Judy Willis Rocks!

What:
I read about Judy Willis. She is a neuroscientist who saw the discrepancy between what science taught about the biology of learning and what methods were actually being used in the classroom. Recognizing the need, she decided to go into teaching to find a bridge between the two disciplines. She now teaches in a Santa Barbara middle school and publishes her findings in books and magazines.

So What:
Her technique is known as RAD, which stands for reach (Reticular Activating System), attitude (Amygdala), and develop (Dopamine). Her research has found that the best way to teach a subject is to create a lesson that is interesting and relevant. This encourages the reticular activating system to allow the information into the frontal lobes where it can be analyzed and remembered. The amygdala helps control the emotions in the brain and these emotions either block or open the way to the process of learning. If a student is stressed the brain is stuck in flight or fight mode and can’t properly process data. If the materials is perceived as pleasurable, the brain releases dopamine which helps the learning process. The more fun an activity is, the more the brain is open to learning what that activity is teaching. Clearly, how the brain learns and how to best optimize brain function has obvious applications in the classroom.

Now What:
I am now a Judy Willis fan. I have to read at least one of her books so I can get all the details about her research. I will definitely steal many of the techniques she mentioned in a video interview in the website.

I love how she suggested teachers have the students guess what is going to be on the test as a fun prediction exercise. This way they study the materials, but it’s also a game to see how right they were in their guesses. Some of the questions the students come up with could actually be used in the test. What a great idea! I’ve jig-sawed test review and had groups of students be the experts and teach and review the subjects for the rest of the class, but haven’t been terribly happy with the results. I really like adding in the element of fun and can see how this would make a difference! I try really hard to make all of my assignments fun and always create my own worksheets because I think most are completely boring. This inspires me that I’m on the right path, and I need to push it even further.

This also makes me feel better about “question of the day” that has taken a life of its own in my junior high classroom. I started this as a way to engage my students. Some examples are: “What business would you like to run?” or “What is the strangest pet you have ever heard of?” The kids love the question of the day, but it takes up a huge chunk of time. I’ve skipped a few days when there has been a lot of material to cover, and the kids were very upset. The first thing they ask when they get in to class is “what is the question of the day?” Now I can see that the release of dopamine that they get from this activity is a great way to open them up to learning. By making the start of every class pleasurable the better their brains are functioning.