Customer Reviews

Becoming a "Wiz" at Brain-Based Teaching: How to Make Every Year Your Best Year

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The book is easy and interesting to read. So much current and practical material has been incorporated into this slim book, cleverly organized around the analogies of The Wizard of Oz. Marilee, as an experienced teacher who reads extensively, has the gift to select the essentials to provide an over-all introduction to "brain-based teaching". The Table of Contents will give a good idea of the scope of coverage: structure of the brain, dealing with stress, emotional growth, developmental cognitive skills, 5 kinds of memories, 8 intelligences, use of music, brain states, brain food, sleep, exercise, learning environment, learning styles, brain-based asesssment...

Once the appetite is aroused by the introduction here, readers can move on to Eric Jensen's books, esp. "Brain-based Learning", "Different Brains, Different Learners". Jensen's recent books all have much better visual format, more sketches and pictures.

(The "marshmallow experiments" on impulse control quoted by Goleman is also quoted here (p. 49). Various authors, e.g. John Gottman, have actually challenged the conclusions.)

This slender book is packed with insight into brain research and how to use it to make learning easier and a more pleasant experience for the students and teacher. Sprenger covers safety issues, learning styles and how to change your teaching address them, the effects of stress and how to lesson it, physical needs of the brain, the different kinds of intelligence, and much more. The information is more accessible because much of it is presented as stories from the author's own classrooms and life.

Teachers will find this revised and expanded second edition of a best-selling guide is packed with tips on the latest research on learning, memory and the brain - and uses these insights to change approaches to classroom teaching. From helping readers translate theory into practice to brain-compatible classroom management strategies and emotional skills development for different grade levels, BECOMING A 'WIZ' AT BRAIN-BASED TEACHING: HOW TO MAKE EVERY YEAR YOUR BEST YEAR is an outstanding resource no teacher's college or reference library should be without.

Like other reviewers, this is a great find for teachers. But let's not forget about school counselors! It's also important for us to know what is going on in the classroom. A quick and easy read to brush up on skills!