I recently saw a short video titled “Our Emerging Future” which reiterates the idea that we have reached a tipping point in education requiring a shift or pivot in how schools should operate. (See also Reaching a Tipping Point in the Information Age). This video along with our district’s new strategic vision, which basically emphasizes a shift in our school culture from one that is focused on curriculum delivery to a culture centered around designing environments that prepare young learners for life, has me thinking a lot about “culture” this week.
Culture is the total way of life of particular groups of people. As stated by Robert Kohl, the different behaviors of a people or a culture make sense only when seen through the basic beliefs, assumptions and values of that particular group. Keeping this in mind and the fact that our brain makes sense of the world based on the cultures in which it is immersed, it is safe to say that schools have created a culture that includes behaviors emphasizing the importance of the transfer of information from adults to young people (curriculum transfer). It is therefore only natural to expect that a shift or change to that culture would be met with some trepidation. “There are two fundamental things that brains want: to be safe and happy” (Zull, 2002, p.49) and a shift in culture has the potential to upset each of these things which could lead to an amygdala hijacking.
As a quick reminder, the brain is composed of three basic regions that are layered on top of each other. The most primitive and inner-most layer is the reptilian region (brainstem & cerebellum) which is basically designed to keep us alive. The middle layer is the limbic region or the emotional part of our brain which “helps us to learn from experience, manage our emotions, and remember” (Hammond, 2015, p. 38). Finally, the outermost layer, or neocortex region, is where executive function takes place and is often considered the control center of the brain. It is in the limbic region, which includes the amygdala, that is basically responsible for our fight or flight response and is therefore the most sensitive to “threats” that might arise due to a change in culture. There are five basic “social interaction elements” we might see in the classroom culture that are “programmed to trigger” the amygdala. These triggers, when activated, create fear leading to an amygdala hijacking which will disrupt the ability for the brain to learn. If we, as educators, can take into account these “triggers” when designing lessons and creating our classroom environments, we can take advantage of this evolutionary hardwiring in the brain and create environments that promote learning.
Below is a chart which summarizes the connection between the social interaction elements found in schools which could lead to threats or fears that undermine learning and the design specifications to consider when creating learning environments to counter these threats.
SOCIAL INTERACTION ELEMENTS THAT ACTIVATE THREATS & THE ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE CAN DESIGN TO COUNTER THE THREAT
If we design learning environments using the five specifications mentioned, we will be able to capitalize on the brain’s natural way of working. These environments will keep the brain safe and happy which will prevent the amygdala from hijacking the brain and instead lead to opportunities for learning. These new opportunities, will lead to a different set of beliefs, assumptions and values (i.e. culture) in the classroom which will be focused on empowering young people to be learners who are prepared for life. (Aurora Learners-Future Ready)
References
Hammond, Zaretta (2015). Culturally Responsive Teaching & The Brain.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Publishing.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Publishing.
Zull, James (2002). The Art of Changing the Brain. Sterling VA: Solution Tree
Press.Stylus Publishing.
Press.Stylus Publishing.
I heard a talk this weekend at the GAMES conference by Dr. Matthew Deever whose work focuses on maximizing the human potential. His work aligns with Zaretta Hammond's findings as
ReplyDeletewell, looking at how our sense of identity, which is formed through ability(our drive to learn), belonging(our need for connection), and control(our need for freedom and choice) together create our capacity to persist. Persistence as we know is key to learning. Some of the ways we can cultivate this persistence paradigm is to make our learning environment feel safe, reducing fight, flight, or freeze; grow the collective, creating shared goals and experiences(strategic vision comes to mind), and "keep the clay wet" by valuing identities and cultivating a culture of learning and reflection. As an artist molds and transforms wet clay on a potter's wheel, putting gentle pressure to form different shapes and if the artist wants to change the form, they can ball up the clay and begin again or turn it into something else. However if the clay dries, it is in a fixed form, it is dry, brittle, and can shatter or crack. It can no longer be transformed. When we as learners "keep the clay wet",; We can withstand challenges, we are always in the act of becoming." If we always see ourselves in a transformative state, we do not fixate on failures of the past, we are not afraid to see with new eyes, we are not threatened by change and new perspective, we are fully embracing the process of learning.
Love your reflection Cara. I especially like the "wet clay" analogy and the fact that a little pressure is required to shape a pot. This pressure should be enough to help us operate within that zone of proximal development (i.e. productive struggle). However, just like too much pressure can collapse a pot, we need to be sure there is not so much to overwhelm or discourage both young and adult learners.
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