Teaching with the Brain in Mind

by Eric Jensen

When the first edition of Teaching with the Brain in Mind was published in 1998, it quickly became an ASCD best-seller, and it has gone on to inspire thousands of educators to apply brain research in their classroom teaching. Now, author Eric Jensen is back with a completely revised and updated edition of his classic work, featuring new research and practical strategies to enhance student comprehension and improve student achievement. In easy to understand, engaging language, Jensen provides a basic orientation to the brain and its various systems and explains how they affect learning. After discussing what parents and educators can do to get children's brains in good shape for school, Jensen goes on to explore topics such as motivation, critical thinking skills, optimal educational environments, emotions, and memory. He offers fascinating insights on a number of specific issues, including
* How to tap into the brain's natural reward system.

* The value of feedback.

* The importance of prior knowledge and mental models.

* The vital link between movement and cognition.

* Why stress impedes learning.

* How social interaction affects the brain.

* How to boost students' ability to encode, maintain, and retrieve learning.

* Ways to connect brain research to curriculum, assessment, and staff development.
Jensen's repeated message to educators is simple: You have far more influence on students' brains than you realize . . . and you have an obligation to take advantage of the incredible revelations that science is providing. The revised and updated edition of Teaching with the Brain in Mind helps you do just that.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Brain, School, Science, Neuroscience

187 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Janet Ott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eric Jensen's books are mostly terrific, though I would love some more detail in the implementation aspect. As a neurophysiologist, I know the brain stuff, what I'm looking for is how to put the whole thing in action. I would like to see a style that more parallels the book Classroom Instruction that Works, where that team uses clear and detailed examples from a class in a variety of fields and levels so you can see how to put their stuff into action. Jensen has a lot of theory, but not a lot of practical way to put it into action. SO I thought the book was good, but not stellar. He has the brain research to back up his findings, however, and he knows that material well, and he does have good ideas, it just is lacking the detail that I would like. He does cover the gamut of brain research and how it affects learning. And he does give some ideas of how to help the learning process, the recall process and ways to improve students "getting it." He's clear, and any teacher can tell you, that material learned in one arena is often only recalled in that arena, so kids can't take what they learn in math to the science class unless specifically shown the new context. He gives ways to overcome that. And that the emotional state matters (duh), and for kids in poverty or other trauma-laden home lives (abuse, alcoholism) will have more difficulty in school, and gives so practical ideas, but again, no clear and detailed examples. He speaks about the need for physical exercise and movement, and the need for a good physical environment. Good luck with that. The value system in this country is not supportive of education, and doesn't seem likely to shift anytime soon. We give it good lip service, but we don't walk our talk. He also speaks about social interactions and the need for safety and how to mitigate peer pressure.
The most interesting chapters for me where the ones on motivation and engagement, and these ideas were useful. He had some intriguing ways to get the students motivated by prepping their emotions, hooking them with relevance to their lives, and giving them as much choice as possible in the curricular projects. None of this is new, but I liked the way he put it all together to show what it does on a physical brain level. I'll be writing up notes of the book if anyone is interested.

[Jimmy Pallotto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would not have been a book I read in my own if it were not assigned for class. And the first 3 chapters and the incredibly dense scientific language almost got me to give up. However, Jensen does a good job of explaining his thoughts, even if he’s a bit long winded.

I obviously will need to take the information and distill how I want to be a teacher from it. I am encouraged that most of my practices were already mentioned in the book, and explained as to why things felt “natural” to me.

Overall I think the students are just too unique to really use all of this doctrine. It can be incorporated into my teaching style but I still have to be myself, and I still need them to learn the standards.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find appreciation in the brain research on classroom and instruction. The chapters leading up to the application were focused on brain research and brain function. I was able to apply the concepts to my classroom or students especially on rewards and motivation, that was helpful. Jensen's research was thorough, more than I needed, but helpful to lay the foundation for understanding. I wish there would have been more application of the research versus depth of research.

Educators read this book especially if you're interested in "getting in the minds of students" and focusing on learning.

[Karen Letourneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 2006, just before completing my masters in literacy. It was around this time I became much more interested in neuroscience, an interest that continues today. While reading it, I remember frequently wondering why we hadn't learned the concepts presented in this book in our undergraduate teaching programs. Thirteen years later, I still highly recommend this book.

[Duong Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tôi rất thích những thứ thứ thuộc về Jean Piaget giai đoạn cuối khi ông phát triển một thứ tri thức luận dựa trên sự hiểu biết đầy đủ về hoạt động sinh lí của con người (tri thức học sinh-triển - genetic epistemology ). Trong vòng một hai hai thập kỉ gần đây, các nhà nghiên cứu về não bộ ngày càng hiểu rõ thêm về não bộ của con người, dần dần cho thấy những ý tưởng của Piaget là thiết thực . Và đương nhiên, các nhà giáo không thể làm ngơ trước những tiến bộ khoa học này. Việc vận dụng những hiểu biết này không chỉ giúp nhà giáo tự tin hơn với các phương pháp giảng dạy, mà còn hạn chế được những vội vã đốt cháy giai đoạn vì duy ý chí. 
Đây là một cuốn sạch tuyệt vời về brain-básed teaching, một lối dạy học dựa trên những hiểu biết khoa học thực nghiệm về não bộ và tư duy. Đó là lí do vì sao tôi sẽ xếp cuốn sách này vào loại gối đầu giường, phải đọc đi đọc lại.
Đây là cuốn sách không nên bỏ qua.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has good information, but I agree with many of the other reviews in that it does not give very many practical examples of how to apply this research in the classroom. I think How the Brain Learns was much more interesting to read, had more information, and gave more examples on how to apply the information. If you are interested in just methods on applying these studies, Green Light Classrooms is the book for you. I teach at the high school level and both of these books changed my teaching style. I have seen remarkable differences in information retention in my students.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read and helped me sound smart at parent teacher conferences. A great book for teachers!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot about the brain and how it learns and functions. Quick read filled with a lot of information.

[Michael Loveless · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should begin my comments by saying that I read the original version of Teaching with the Brain in Mind, which has been now updated. I found it at Half Price Books and was pretty far into it before I realized there was a newer version. The book offered a lot of information about the physiology of learning (more than I really needed or wanted), quite a few concepts about learning that were interesting, and many specific suggestions about teaching techniques. Of these three elements, the specific teaching ideas received the least attention. The book was interesting and gave me enough information to start changing some things I do as a teacher. However, I would have liked more ideas and especially more fleshing out of the kind of activities and lessons that would be most "brain-compatible." Despite a few limitations, the book is worth reading for any teacher. Given how much brain research has been done since 1998, I'm sure the newer addition would have even more helpful ideas.

[Robin Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for anyone wanting to improve their teaching in order to improve student learning. Easy to read, but not oversimplified. A good summary of brain research for non-scientists.

My context is religious education, and although this book was written primarily with academic education in mind, I found a phenomenal amount of crossover. While loaded with information about how the brain works to create learning, the author has deliberately not stopped with learning, but has drawn implications for teaching and given practical ideas and tools for teaching with the brain in mind.

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, it made me reflect on how we educate students and ourselves.

Here are some things I picked up:
- avoid threats, don't make snide remarks about the student or their performance
- encourage a healthy lifestyle (getting enough sleep, exercising, and having a good diet)
- make learning fun, meaningful, and engaging by introducing theatre, role play, art, field trips, experiments, journaling, mind maps, debates, discussions, projects, and presentations
- change the environment by decorating the classroom, having a class outside, or going on a field trip

[Aadel Bussinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it could be organized a little better, this is one of the best books I've read on learning. Each chapter gives practical suggestions on creating an environment that works with the brain, not against it. Many of the routines and traditions found in schools are in direct opposition to the current knowledge about how the brain works.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read for educators! It was a required reading assignment in my graduate program, and it really changed my understand of how students process information. Helped me grow tremendously as an educator.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic read. So much to process. I like a healthy dose of science in my pedagogy, so this was a satisfying experience. It's going to take me years to incorporate everything I learned effectively, but I am already feeling a difference from some of the shifts this book inspired.

[DoctorLeri Muhammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always looking to teach SMARTER, not HARDER. This book made me reimagine how things could be done in a classroom. I am excited to try some of the tips, and encouraged that some of the things that I do in the classroom are good for children.

[Joe Petty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and to the point, left me with more questions than answers, but that is what good books do.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, this is a MUST-READ for all educators!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much information, and I love the way he writes, so everything is so easy to understand.

[Selene Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for work, not bad . Several things we hear in the education world that I agree with but some Of it I don’t 😩

[Nick Slenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science-based perspective of how the brain works in an educational setting.

[Stacy Natal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely one of the better books related to teaching that I've read in a long time. It's full of practical information relating to how we can help our students' brains to grow.

New learnings:

Left/right brained personality is out of date. Left/sequential/part to whole doesn't always translate to logic and right/whole to part doesn't always translate to artistic inclination etc...

Once students habituate to a signal, it's time to change to something new.

It takes up to six hours to complete formation of the synaptic connection for implicit learning.

Prior knowledge is not a mythical concoction. It consists of real, physical brain matter.

We all have high and low energy parts of the day. The brain actually forces us to take it easy, adolescents are especially prone. Because of this, portfolios are a more accurate means of showing what a child can do. They use snippets of different times of the day.

People who exercise have more cortical mass.

Great glossary of brain terms in the back.

Solidified old learning:

Strong connection to SMART training, reinforced my belief that the essential skills in the SMART room helps the increase cross body tasks etc.... Lack of screen time is better for young kids because constant screens inhibits the brains ability to develop in the toddler years.

It all relates to Maslow's theory that we need safety, food, sleep in order for our brains to properly learn new content. Nothing new here...

The human brain is is POOR at nonstop attention. It needs time for rest and processing after learning. (Direct instruction (k-2) 5-8 minutes is appropriate, (grades 3-5) 8-12 minutes is appropriate, (adults) 15-18 minutes. For rest/processing time, taking a walk, recess, breaks of any kind are good, writing is not

Repetition works but can backfire if too monotonous.

Priming has a huge effect on verbal fluency. For priming to be effective, students need only to hear or see relevant words. Max value comes from naming or using priming word. (look back at page 41 for ways to prime)

Our brain works best if we learn less content more deeply. "More" is not optimum because learning deeply involves multiple stages of processing. The frontal lobe limits us to 3-7 chunks of info at a time.

Brain learns better by being active in learning rather than passive.

Exercise helps oxygen get to the brain and increases connections among neurons and neuron growth.

Emotional states affect learning.

[Marika Gillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teaching with the Brain in Mind is a terrific resource for teachers who are trying to maximize the use of their time with students... to get the most "bang for the buck" so to speak. This book explores ideas about how the brain works; how movement, emotional states, physical environments, etc. can affect student learning. There is a lot of background knowledge about the structure and function of the different parts of the brain that I found interesting, but might be a bit heavy for some readers. The information Eric Jensen shares about how the brain learns best was fascinating to me and prompted some interesting conversations among teachers at my school during our book study meetings. A lot of the ideas in the book were great, but not specific enough for a teacher reader like me. I would have preferred some examples of real lessons that included all the components Jensen was advocating, especially how they could be applied in reading insturction (for instance, examples of lessons that had a specific activity the teacher used to change the emotional state of a student, that included the appropriate amount of settling time, or lessons with a great framing or memory strengthening component would have been helpful). I will definitely be returning to the ideas in this book while planning my lessons during the next school year, and I hope to see some great learning from my students!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teacher book about using brain research to inform teaching. Found out that a lot of what I already do is, in-fact, compatible with brain-research. But I also learned some new things like the link between movement and brain activity, the importance of emotions on the brain, and how boy brains and girl brains operate differently based on both nature and nurture. What I particularly liked about this book is that every chapter had a list of "practical suggestions" for educators. Because of this, I will definitely be making some small, yet significant changes in my classroom.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very helpful. It explains neuroscience research on learning in a way that is easy to understand and provides some type of application for just about every theory or piece of research presented. While the applications could benefit from more detailed explanations, they are a good jumping off point for implementing ideas in the classroom. It was nice to read this and get reinforcement for a lot of things I already do, along with ideas for additional improvements in my own practice. It is a quick, easy, and useful professional read.

[Bethany Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The research in this books was very interesting. I tried implementing the longer increments of brain down time(recess) to thirty minutes which worked wonderfully for my students. I also agreed with many of their strategies on how to improve student learning. It specified the importance of making sure children DO NOT become frustrated while learning. This was an exceptional read suggested by a dear friend of mine.

[Leigh Aultman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is amazing what neuroscience has taught in the past 5 years about how we learn. This resource presents complex concepts in a highly accessible manner. Basic brain anatomy, how the brain changes over time, how positive and negative emtions affect the brain..and much more are included in this easy to read book.

[Terry Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is easy to understand and has practical suggestions on how to apply teaching to the science of brain development and learning. It is written so traditional classroom teachers who need their students to use memorization techniques, etc. can apply brain research to their teaching methods. He touches on some good points that suggest reform.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep them moving. This book teaches about the latest brain research as it relates to teaching. I would suggest it to any teacher at any level. Actually, I'd suggest it to parents as well. We're learning more and more about how our brains work. This book gives background and techniques for improving student achievement. Definitely worth reading.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource, relevant in the classroom and full of practical suggestions. In some ways it feels like operating instructions for students. One of the ideas I appreciated the most was the need to give students settling time. This is time where students are not learning anything new, they are resting, but their brains are still working to process the information.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this was assigned reading for work. Dont get me wrong I liked the information and agreed with the authors premise, however I wish there something more to it. It through out tons on data and what you could do but it felt like it was missing that one thing to make using it realistic. So many ofmthe suggestions were things outside of my control.