Author Archives: Karen Boyes

Visual arts are an important part of brain based education. They can enhance cognition, emotional expression, perception, cultural awareness, and aesthetics. Visual arts also play a significant role in the learning process. The visual arts are a universal language, which … Continue reading →

In effective classrooms, according to Jay McTighe and Carol Ann Tomlinson, teachers consistently attend to at least four elements; whom they teach, where they teach, what they teach, and how they teach. They continue to say, “If teachers lose sight … Continue reading →

Movement affects the brain in many ways and most of the brain is active during physical activity. The old adage that we only use 5 -10% of our brain is out of date. Chief neurologist of the Human Motor Control … Continue reading →

Far too many people study harder rather than smarter and end up burning out. Sitting and passing exams is supposed to get you ahead in life – not make you tense and a nervous wreck. With simple and effective techniques … Continue reading →

Kids learn and think differently to you and I, Canadian Ian Jukes told teachers at a recent conference in New Zealand. He stated, “If we were to take an electronic scan of our parents’ brain and compare them to ours, … Continue reading →

Communication starts and finishes at the brain. But how much do we know about how this amazing organ works? Imagine if you were given a car, the keys, and some gasoline, but you had no idea what to do with … Continue reading →

Listening is the beginning of understanding. Stephen Covey, in his book, 7 Habits For Highly Effective People, states “highly effective people spend an inordinate amount of time and energy listening.” It is estimated that we spend 55% of our time … Continue reading →

In Art Costa’s book Learning and Leading with Habits Of Mind he suggests intelligent people gather data for evaluation, problem solving and learning, using many of their senses – not just one. When faced with problems to solve, it is … Continue reading →

Developing positive self esteem is crucial for success in the 21st century. I recently overheard a teacher say, “We have finished our self-esteem unit, what’s next?” Self Esteem isn’t a topic – it is what you teach and develop every … Continue reading →

Humans have an inborn disposition to explore and experiment and therefore learn. We are designed to derive meaning from experience and to learn by trial and error. It is important to let children learn from experience rather than stop them … Continue reading →