Rita Smilkstein's Teacher Workshops
Rita Smilkstein's interactive workshops focus on classroom/field research that shows how people naturally learn; on neuroscience research that reveals how the brain learns; and on curriculum, learning activities, and instructional strategies based on this converging research. In the second, longer workshop, participants will also have the opportunity to begin developing brain-compatible, natural-learning lessons for their own courses and will have consultation time with Dr. Smilkstein. Participants will also begin planning a faculty development program on their own campus for continuing work on their curriculum development projects.
Workshop 1: How the Brain Learns and Brain-Compatible Teaching
- How Human Beings Naturally Learn: In-Class Research
- How the Brain Learns: Neuroscience Research
- Brain-Compatible Curriculum Development
- Brain-Compatible Instructional Strategies
Two hours: Includes interactive participation.
Three hours: Includes interactive experiences with brain-compatible curricula.
Four-six hours: Includes participants developing curricula for their own courses.
Workshop 2: Developing and Teaching Brain-Compatible Curriculum
- How Human Beings Naturally Learn: In-Class Research
- How the Brain Learns: Neuroscience Research
- Brain-Compatible Curriculum Development and Instructional Strategies
- Weekly Practice in Developing Brain-Compatible Curricula and in Using Brain Compatible Instructional Strategies
- Participants develop curriculum for a unit in one of their current classes.
- Participants practice teaching their new curriculum or lesson, receive feedback from colleagues and consultant, then revise if necessary.
- In their own classrooms, participants teach their new curriculum or lesson.
- At the next workshop meeting, participants debrief, giving and receiving feedback, and, if necessary, revise their curriculum or lesson.
- If time permits, this cycle is repeated with curriculum or lesson for another unit.
Two to three hours once a week, bi-weekly, monthly, or by semester.
Number of sessions to be determined.
Workshop 3: Program or Multi-Course Curriculum and Instruction
- How human beings naturally learn, how the brain learns, and brain-compatible teaching
- Consultant works with faculty and administration to develop curriculum and instruction for multi-course sequences or programs.
Hours to be determined.
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