Children's Academic Operating Systems

Our brains are set up into multiple different academic operating systems. While all operating systems are complicated, children's are extremely complex since they are still developing. The different operating systems are attentional skills, sequencing skills, processing skills, short-term and working memory, champion's mind-set, and ability to defer gratification and make a sustained effort. These are all the different academic systems in the brain. All of these systems need to work together in order for students to work effectively. Students constantly need to be working their brain to keep these systems working as they should be. According to Eric Jensen, in his book, Teaching with Poverty in Mind, he states, "the systems can be trained and improved through a variety of activities." Jensen gives a long list of activities that can help keep these systems working.

One of the activities Jensen mentions is that children can partake in physical activity. Physical activity can increase the production of new brain cells. This process is "highly correlated with learning, mood, and memory" (Jensen 2009.) Another activity Jensen mentions is to have the students play chess, This can increase the students capabilities in reading and math. Chess helps with increasing attention, motivation, processing, and sequencing skills. The arts also greatly help to improve attention, sequencing, processing, and cognitive skills. Any activities that deal with music, crafting, or any hands-on activities that deal with the arts greatly help boost these operating systems.

Jeffery Lackney's website titled, 12 Design Principles Based on Brain-Based Learning Research, lists 12 examples of how to improve these academic operating systems. I tried to see how I can implement these directly in my classroom. Some of the activities seemed to directly be related to my classroom. One listing said to have places for group learning. My classroom does not have sections for group learning. I believe that having separate sections would greatly help the students stay on task as well as focus. These groups spaces "facilitate social learning and stimulate the social brain" (Lackney.) Allowing the students to be social at the appropriate times, is critical for their brain development. Having active and passive places set up in the classroom is also an aspect that relates directly to my classroom. "Students need places for reflection and retreat away from others for intrapersonal experience as well as places for active engagement for interpersonal experience" (Lackney.) In my class, there are many students that become very "heated" easily. Many of the students would love a place where they can just take two minutes to go cool down so they do not become more upset. It would also be a great place to settle any social issues that people in the class might be having. The last principle that stood out to me was the idea of each student having their own personalized space. Students need to feel comfortable in school. The more comfortable they feel, the more likely they will be to participate and be more engaged. We "need to allow learners to express their self identity, express their self-identity, personalize special places, and places to express territorial behaviors" (Lackney.) Students need a place that they can feel is theirs. Some students may constantly be moving or may not have a place in their lives where they feel comfortable calling theirs. We need to make that for them. Having something to call your own is critical for the development of the operating systems in your brain.

Jensen and Lackney both have astounding principles that teachers should take into account when it comes to their students. These academic operating systems constantly need to be developing, and we as teachers need to make sure they are growing to the best of their abilities.

REFERENCES

Jensen, E. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.

Lackney, J. (n.d.). 12 design principles based on brain-based learning research. Retrieved from http://www.designshare.com/Research/BrainBasedLearn98.htm