Have you ever wondered why students’ brains sometimes seem “turned off”? Perhaps your class is just before lunch or right after and you can’t seem to keep your students focused on the lesson and activity. Or, maybe you have had a particular student enter the classroom and seem restless or listless and unable to pay attention. What is causing this behavior and lack of focus on the part of the student? To help you better understand this phenomenon, let’s take a quick look at the three parts of the brain.

     First of all, the brain is layered and consists of many different parts. These make up three main sections of the brain. Leslie A. Hart, in his book Human Brain and Human Learning, called this the Triune Brain. Other researchers use other names. For our purposes however, we will continue to refer to the brain using this terminology. We are also using research done by the Institute of HeartMath (http://www.heartmath.org). Please keep in mind that the descriptions below are simplistic. This is done to help you grasp the overall concept and apply it to your classroom.

     The Triune Brain is, as the name suggests, made of three parts. The first part is the smallest and is referred to as the amygdala.  It is located at the base of the brain closest to the spinal cord. You can also think of it as the Reflex brain. This section has everything to do with hormones, hunger/thirst, heart rate, respiration, and other regulatory functions. In other words, our bodily functions are regulated by this part of the brain. When a person really has to use the restroom or is hungry, this part of the brain is used.

     The second part is located just above and around the first. The Institute of HeartMath calls this the Hindsight brain. I like to think of it as the “Feeling” brain. This part controls emotions including anger, love, fear, territoriality, and joy. This brain allows you to store memories. When a person is feeling emotions, this part of the brain is used.

     The third part is located above and around the second. It is the largest part of the brain and houses all reasoning and thinking abilities. The Institute of HeartMath calls this the Foresight brain. I like to refer to it as the “Thinking” brain. This section of the brain includes self-awareness, self-reflection, problem-solving, ability to choose behavior, and retaining information. Ultimately we want our students to use this part of their brain the most when learning.

     Leslie Hart’s research explains the workings of the Triune brain as a downshifting. I like this concept because it helps us to understand why a student may shift from focusing on the lesson and activity to thinking about something completely different. For example, according to Hart, if a student has to go to the bathroom badly or is extremely hungry and thirsty, the focus of the brain will downshift from the “Thinking” brain to the “Reflex” brain. This means that the student is no longer thinking about the lesson, assignment, or even what the teacher wants. Instead the student is focused on his or her bodily needs.

     The same thing happens (and more frequently in middle and high school) with emotions. When a student is very angry, frustrated, or even joyous, those emotions can take precedence over the thinking brain. This causes the student to be unable to focus on the lesson or task at hand. Take a minute to think about a time when you were so angry you couldn’t focus on anything else except your anger or frustration. This happens to students and causes an interruption in their learning time.

     I like to explain this idea of downshifting from one brain to another to my students. I believe it helps them better understand what is happening inside them when these instincts and emotions take control. I also believe that by understanding how the brain downshifts, my students can consciously choose actions that will help them stay in the thinking brain. I can also help my students stay in the thinking brain. Below are a few ideas you might find helpful:

·         Provide opportunities for students to use the restroom when needed. I allow students to sign out to the restroom as needed during “work” time after my direct instruction. This keeps students from interrupting me during “my” time of teaching.

·         Provide snacks and allow students to bring bottle water to class. Not every principal is keen on having food and drink available in the classroom. However, as along as you have structure and explain the consequences for abusing this privilege, students should be fine to eat a healthy snack in the classroom. Take some time to explain the purpose behind having snacks available and how you plan to keep the classroom clean.

·         Provide a place for students to calm down when angry or frustrated. I use my reading corner. Students can retreat to the beanbag and take a few minutes to calm down before rejoining the class.

·         Teach calming exercises. These include taking deep breaths, counting to ten, and imagining being in a favorite place. These calming exercises work great for test taking anxiety as well.

·         Allow students who are excited to share their news with either you or the class. Often sharing an exciting bit of news will help calm the student down.

·         Talk one on one with students who seem to be down, hurt emotionally, or need to vent. Sharing feelings can help release them.

     Take some time to explain this theory to your students so they can learn how to stay in their thinking brain. I also highly recommend that you look at the information provided by the Institute for HeartMath. They have several free pamphlets of information you can share with your students to help them better understand how the brain works and how the three parts should work together.

References:

Hart, Leslie. Human Brain and Human Learning. Longman Publishing Group. Copyright 1983.

The Institute of HeartMath. The Inside Story: Understanding the Power of Feelings: The Heart-Brain Connection. Copyright 2002.