Ask Dr Judy Webinar What Neuro-logical Emotional Interventions Promote Academic, Social, and Emotional Success? WORKING Judy Willis, M.D., M.Ed www.radteach.com MEMORY Essential Questions How does stress influence behavior & MEMORY? What strategies reduce stress? How can we promote buy in, participation, & motivation? Regions of Brain Processing PFC Reflective brain Switching Stations Reacti ve brain 1
Brain Stress Response PREFRONTAL CORTEX Reflective Reacti ve A M Y G D A L A Emotional Switching Station Input goes to the lower, reactive brain Input goes to the higher, reflective brain (PFC) Stress State Lower Reactive Brain In Control Zone Out Fight Act Out Flight Freez e 2
Causes of Stress in School Unprepared for class Peer relationships Test-taking anxiety and oral presentations Physical, clothing, language d i f f er en c e s Fear of making a mistake in front of classmates Emotions & Memory Working Memory Holds data in mind temporarily while the brain manipulates it 3
What is the sum? 1/5 + 1/10 1. 2/10 2. 2/15 3. 3/10 4. 2/5 Participant Poll Answer: 3/10 What is 1/11 + 2/7 (with mental math) 4
PREFRONTAL CORTEX Stresses that Reduce Working Memory Subject anxiety Test stress Fixed mindset Boredom Working Memory & Stress Stress increases the cognitive load on the working-memory Decreased efficiency of information holding during problem solving and meaning making 5
A PFC B A M Y G D A L A A: Positive emotional state: PFC passage & better memory B: Stressed state: no PFC passage = low memory Hamman, et al., Cog NS 2007Neuroscience 2007 The amygdala is an emotional filter High or sustained stress routes intake/output to/from lower reactive brain (fight/flight/freeze) Stress reduces effective working memory and PFC reflective resources Reduce Threat & Increase Emotional & Cognitive Resilience Build supportive climate Increase emotional awareness Teach stress reduction strategies 6
Build Supportive Climate Routines A safe place Consistent rule enforcement Class rituals, meetings, & celebrations fmri Research Stressed state: reduced flow through amygdala to PFC Intervention: used strategies to revise initial emotional reaction Result: fmri with PFC top-down control and increased PFC flow Oschner, et al: Rethinking feelings: an fmri study of the cognitive regulation of emotion.j Cogn Neurosci 2002 Increase Emotional Awareness Self-monitoring of emotions Understanding of their brains. 7
Explain Bad Behavior Does not Mean Students are Bad Strong negative emotions like fear, sadness, or hopeless frustration put your brain into survival mode Your brain s protective response sends information into the lower reactive brain Practice Recognizing & Evaluating Emotional State Identify matching emotion Evaluate emotion intensity and escalation Learn/Practice Stress Reduction Strategies Experience control over sensory responsiveness (hearing a sound longer) Imaginary bubble to deflect hurtful actions & words Self-calm (deep-breath, observe themselves from above ) Studies from UCLA & Arizona State University 8
Students taught skills to monitor & control emotions Improved their classroom behavior Half as likely to have discipline incidents Wyman, P and Cross, W. (2010). Teaching Self-Control Skills to Children Reduces Classroom Problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Increase Emotional Awareness Self-monitoring of emotions Understanding of their brains You can help your PFC get control. Learning how they think helps children develop more Reflective PFC control of over their Reactive lower brains 9
Explain Bad Behavior does not mean they are Bad When you have strong negative emotions like fear, anxiety or a feeling of hopeless frustration, it puts your brain into survival mod e Your brain s emotional response sends information into your lower reactive brain Participant Poll What do you think is the greatest stressor reported by students? Test-taking anxiety Oral presentations Physical, clothing, language d i f f er en c e s Fear of making a mistake in front of classmates MAKING A MISTAKE IN WHOLE CLASS SETTING 10
Mis ta kes How can we increase active participation when students are worried about making mistakes in front of classmates? Reduce Mistake Fear Decrease the fear of participation 1 1
Individual Response Tools (white boards, magic pads, clickers) Accountability Wait time Lower mistake and participation fear You get feedback on mastery or needs Strategies Point out your own mistakes Example and non-example column Repeat correct part of their answer Reduce Participation Fear Use questions with no wrong answers such as... 12
M o r e t o Y O U a b i r d h e a d or rabbit head? 3 7 I s t h e n e x t s l i d e m o r e t o Y O U a Profile of old man OR Man on horseback? 3 9 13
Multiple Perspectives People to house transition SYN-NAPS Brain breaks are needed after 10-30 minutes of focused attentioon 14
Promote supportive classroom community Mindful learning practices so students learn to use their reflective instead of reactive brain networks Reduce mistake-fear to invite participation by all students Maya Angelou People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel Commencement Address, 2002 WEBSITE Judy Willis www.radteach.com 15
WEBSITE www.radteach.com NEXT Ask Dr. Judy ASCD Webinar What Makes the Adolescent and Teen Brain So Different and What Should Educators Do About these Differences? Apr 4 th 3pm EST Dr. Judy s WEBSITE www.radtea ch.c om 16