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Proven ideas to keep all students attentive and motivated while learning!
This handy guide is a fun, creative collection of practical strategies that help teachers stimulate, invigorate, and re-energize learners whenever they need a "brain break." These state-changing activities use movement, games, groups, and adjustments to the classroom environment to help students refocus, be creative, and learn more effectively. The author provides techniques based on brain research to: Keep the learning environment fresh
Help students focus on the task at hand
Stimulate students' brains in the middle of a lesson
Build a sense of community, teamwork, and rapport in the classroom
List of contents
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
Brain Research and the Classroom
Using This Book
How and When to Use These Activities
1. Energize the Environment
The Right Stuff
Lighting
The Sense of Smell
The Effect of Ions
Musical Moments
Varying Your Instruction
Novelty and Surprise
Theme Days
To Get Volunteers
Visual Context
2. Get Your Students' Attention
State of the Class
Feedback
Breathing
Hands and Arms
Voice
Cross Laterals
Heavy Jobs
Novel Movements
3. Energize Your Students
Getting Into Groups
Random Groupings
Get Students Up and Moving
Circle Games
Circadian Rhythm
Silence
Pre-Writing Activities
A Leg Up
Gross Motor
Eyes
Props
4. Build Teams and Community
Getting To Know You
Contemporary Variations
Group Challenges
Just for Fun
References
About the author
Jerry Evanski has been a teacher and school administrator at all levels K-12. He has written several books and has taught at the university level for many years. He has been conducting workshops for Discipline Associations and for The Teacher Learning Center for the past two decades. He created and teaches the Brain Research in Education certification program at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. The video he created about the program won two Telly Awards in 2005. He is also a trained facilitator for Super Camp, which is an internationally known accelerated learning program. His current research is focused on identifying and correcting potential visual, auditory, and kinesthetic blocks to learning. Evanski received his master's degree in music education, his educational specialist and his doctorate degree in general administration and supervision from Wayne State University.
Summary
Learn how to stimulate and invigorate learners using state-changing activities—engaging techniques that refocus the brain and create a receptive state of mind for learning.
