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Books : How the Brain Learns |
- An Excellent BookThis is an exceptionally well written book - clear, easy to read and with excellent content. The number of teaching strategies given either directly or indirectly is exceptional, along with their practicality. A must read and use for any educator.
Rating:
- Less than one star is what it deserves......I don't even know where to begin -- so much of this book is just plain "gobbledygook"...it's frequently difficult to understand exactly to what he is referring...for example, he seems to use the word "transfer" as a synonym for "learning"...I say "seems" because it's not always clear...for example, he says a teacher with a "positive" attitude facilitates "transfer" better than one with a "negative" attitude...reasonable enough -- so why not say more simply that a teacher's attitude affects learning?...and while that seems like common sense -- is there any neuroscience research to support it?...he doesn't say...instead, you get this:
"How quickly transfer occurs during a learning situation depends on the rate of retrieval. As noted earlier, the rate of retrieval is largely dependent on the storage system that the learner has created and how the learning was originally stored. Designing the filing system in long term storage is a learned skill and can run the gamut from very loose connections to a highly organized series of networks. Working memory uses a sensory cue that it encodes with the material and files it in a network containing similar items."
...now, is that perfectly clear?...gooooood...what he's attempting to get to -- I think -- is the concept of using what you already know to learn something new...so if you already know, say, what it takes to learn to play a violin you can use that background to facilitate, say, learning calculus...makes good sense but most educators already are familiar with the concept...and after digging his other suggestions out of the abstruse prose, typically they are things you should already know -- eat right, get plenty of rest, interesting stuff is easier to learn than boring stuff, etc, etc...but other parts are simply nonsensical -- e.g. "The struggle between the emotional and rational systems is a major contributor to the terrible twos."...huh?...well, I'm glad someone finally staightened that out...I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it but I'll pass it along...but then he makes a most remarkable claim: "But what the child learned during (the "terrible twos") will be difficult to change and will strongly influence what is learned after..."...I still don't know what to do with it -- but, wait a minute -- exactly what body of evidence supports that remark?...none that I could find...and he makes the remarkable claim that Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder "is becoming so prevalent in middle and high schools that some neuroscientists and psychiatrists are convinced it is a chronic disorder of the adolescent population."...really?...who, where, when?...that's just nonsense...I was compelled to look up the author's background to see where his "expertise" came from and determined that he has a bachelor's degree in chemistry, a master's in teaching, and a Ph.D in something...he was a junior and senior high school teacher for a number of years as well as a superintendent of a school system -- hmmm, I guess psychology and neuroscience were his hobbies since he appears to have little training or practical experience with either...I find no body of work, no research, no peer reviewed publications preparing him for these books...nevertheless, he now how has a whole series of them offering his remarkable insights into how the brain operates in math and in gifted students as well as a series of "brain compatible activities" books...hmmm, I wonder what would constitute a "brain incompatible" activity...also, he is available for public speaking engagements as well as workshops...brother, where did Corwin find this guy?
Rating:
- How the Brain LearnsExcellent resource for lay person. Written in a very understandable, practical style with good illustrations and examples. Great aide for educators who want to better understand how their students learn. Also teaches you something about yourself!
Rating:
- The Best Brain Book Out There!Dr. Sousa has an unbelievable way in teaching us about the brain ;the learning brain! His book is very user friendly with instant applications available after each chapter. This is his 3rd Ed. so you know he keeps on top of the everchanging findings in brain research and learning. I highly recommend that this book be in every house. Don't wait for teachers and college professors to introduce the way your brain learns...get going yourself! Teach others how the brain learns best!
Barbara McKenna, MEd.
Private Educational Consultant, VA
Rating:
- Needed for classThis book is FILLED with wonderful information about our brains. It is required reading for my graduate class,and I know it will be one I pull off the shelf to use again and again. Fascinating stuff that can be useful for teachers.
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