matured.That is a long time for a muscle to develop! But it is the most important muscle to develop. 

I loved watching the videos for this lesson and learning about plasticity. Different areas of a person's brain can developed and strengthened at different times. It was also interesting to learn that it truly is our experiences that develop our brain. In one of my other classes I am taking right now, we are learning about poverty and what this means. We have been discussing that for people who are considered to be in poverty, money and relationships mean different things than for people who are middle class or wealthy. For example, in the middle class, money is to be saved. In the wealthy class, money is to be invested. But in poverty, money is to be spent. I think this is a perfect example of how our surroundings and environment impact the development of our brain.

I am currently a math instructor at an online high school, and the majority of my students would probably fall into the poverty category. Some of my students will go a week or two without any contact with me and won't submit any school work. When I am finally able to get a hold of them they tell me that their internet or their phone had gotten turned off and they were waiting for their next pay check to be able to pay the bill for it. These students are literally living pay check to pay check. That is something that I need to remember as an instructor. Because of the environment they have grown up in, their priorities are different than mine were when I was their age.

I think another way that I could use this information to help me as a teacher is to be a positive support and role model to my students. When I am talking with and communicating with them, I want to create a positive environment where they feel they can do anything they set their minds to. I recently watched a you-tube video called "Re-do's, Re-take's, and Do-Overs!" I think having this mind set and encouraging students to keep trying their best is one way help create this positive environment. 

The minds of students are mold-able and fragile as a stick of butter that has been sitting on your kitchen counter all day. It is important that as an educator, I am giving each of my students positive interactions and positive reinforcement to help encourage them to aim for any dreams or goals they may have and be successful at them.