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Neurodevelopment Teaching Tip of the Month October 2010 |
God’s design of the human body intricately connects each body system together so that what happens in one area of the body affects the entire body. Likewise, the physical body is affected by the thoughts in the mind, the emotions of the soul, and the state of a person’s spiritual life.
Thanks to the advances in imaging tools, scientists can now see the reality of this in the brain. The electrical connections formed in the brain in learning are surrounded by a chemical-rich bath comprised of various hormones. The mix of that chemical bath varies slightly from person- to-person and from moment-to-moment depending on what the individual is experiencing. Factors such as stress, diet, disruptions in routines, family crises, attitudes, emotional ups and downs, and puberty, can alter the chemical bath. Here’s the key: the chemical bath affects how effectively and efficiently the brain connections function. Stress, for instance, can inhibit the connections from firing properly; the result is inconsistency. The student appears to know something one day but can’t remember it the next. A positive attitude, on the other hand, releases certain hormones that heighten the brain’s effectiveness. The success makes learning more enjoyable, which in turns continues the release of the good hormones, which creates an all-around positive learning environment. Of course, the opposite can be true, too, creating a downward spiral of negative attitudes and lack of learning. If you are pulling a child out of a negative learning environment, then the first step is to provide a positive experience to stop the downward spiral. An adjustment period is usually necessary. Focus on a topic that the student enjoys or does well in, holding off on the difficult subjects temporarily until the child’s mental attitudes can be adjusted. Another major input in the chemical-rich bath is diet. Certain foods encourage the release of good chemicals in the brain while other foods contain ingredients that inhibit the brain’s functioning. Examples are dyes, large amounts of sugars, and antibiotics. Yes, antibiotics - injected into chickens and cattle to stave off infections, which are passed along in the food products made from those animals. If your child is having trouble concentrating, consider what the child is eating. Make a record of what the child eats and how learning is progressing to see if there are any patterns of learning issues and the foods eaten. 394 Words To view more 'Teaching Tips' Articles please 'Log In' and visit the 'Achives' page. |
