Paul Zak's webinar

The neuroscience of high performing teams

Paul Zak discovered oxytocin which is the "neuro-hormone of trust," Oxytocin is best known for its use in inducing labor. It is also the "social glue" that binds families, communities, and societies, and fosters trust between strangers. Oxytocin is primarily a molecule of social connection. It tells the brain how to engage with others at work, and in every part of our lives.
Oxytocin is inhaled as nasal spray. Oxytocin is an extract from the human posterior pituitary gland. Scientists had realized that oxytocin was also a neurotransmitter that acted on the brain's emotional centre. Oxytocin has been shown to facilitate nurturing behavior in mice and rats: when oxytocin was blocked, mice stopped caring for their young. Zak argues that many of the social and political issues could be solved if only we could find a way of raising people's basal levels of oxytocin. When Zak tested the blood of players who had demonstrated trustworthy behavior, he found that their oxytocin levels had increased.

Learning Styles

Information enters your brain in three main ways: sight, hearing and touch, which one you use the most is called your Learning Style.

Visual Learners learn by sight, prefer to see information such as pictures, diagrams, cartoons, demonstrations, learners benefit from using charts, maps, notes, and flash cards when studying. Such learners are easily distracted in lecture with no visual aids.

Auditory Learners learn by hearing, they prefer to hear information spoken, can absorb a lecture with little effort, and often avoid eye contact in order to concentrate.

 

 

Tactile Learners (kinesthetic) learn by touch, Prefer touch as their primary mode for taking in information, role-playing can help them learn and remember important ideas.

 

 

 

Knowing your learning style, both your strengths and your weaknesses, can help you study more effectively.

Behaviorism vs. cognitive learning theory

According to behaviorism learning is a change in observable behavior that occurs as the result of experience. The goal of instruction is to increase the number of correct answers by using reinforces and punishments. Behaviorism is not able to explain how students learn language, develop critical thinking and problem solving.

Here came an evolution to the cognitive learning theory which states that learning is a change in individual’s mental structure and processes that may or may not result in an immediate change in behavior.

The six basic principles of the cognitive learning theory include:

1.      Learning and development depend on the learners’ experience.

2.      Learning is to make sense of experience.

3.      Understanding depends on what students know.

4.      Understanding is facilitated by social interaction.

5.      Learning requires practice.

6.      Concrete and real life tasks result in optimal learning.

What Parents Expect From Schools

Parents demand much from schools other than academic teaching, parents view schools not only to teach science, math and other subjects but as institutions that serve in addressing morals, ethics and good behaviors to children. This role of schools will be efficient supported by parents at home. Parents’ perceptions might change with different schools and might be less demanding in public schools.

Parents’ perceptions on how schools affect children’s morals and behaviors differ between schools, private and religious schools are more described to teach morals and good habits even not through religion but through the very disciplined atmosphere they create. Teachers in the school who are a part of it affect how students acquire behaviors and morals ‘the behavior of the teacher probably influences the character of the learning climate more than any other single factor’ (Knowles, 2000) .

This moral role that schools play should be backed up and combined by the role of parents at home in order to assure a proper moral education of children “Teachers have to work in partnership on moral education with parents” (berkowitz, Marvin, & Grych, 2000, pp. 55-72), none of them should play a negative role.

 

Choosing a school for your child

Choosing a school for your child is a very difficult choice but a child can greatly benefit from a right choice. There are many different aspects to consider when deciding on a school for your child.
The school of your choice should be not too far from your home so you make sure your child gets proper sleep which is vital for children as it helps in concentrating during lessons and their brains will perform better.
The school of your choice must neither be a big school where teachers are less willing to take responsibilities, social interactions are more formal and less personalized, a good leadership and diverse curricula nor a small one where lower levels of learning and social discrimination based on knowledge of some children’s background are found, a middle size school would be the best to ensure a proper social interaction for your child.
Look for a school of a good academic, moral and social reputation. If you are looking for religious education then for sure you should look for private religious schools.
In general, your choice must render on the best learning center school that offers the best academic educational process.
You need to visit the school in order to have an idea about its policy and mission, its staff and its building. Meet the teachers and try to know what they aim to teach other than academics in their classes and their detention policy as you need to make sure that it doesn’t affect your child’s character and feelings. You have to make sure that the school offers a safe teaching environment, a wide range of learning styles and teaching methodologies, with progressive classes to prepare students for a better allocation and cares for keeping a continuous contact with parents.
Make sure that the school building is safe equipped with all safety techniques and a nurse, schools with walls printed with bright colors as this could be relaxing for the students, comfortable school furniture, clean rest rooms and a healthy and safe playground.
Parents need to pay attention to the importance of invigilating their children performance and keep a continuous contact with teachers as students will feel supervised and safe.

My Learning Experience

It had been a long time since I was a student at science classes, I can only remember some secondary science classes and for sure when I was at the university.
In grade twelve, my physics class was interesting as the teacher had related the physics studies to real life, he gave examples from real life every time he explained a lesson besides that most physics exercises where real life ones. The teacher had lots of information that he shared with us as students. He favored class discussions and listened to different opinions which made me feel safe to ask and get help.
This was in contrary to my physics class in grade 11, where I felt that physics is impossible for me to learn as the teacher had showed us that we can’t do it. During that year I no more had any will to study physics.
Biology is supposed to be an interesting subject as it deals with our bodies, and should make us enthusiasm to discover our bodies. But this was not the case in my biology class in grade 12 where the teacher used to talk all the time and we used to write, we never had time to think, analyze or discuss anything in class but we wrote what the teacher said. In order to pass or get a high grade in biology, a lot of effort was needed to be exerted at home the thing that made me feel that I can skip biology classes and I can still get the same grades or even better at that time.
The chemistry teacher in grade 12 appeared to exert a lot of effort to help us understand, he had a lot of check points before he moved on. The students were subject to any question at any time which kept us alerted.
During my school experience, in twelve years I have never worked in a group inside the class. In all classes I was supposed to stay quite, calm and to pay attention.
That was my experience in school or probably what I still remember. Concerning my university studies, I had experienced two universities, in the first one I was only obliged to attend lab sessions and I was free to miss theoretical ones, sessions that were no more than an instructor lecturing in a hall. This has caused me to develop the idea that I can do it alone and the instructor had no role. After I transferred to my second university where attendance was obligatory, I experienced variety of instructors with different techniques, successful ones where those where the instructor had me and others engaged in learning by assigning roles for us during the lesson and work we were responsible for, group work was introduced in such sessions.
I general, classes that were facilitated by instructors through guiding me to construct knowledge and those that were students centered were more effective and interesting to study.

My Philosophy of Education

I  believe that all children can learn but probably in different ways, students’ different learning preferences and multiple intelligences must be tackled in every single lesson. The teacher should provide a safe classroom environment where students are encouraged to take risks and discover learning in my classroom. Students are engaged in learning through rich, hands-on activities, small cooperative group experiences, as well as whole group instruction and discussions. A variety of Learning strategies and instructional methods should be used. Higher-order thinking skills should be used to help students build meaning and develop a deeper understanding of the subjects. Building personal relation ships with students is essential, as well it helps in maintaining good classroom management.
Facts are used as vehicles so students understand concepts. Students are given the support, the resources, and the materials they need to meet their personal goals. Appropriate motivation of students is essential in encouraging students and having them curious to learn.
As an educator, I truly believe a child must have the foundations (reading, writing, and math) before he or she can be successful in other areas of life.
Science is an interesting subject if related to real life, students’ curiosity should be directed so students struggle to learn more. The best learning is accomplished when students construct their knowledge.
As an educator, I strive to provide an environment that encourages my students to be all they can be and to set high goals for themselves.