Scientists have learnt a lot about the teenage brain and how it functions over the years. They have found that the brain is very good at changing and adapting to new things, known as “plasticity”. This is because the brain is always making new connections and getting rid of old ones. But, the brain of a high school student is still developing and not fully grown. This can lead to them having a hard time controlling their emotions. This is like having a car with a lot of power, but not being able to steer it very well. Understanding this about the teenage brain can help us better support and teach them.
How the brain supports learning for high school students:
1. The brain adapts to change
The brain can always learn new things. This happens because the brain is constantly changing the way it works by making stronger connections between the different parts of the brain. This means that everyone, no matter how old they are, can learn new things. However, if people believe they can’t learn, or if their teachers don’t believe in them, this can make it harder for them to learn. Putting students into groups based on how smart they are is not good because it can make students who are slower at learning feel bad. But if these students are given extra help, they can improve and learn just as well as anyone else.
2. Encourages to take on challenges and make mistakes
Sometimes, people think that getting the right answers on tests shows that students are learning. But it’s important for students to try doing things that are hard for them, so their brains can learn better. Making mistakes is a good thing because it helps students figure out different ways to solve problems, which makes their learning stronger. When teachers encourage students to try new things, even if they make mistakes, students feel more confident and want to keep learning and trying new things.
3. Shift the way high school students view themselves
When students believe they are smart, their brain will start to believe it too. When students change the way they think about themselves, it changes their body and mind too. If students think that being successful in school means being smart without putting in effort, they might not try as hard. It all depends on how they think about learning.
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4. Use various techniques for learning
Try a new way of learning. It’s important for students to have a strong and flexible attitude towards learning, and to know that learning can be improved through effort and persistence, such as trying new learning methods. The best way to learn is using different methods that use many parts of the brain at once, helping to make connections between different parts of the brain. High school students need new and more physical, creative, and multi-dimensional ways to learn, so their brain can work better.
5. Prioritize being flexible thinkers, not just quick thinkers
It’s more important to think in different ways than to think quickly. Some people think that if they can solve problems quickly, they are good at it, but this is not always true. Trying to solve problems quickly, like in a timed test, can make you feel stressed and affect your memory, which is important for learning. It can also make students give up too soon, because they think being fast means they are good at it. Some students might do well in these tests, but they will not remember what they learnt for very long. The best way to learn is to take your time and enjoy the process.
6. Engage in collaborative learning
Collaborative learning helps students learn better when they work together and support each other. It’s important for schools to teach this type of learning instead of just having students work alone. When high school students work together, they are better able to overcome challenges and succeed in their studies. This is more like the real world where people often have to work together to solve problems.
Making plans to help the brain learn better often means doing more than just following the lessons in the textbook. This can be hard if you have to teach a lot of information that’s not really needed. But if you give students ways to use their brain, they will start to think differently and do better in school. They will also start to understand and talk about new ideas.
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