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Build the Brain the Common Core Way

By: Pamela Nevills

Foreword by Justin Cunningham

Brain-compatible learning techniques to help you motivate and challenge your students!

Boldly take hold of the new Common Core expectations with this fresh, innovative resource full of practical tips from international educational expert Pamela Nevills. Discover the connection between neuroscience and deep learning that is key to Common Core success. Learn to:

Integrate the standards with current educational practices
Understand the science behind Common Core requirements
Master teacher-lead, student-centered 21st Century Learning activities

Includes school vignettes, sample lessons, K–12 links, and vivid brain imagery. Revolutionize your teaching and prepare students for success in school and beyond with this encouraging, easy-to-read guide!

Skillfully navigate the new Common Core expectations with this encouraging, easy-to-read guide and discover the connection between neuroscience and deep learning. Includes vignettes and K–12 links.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781483352961
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2014
Page Count: 144
Publication date: April 26, 2014

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Description

Brain-compatible learning techniques to help you motivate and challenge your students!

Boldly take hold of the new Common Core expectations with this fresh, innovative resource full of practical tips from international educational expert Pamela Nevills. Find out what’s new, what’s expected, and how understanding the connection between neuroscience and deep learning is the key to Common Core success.

Nevills provides cutting-edge, easy to implement ideas that beg to be used immediately. Learn to:

Skillfully integrate the standards with current educational practices
Understand the science behind Common Core requirements
Plan innovative and creative activities to help students learn about learning
Master teacher-lead, student-centered 21st Century Learning activities

Includes school vignettes, sample lessons, K–12 links, and vivid brain imagery that diagram how deep learning happens. Revolutionize your teaching and prepare students for success in school and beyond with this encouraging, easy-to-read guide!

“Build the Brain the Common Core Way is an outstanding resource for teachers who are implementing our new standards. It provides practical examples that demonstrate how to turn the classroom into a student-centered learning environment where high expectations abound, fostering higher levels of student achievement.”
—Melissa Miller, Science/History Instructor
Randall G. Lynch Middle School, Farmington, AR

“There are examples not only of ways to integrate brain-based pedagogy and the Common Core Standards, but also examples from across disciplines. The author doesn't just focus on one area of expertise, but integrates core and elective curriculum into the fabric of each chapter.”
—Deanna Brunlinger, Science Teacher
Elkhorn Area High School, WI

Author(s)

Pamela Nevills

Pamela Nevills is first and foremost a teacher of children and adults. Her passion for teaching includes a full range of educator experiences from teaching in the primary grades, to teaching middle and high school, to being a teacher supervisor and instructor in university undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. She participates in local, state, and national educational committees in the area of special education. As a two-time member of the instructional textbook selection committee for reading in the state of California, she brings expert knowledge of how children learn to read, and the materials teachers can use to follow the science of reading.

Her passion for the cognitive and neurological aspects of reading stems from interactions with Dr. Pat Wolfe. Nevills is a national and international speaker and consultant on topics that include reading standards according to the Common Core; brain development from infancy to adulthood; all aspects of cognitive, neurological involvement for reading; and school management and design for teaching reading. Writing became a part of Nevills’s work as she published for newsletters, the state of California, the Journal of Staff Development, and Corwin. Her involvement also includes research and studies for church organizations and an advisory board position for preschool.

To contact Pamela Nevills, please email panevills@earthlink.net..

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Teaching Can Be Like This

Different Expectations

Real School Examples

School Organization and Student Learning

Another Strong Example

A Brilliant Time to be in Education

2. Teaching that Looks Different

Common Core - What is so New?

Prepare Teachers

How Teachers Learn to Do What They Do

Learning to Learn

School Revolution Supported by Brain Science

Premium School Practices

The Traditional Lesson Plan

A New Lesson Plan Design

A Different Teacher Evaluation

Trying Something Different

It Matters How Students Feel about School

3. The Common Core Explained in Common Terms

Neuroscience Provides Answers

Some Basic Information

Know the Players

Look at Assessments

Common Core Assessment Designers

Other Organizations Have Their Say

Deeper Learning Defined

Next-Generation Assessments and Bloom's Taxonomy

The Common Core Standards in Common Language

Common Core for Literacy

Deeper Learning for ELA

What Literacy Standards do not Address

Common Core for Mathematics

Next Generation Science Standards

More Scientists, Engineers, and Mathematicians Needed

Questionable Reviews for NGSS

What is Still Needed?

4. How Learning Happens

Learning About Learning

Basic Brain Structures

The Site of Working Memory

The Sensory Input Systems

Filtering Systems

Neuroplasticity

Stimulating Classrooms

Memory Systems

Procedural Memory

Semantic Memory

Other Memory and Drill Practices

Deep Learning and Inner Connectivity

5. So Many Ways to Learn: What Teachers are Doing

A Bold Approach to Lesson Planning

Planning Questions

6. So Many Ways to Learn: What Students Do

Build in Brain Practices

Experience Concentrating

The Brain - A Pattern Seeking Organ

Rhyming, Rhythms, and Chants

Thinking Maps

Expanding Questions

Leading and Guiding Questions

Self Monitoring and Metacognition

A Study and Practice Episode

Thinking with the Brains CEO

Developing Critical Thinkers

Critical Thinking Skill Development through Metacognition

Use of Media Technology

One Last Useful Idea

7. Powerful Staff Development for Adult Learners

Staff Development, As Usual

Lost Impact from Training

Look to Teachers first

Research and Professional Development

Core Professional Development Practices

Staff Development, Responding to the Common Core

Teachers as Learners

Teachers as Leaders among their Peers

Teachers as Leaders for Student Learning

Close the Gap

8. Systems Change

Education Valued

Learning is Performance

Leadership and Student Learning

Soft, Definite Systems Change

What Districts are Doing

Focus on Student Learning

Include all Stakeholders

District Roadmap of Support

Social Relationships and Educational Change

Support Resources

Still to be Resolved

Problems and Answers

9. Explain the Learning Brain

References

Reviews

"Here's where teachers go to get the real information about how the common core will change the classroom. Lesson plans, evaluations, classroom environment, and understanding how neuroscience all play a part in this revolutionary educational change."

Amanda McKee, High School Mathematics Instructor
Johnsonville High School, Johnsonville, SC

"Build the Brain – learning the common core way is an outstanding resource for teachers who are implementing our new standards. It provides practical examples of turning your classroom into a student-centered learning environment where high expectations abound, fostering higher levels of student achievement."

Melissa Miller, Science/History Instructor
Randall G Lynch Middle School, Farmington, AR

"There are not only examples of ways to integrate brain based pedagogy and the common core standards, but examples from across disciplines. The author doesn't just focus on her area of expertise, but integrates core and elective curriculum into the fabric of each chapter."

Deanna Brunlinger, NBCT Science Teacher, Department Chair
Elkhorn Area High School, Elkhorn, WI

Other Titles in: Teaching Methods & Learning Styles | Brain-Friendly Teaching & Learning

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Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.