Submitted by Sarah Clum (not verified) on January 24, 2008 - 21:00.
Jim Moulton,
As an art teacher, currently at the middle school level, I frequently incorporate core class (math, language arts, and history) assignments and work with other teachers on collaborative ideas. I think in Pennsylvania the teachers are expected, or encouraged, to do this (at least in my area). I just read an article about “Brain compatible learning” that stated “When you recall information, you have to reconstruct it. Since memories are constructed, the more ways students have the information represented in the brain (through seeing, hearing, being involved with, etc.), the more pathways they have for reconstructing, the richer the memory. Multimodal instruction makes a lot of sense” (Wolfe, 2003). I agree that learning a subject in as many different methods as possible is a great way to commit something to memory. I still remember the song my 8th grade math teacher made us memorize. I wish he had used this method more often. Please keep encouraging your teachers and students to collaborate!
Reference Article: Wolfe, P. (2003, Fall). Brain-compatible learning: Fad or foundation? Retrieved May 24, 2007, from http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/forum/fall03/brain.html
Reprinted with permission. From the December 2006 issue of The School Administrator
Using Arts to Comprehend Content
Submitted by Sarah Clum (not verified) on January 24, 2008 - 21:00.
Jim Moulton,
As an art teacher, currently at the middle school level, I frequently incorporate core class (math, language arts, and history) assignments and work with other teachers on collaborative ideas. I think in Pennsylvania the teachers are expected, or encouraged, to do this (at least in my area). I just read an article about “Brain compatible learning” that stated “When you recall information, you have to reconstruct it. Since memories are constructed, the more ways students have the information represented in the brain (through seeing, hearing, being involved with, etc.), the more pathways they have for reconstructing, the richer the memory. Multimodal instruction makes a lot of sense” (Wolfe, 2003). I agree that learning a subject in as many different methods as possible is a great way to commit something to memory. I still remember the song my 8th grade math teacher made us memorize. I wish he had used this method more often. Please keep encouraging your teachers and students to collaborate!
Reference Article: Wolfe, P. (2003, Fall). Brain-compatible learning: Fad or foundation? Retrieved May 24, 2007, from http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/forum/fall03/brain.html
Reprinted with permission. From the December 2006 issue of The School Administrator