Brain Basics: Structures and Functions
Go to "Upstairs/Downstairs Brain" for a student-friendly version of brain structures and functions
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Exterior Brain: Primary Parts and Functions
What all educators need to know: The frontal lobes compromise the rational and executive control of the brain, monitor higher-order thinking, direct problem-solving, and regulate the excesses of the emotional system. It is also the last area of the brain to mature and therefore, not full operational in adolescence and teen years.
Interior Brain: Three Primary Parts and Functions
2. The Limbic Region: This is often called the "Mammalian Brain" or the "Emotional Brain." This part of the brain helps us manage emotions, remember, and learn from experience. The limbic region helps us remember experiences as pleasant and rewarding or threatening and punishing and will store this information for future encounters. Within the limbic system, information that passes through the RAS first goes to the thalamus (expect smell) and then is directed to other parts of the brain. The hippocampus then processes and stores information using short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory (this is discussed in the section "How the Brain Process Information." Finally, the amygdala plays a key role in survival and is responsible for the "fight or flight" response in humans. When the amygdala detects any threat (even if the situation is not truly life threatening), the amygdala sends a signal that stops all cognition (problem-solving, reasoning, creativity) and focus only on survival. This is why typical duties and responsibilities become very difficult when our brains detect stress.
Click on the video to the right to understand how to use your hands to learn how the brain works (in 5 minutes)-->
1.The Repitilian or Lizard Brain: This is the oldest part of our brain and is responsible for reacting (not thinking) and therefore, helps to keep us alive. This part of the brain houses the reticular activating system (RAS) which is connected to all of our senses except smell and constantly decides which information is "allowed in" to the brain and which is information is "blocked." The RAS is like a bouncer at a nightclub; it makes sure that the brain does not get overloaded with more information than it can handle. Because the RAS dictates what to pay attention to and what to ignore, it is important for us to know how to get the RAS to "pay attention" since it directs a learner to a task.
3. The Neocortex Region: This is the newest layer of our brain and it is where we build out intellective capacity. However, information must first get past the RAS and the amygdala before it can be used for learning and stored in the neocortex. This concept is critical to understanding how the brain learns and therefore, critical to brain-friendly teaching and learning practices. The neocortex is home to executive functioning as well as sensory perception, spatial reasoning, conscious thought, complex language processing, social and emotional processing, and learning processing.
Putting it All Together
Putting it All Together
This graphic from Zaretta Hammond (Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain, 2015) shows how the three parts of the interior brain work together. The hippocampus is where learning happens however, the Reticular Activating System (RAS) and Amygdala either promote learning or prevent learning based on what the brains perceives in its environment or stress signals being sent.
Brain Research
Brain Research
Much of what we know about the brain and how the brain learns is based on brain research, which relies on technologies such as Functional Magnetic Resonance Imagining (fMRI) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (fMRS).
Some important research findings:
The human brains continually reorganizes itself on the basis of input. This is called neuroplasticity, which is most rapid in younger brains. Experiences at home and school at an early age have a significant impact on how the brain learns as we get older.
Our brains are not good at "multitasking" and attempts at multitasking often lead to inefficiency and poor work quality.
Emotions significantly affect learning, memory, and recall.
Movement and exercise likely improve mood, increase brain mass, and enhance cognitive processing.
Circadian rhythms explain why teaching and learning can be more difficult at certain times of the day.
Both sleep deprivation and stress have negative impacts on learning and memory.
A school's social and cultural climate affect teaching and learning.
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