Brain—Compatible Teaching in a Block Schedule

School Administrator, Sept, 1996 by Ron Fitzgerald

A massive amount of research in recent years shows that student learning and retention can be increased significantly through brain-compatible teaching procedures.

As secondary schools implement block scheduling, more students now face one of two realities--longer periods of more effective, brain-compatible teaching or longer periods of less effective brain-antagonistic instruction!

Block scheduling can offer some advantages even without increased attention to brain principles. These include more laboratory time, less time and effort dealing with problems during hallway passing periods, and a reduction in separate course preparations by teachers.

However, the major power of longer teaching periods is that such periods make attention to brain-compatible teaching principles far more feasible. The learning value of longer periods can be increased markedly by providing staff members with advance training in the related application of brain principles. These are not new principles, but they are especially important for proper implementation of block scheduling. Let us consider a few of the major principles.

Establishing Relevance

The brain tends to be more interested in and pay more attention to activities that are related clearly to usefulness in real life. When using longer teaching periods, it is especially important to introduce any new lesson or topic with an exciting demonstration that accomplishes two purposes:

* Shows the relevance of the new topic to real-life concerns; and

* Stimulates serious questions in each student's mind.

There is more time to insert such "hooking" activities in longer class periods.

These activities can adjust the state of mind of students--giving them the motivational energy to want to make the best use of their longer learning time.

For example, when a teacher introduces a science unit on electromagnetic radiation, he or she might show students that an electric razor held near but not yet touching an electromagnetic radiation meter sets off a red light warning. This signal indicates a level of radiation above the recommended level for human tissue!

This demonstration invariably generates many questions from students. They want to know more about electromagnetic radiation and their own health. They want to borrow the meter for some measurements on appliances. In short, they are eager to use their available time for learning what's important to their well being. Short periods would not be long enough to fulfill what they now want to know.

Hooking Students

Many ways exist for starting units with hooking activities that generate interest in using learning time effectively:

* Short video sequences that show dramatic real-life events influenced by human skills or the lack of same (e.g., the Kennedy-Nixon television debates);

* Skits that demonstrate effective or ineffective behavior (a customer salesperson communication exchange);

* Simulations that illustrate the practical power of some process (teamwork and planning enabling one student group to win over another in some competitive game); and

* Any dramatic demonstration that shows the importance of a topic in terms of real-life safety or power.

Longer periods give teachers more time to use these connections to real concerns. In turn, the connections can lead to much higher levels of student motivation.

Incidentally, the focus on real-life or application tasks should continue throughout the carefully planned use of longer time blocks. Remember, the brain seeks and pays attention to real-life relevance. The motivation that comes from introducing that relevance can be best maintained by ensuring that use of subject matter and skills is emphasized.

Longer time periods make it more feasible to pursue complex, realistic tasks instead of just discrete objectives.

Consider this example from a photography course. A simple objective assigned to students might state: Take a good picture (good being defined by a list of standards). In comparison, a complex task might be in the form of the following assignment: Take 4 to 6 good pictures and compose a clear photographic essay for the school newspaper on a topic approved in advance by the teacher. Moving from discrete objectives to more complex, real-life tasks gives more meaning to learning.

Novel Beginnings

Consider what psychologists call the BEM or beginning-end-middle principle. Students learn or remember the most from the beginning and the end of any specific learning activity; they remember less from the middle of that learning activity. The implication is clear for longer teaching periods of 60 to 90 minutes or more.

Generally, a teacher should schedule two or more different learning activities in a longer period. If only one activity is scheduled, students are subjected to a long and less effective middle. If two or more activities are scheduled, students gain the positive impact of the novelty or newness of multiple beginnings and endings. They also are subjected to shorter middles.

Here is an example of the use of two different but related learning activities in a business management course time block at our high school.