MBE in Practice
Mind. Brain. Education. Science.
Executive Functioning Defined
Neda Varner - 05/14/2021
Among the teachers that I speak with, understanding our students, what motivates them, and how to engage them is a primary responsibility no matter what age of the child. Given that students are not always interested in the content that we have to or want to impart, like solving complex mathematical problems, learning how to read, or the historical context of fallen civilizations, motivating students to follow through on assignments and prioritize work completion can be a daunting challenge.
In the latest episode of Learning in Mind, Tricia Underwood, academic coach, defines executive functioning skills differently than most published programs or resources that I have come to know. She teaches the students that she supports that executive functions are beyond advanced calendar skills, elaborate binders, colorful tabs, and highlighters. As Seth Perler describes, executive functioning is the ability to get things done and as elaborated by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard, it includes working memory, self-regulation, and mental flexibility.
Tricia uses the metaphor of a plane to describe how students visualize how to proceed with engaging in the task assigned by the teacher towards work completion. To learn more about how she uses this plane metaphor in her practice with students, listen to Episode #3 of Learning in Mind on Spotify or SoundCloud. She also describes how educators can support a student's developing executive functioning skills by doing the following:
Build the Plane
1) Make it Routine: Post new assignments in the same place every time - digitally and visually.
2) Make it a Checklist: Though assignment descriptions are essential, making a checklist out of those descriptions supports everyone.
3) Post it early: Give students plenty of time to plan ahead for upcoming assignments.
Co-Piloting
1) Focus on Relationship: High trust + low stakes build relationships and form alliances.
2) Give them Choices: Co-construct plans on how to move forward and provide feedback along the way.
3) Make it Visual: To support working memory, allow for a pre-approved notecard of formulas, instructions, prompts during a test.
Maintenance
1) Expect Repetition: Supporting students requires repeating instructions with an abundance of patience. Keep it visual - Just because you said it, doesn't mean they heard you.
2) Celebrate the Wins & Small Mistakes: We can learn from our mistakes. In a trusting teacher-student partnership, students are more willing to acknowledge the errors in order to move forward and plan for the next win.
Prepare for Landing
1) Utilize a Rubric: Students can use rubrics self-evaluate and reflect on areas of improvement.
2) Co-regulate: Provide opportunities for students to work alongside other(s) who self-regulate well.
About WOOP my Life!
About Center on the Developing Child @ Harvard
About Seth Perler
Learn more about Tricia Underwood at Rare Bird Learning
7 Tenets of Effective Feedback
Neda Varner - 04/07/2021
As educators, we are motivated by students making progress. In order for positive advancement in social, emotional, or academic skills, effective feedback is essential. Due to the recent learning research, we know more about what constitutes effective feedback. Unfortunately, according to cognitive researcher, Dylan William, psychologists have found that the majority of feedback that is given to students is primarily unhelpful. To move from unhelpful to helpful feedback, teachers need to align themselves with the purpose of providing any feedback which is to move learners forward. In essence, Wiliam testifies that feedback is only useful if learning improves which depends on students being able to understand the feedback, accept it, and act on it. Giving feedback is not just technical or task-oriented. If teachers want students to proceed with action, feedback must be relational and personal and require more work for the recipient and not the teacher.
In the latest podcast episode of Learning in Mind, I speak with Teacher and Learning Specialist, Morgan Potts, about what she calls 7 Tenets of Effective Feedback. She states that any feedback given to students must begin with a positive and nurturing relationship.
7 Tenets of Effective Feedback Infographic
Learn more about Morgan Potts at Brain and Being
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Smart Vocab Practice
Neda Varner - 02/28/2021
Many can relate to teacher-assigned vocabulary word lists /or writing sentences and paragraphs using unfamiliar words. In the last twenty years, cognitive scientists have learned that creating bridges between background knowledge and unfamiliar words in your brain is the most ideal way of remembering a word and putting it to use in your everyday language and speech. In the last several years, a new EdTech tool called Membean has been developed and utilized by teachers around the nation including some of our High School, Junior High, and Upper Elementary teachers. Junior High homebase teacher, Jennifer Swift, embarked on thinking differently about her vocabulary instruction so that it aligned more closely with what we know about learning and the brain. Jennifer Swift has found that since using Membean, her students have increased exposure to words in a variety of contexts.
After students complete a pre-assessment, Membean tailors word lists for students while accounting for individual differences, unlike traditional vocabulary lists that are assigned to all students in the class. When words are unfamiliar, students choose the reinforcement and support that is personally appealing. Teachers assign students weekly practice sessions that can be divided into short, ten to fifteen-minute practice sessions followed by monthly individualized assessments in which mastered words are tested. Frequent, low-stakes opportunities for student assessment maximizes application and long-term retention. From learning words in context, studying word root trees, and mapping them to meaning, Membean provides students with multiple, diverse, and progressive ways to remember novel and relevant vocabulary words.
When Jennifer Swift polled her students about Membean, one student said, “I like that there are lots of options so that you can remember it in different ways.” A current Freshman in Tally Johnson’s English class reported that he finds that the presented vocabulary words become integrated into his everyday communication with others.