Students learn consciously and unconsciously, constantly. The way a learned integrates this new knowledge is shaped by their current world, and in turn this influences their future learning and the way their brain will grow and change and continue to integrate forms of learning.
The brain continues to develop our whole lives, but this development is individualized and dependent upon each person's environment and lived experience. The brain is malleable, adaptive, and constantly maturing!
Brain development and learning have a reciprocal relationship and influence each other. "Development of the brain influences behavior and learning, and in turn, learning influences brain development and brain health." (p. 67)
Teachers must understand that environment impacts learning, we must try to provide students with a supportive learning environment as well as supply them with the background knowledge needed to expand their knowledge. How students learn is heavily dependent on what they have already learned in the past, we must not assume they all have the same level of background knowledge. We must be patient with students and understand that they all have different brains with different experience levels, and try to train and support their developing brains as much as possible.
