Teaching with the Brain in Mind [Paperback]

Eric Jensen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0871202999 | ISBN-13: 978-0871202994 | Publication Date: April 1, 1998

Every year, millions of parents trust that the professionals who teach their children know something about the brain and processes of learning. But most schools of education offer psychology, not neurology, courses. At best, these psychology courses provide indirect information about the brain and how children actually learn.

Teaching with the Brain in Mind fills this gap with the latest practical, easy-to-understand research on learning and the brain. Consider important questions such as

- Biologically, can you truly expect to get and hold students' attention for long periods of time?
- How has research on rewards been misinterpreted?
- Do students actually "forget" what we teach them, or do we ask them to recall information in the wrong way?
- What are the surprising benefits for learning across the board when students participate in some sort of physical education or movement?

Teaching with the Brain in Mind balances the research and theory of the brain with successful tips and techniques for using that information in classrooms. From its primer on brain biology to in-depth discussions of emotion, memory, and recall, Teaching with the Brain in Mind is an invaluable tool for any educator looking to better reach students through truly brain-compatible teaching and learning.

Product Details

• Paperback: 133 pages
• Publisher: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871202999
• ISBN-13: 978-0871202994
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #219,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ERIC JENSEN
Background

Eric Jensen has always been passionate about learning. As a child, he seemed to read every book he could find in his own home and any library nearby. There are rumors that he "over-borrowed" from local libraries and a nearby Boy's Club. To make up for that, today he donates back up to 50 books a year to others. He graduated early from high school (age 16) and averaged reading two books a week in college. He graduated with distinction with a bachelor's degree in English. Even today, Eric is still learning, completing his doctorate in Human Development from Fielding Graduate University.

As a teacher, Eric has worked with a wide range of students. He taught middle school, high school students though a private school, focusing on reading and study skills. While he began as a completely average teacher in terms of technique, he's always been know for his passion for learning. Later, he became adjunct faculty for three universities, serving as a professor for adult learners at the University of California at San Diego, National University and the University of San Diego. In 1988, Jensen was selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America.

In the workplace, Eric Jensen co-founded the world's largest brain-compatible academic enrichment program, SuperCamp, which now has over 50,000 graduates. In 1985, he founded Turning Point and which later became Jensen Learning with over 50,000 educators attending programs. These programs introduced the science of teaching and learning to teachers from around the world. Eric Jensen has introduced brain-based teaching to Denmark, UK, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, New Zealand and other countries. Jensen was the founder of the Learning Brain EXPO, the world's first conference that linked neuroscience to everyday educational practices.

Part of the leadership in the field is literary scholarship. Jensen has authored ten journal publications to his credit, twenty-six full-length books through five different publishers. Jensen has appeared on over 250 television and radio stations, both domestic and international including CNN. Articles on his work have appeared in USA Today, CNN, Wall Street Journal and major educational journals such as Education Leadership, Education Week and PDK International/ Phi Delta Kappan. His work has appeared in The South China Post and he's been interviewed on stations in Asia and his books have been translated into 15 languages including Chinese.

Jensen is currently an active member of the Society for Neuroscience, The President's Club at Salk Institute of Biological Studies, NY Academy of Science, American Psychological Association and International Mind, Brain and Education Society. Jensen is on the Advisory Board for Body, Mind and Child in Barnstead, New Hampshire. He is a partner and consultant in the Temporal Dynamics Learning Center Project at University of California at San Diego. This project involves over 50 scientists and affiliates to bring neuroscience into the classroom.

Later, with his passion for neuroscience, Jensen made over 45 visits to neuroscience laboratories to interact with countless scientists. At the world-renowned Salk Institute of Biological Studies, Jensen is a member of the select President's club, which interacts often with neuroscientists as well as supports their work financially. Jensen has become one of the leading translators in the world of neuroscience into education. Currently he is the Master Trainer and Consultant to the Association of Brain-based Learning in Education in Hong Kong. This is the first long-term brain-based program focusing on classroom pedagogy in Asia. (http://www.brainbased.net).

Jensen's best known books are Teaching with the Brain in Mind, SuperTeaching, Enriching the Brain and Teaching with Poverty in Mind. He's an incurable writer who seems obsessed with doing another book every year.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to brain-based learning, March 2, 2001

By 

George Zee (www.frzee.org, Hong Kong) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Teaching with the Brain in Mind (Paperback)

This is a very good introduction to applying knowledge gained from studies on the brain to teaching. It covers in a simple way the nature of the brain, of memory and recall, alternatives to using rewards, the biology of attention, how enriched environment affects the brain, how emotions, threats and stress, and movement affect learning... It is easy to read, helped by the diagrams. For those interested in more scope and depth, the author's newly revised Brain-based Learning would be a better choice.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An educator's review of Teaching with the Brain in Mind, March 3, 2000

By 

Gregory L. Anderson (Fort Wayne, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teaching with the Brain in Mind (Paperback)

This book is an excellent resource in my class at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). I use it in my X401 class, Critical Reading in the Content Area. To me, it only makes sense that teachers start teaching with the brain in mind. This book is an excellent source because it gives the necessary biological background and adds practical information for teachers, so there is theory and practice. This book will explain why great teachers do the things that they do. Again, an excellent source.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for teachers, grandparents, and parents; motivational, November 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Teaching with the Brain in Mind (Paperback)

Teaching with the brain in mind is a great book for teachers who feel that they don't have time for "fun" or activities that involve moving around in their classroom. As more is added to the curriculum, fun things are often taken out. That is where we are missing out on teaching and connecting with kids! Teachers and parents are called on to be more and more creative as they teach new things in a new way. Making a connection with motor skills, rhythms and singing can teach kids in a way that helps them reinforce the basics. They are provided with a knowledge bank that they can call on when they have forgotten a math fact for instance. Jensen says that the words "stick like glue" to notes so when you teach code words to unlock word problems in subtraction, a teacher can teach a song such as "This Old Man" except substitute words about subtraction. Jensen also had some astounding facts about how the brain develops in young children and the connections with motor activities. Great Book. Good opportunity to use it for test-taking strategies, which I did.