Key Terms:
Cerebral Cortex: among the larger anatomical structures of the brain; the extensive outer layer of gray matter of the two cerebral hemispheres, largely responsible for higher brain functions including sensation, voluntary muscle movement, thought, reasoning, and memory. (pg 105)
Neuron: brain cells that send information to other cells through synapse; can vary in shapes and sizes, but have certain features in common: a cell body that contains a nucleus, dendrites: branch like structures that receive messages from other neurons, and an axon: a long arm-like structure that transmits information to other neurons. A single axon can branch out many times, and these tiny branches end in terminal buttons containing chemicals called neurotransmitters. (pg 105)
Synapse: A gap between two neurons that allows the transmission of messages (pg 105)
Frontal Lobes: located at the front of the brain: responsible for arousal and inhibition, aspects of memory and attention, certain verbal and reading skills, emotional processing, reasoning skills, and stress (see diagram on pg 106)
Temporal Lobes: located at the front-bottom of the brain: responsible for aspects of memory, auditory information, emotional reactions (see diagram on pg 106) - hearing, language, and memory.
Parietal Lobes: located at the top-middle of the brain; responsible for aspects of memory and attention, math skills (see diagram on pg 106)...integration
Occipital Lobes: located at the back of the brain; responsible for spatial working memory and visual processing (see diagram on pg 106)
Cerebellum: located at the back-bottom of the brain; responsible for certain verbal and visual tasks, motor coordination and balance (see diagram on pg 106) (ex. autopilot when driving home)
Myelin: a fatty substance that speeds the transmission of information from one neuron to another (pg 107)
Plasticity: The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life (pg 109)
Neurotransmitters: The chemical messengers in the nervous system that permit nerve cells to communicate (pg 109)
Synaptic Pruning: Infrequent use of certain skills may cause synaptic connections to weaken or degenerate; “use-it-or-lose-it” principle. Eliminates useless connections and makes it possible for the remaining connections to operate more efficiently. (pg111)
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Hippocampus: A brain structure that plays an important role in memory formation (pg112)...long term memory, spatial navigation. We have one in each temporal lobe.
Amygdala: The part of the brain that is primarily responsible for learning from one’s mistakes and for responding to sad and fearful facial expressions...located in medial temporal lobe.
Reticular Activating System: Arousal center (emotional, physical, mental, etc. located in the brain stem)
Broca’s Area: Speech, language; located in the frontal lobe
Wernicke’s Area: Understanding written and spoken language; located in the cerebral cortex
Corpus Callosum: an arched mass of white matter…composed of transverse fibers connecting the cerebral hemispheres
Prefrontal Cortex: of, relating to, or situated in the anterior part of the frontal lobe...social behaviors, personality, consequences, planning. The prefrontal cortex is not fully developed in teenagers!!) http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Prefrontal+cortex
Specialization: Different areas of the brain specialize in specific tasks
Lateralization: The tendency for certain processes to be more highly developed on one side of the brain than the other, such as development of spatial and musical thoughts in the right hemisphere and verbal and logical processes in the left hemisphere in most persons.
Long-term Potentiation: The more you do somethign (repitition) the stronger the connection will be.
RAD Teaching: Employ pleasurable learning experiences (using the arousal center; see Reticular Activating System)
Whole Brain Teaching: Stimulating multiple parts of the brain; differentiation contributes to whole brain teaching
Summary:
The brain is continually developing as students work their way from Elementary school through College (development ends between ages 25 - 35). While many aspects of the development of the brain and specializations of parts of the brain are still undergoing research, helpful information has still been discovered which offers understanding to individuals. Teenagers have crazy emotions, make impulsive choices, and don't understand the importance of planning and recognizing consequences because the Prefrontal Cortex isn't fully developed.
Yet, adults who have fully developed brains may still experience knowledge and memory loss, called synaptic pruning. Just as it is vital that teachers teach using differentiation (meaning creative repetition will be taking place) so students have the opportunity to fully understand and remember what is being taught, adults need to regularly revisit, if you will, hobbies, talents, interests, reading, writing, etc. If they don't revisit past knowledge/experiences/memories they will experience synaptic pruning - the "'use it or lose it' principle" of the brain. (Discussed on page 111 in the text book). This is vital for teachers to know both when working with students/family as well as when getting comfortable teaching the basics of their content area. Teachers may suffer synaptic pruning if they don't continue to learn and grow as well.
Application Questions:
1. Why do teachers need to know about how the human brain works?
-The brain is the foundation of how humans function. If we, as teachers, don't understand the basics of brain development we will experience levels of frustration. The fact that teenager's Prefrontal Cortex isn't fully developed (and won't be until they're approximately 25 - 35) explains their rational. The Prefrontal Cortex's specialization is social behaviors, personality, consequences and planning. The last two are huge factors in why teenagers make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives, without realizing the consequences...they're incapable of fully understanding consequences to choices. They also make impulsive decisions without thinking about it. Again, this is because the ability to plan thoroughly and think things through on that level is not fully developed.
As teachers we need to recognize why our students are the way they are. The knowledge of how the brain works will directly affect the students self-efficacy based on the way the teacher treats and responds to them - and the teachers teaching-efficacy based on if the students are teachable or "stupid".
2. Name 2 specific ways that you can use today’s information when you teach.
a) Knowing that the brain develops from the back to the front, it will help me as a future teacher, to understand why my students don't have a problem with performing/retrieving information they learned long ago, because of the Cerebellum. But students may have a hard time paying attention, planning rather than procrastinating, and controlling their emotions. This is because their brains are still developing. It is our job as teachers (as you said in class) to help the students recognize they aren't "stupid" but that their brains are honestly still developing. We need to find ways to work around this active development in a way which allows the students to be successful.
b) Teaching using the Whole Brain Technique (I summarize this by one word: differentiation) is probably one of the most beneficial things we can do for our students:
Repetition = connecting
Repetition using differentiation = Quality connection 
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