Carla Hannaford Neurophysiologist and Educator Hannafords background Neurophysiologist

Carla Hannaford Neurophysiologist and Educator

Hannaford’s background • • • Neurophysiologist Biology teacher Tertiary teacher School counsellor Educational consultant Author

Books published • Smart Moves 1995 • The Dominance factor 1997 • Awakening the Child Heart 1999

Impact of Hannaford’s work • She has bridged the gap between education theory and practice and neuroscience ( example ADD ADHD) • She has looked into the neuroscience behind human brains and related it to stages of development from child to adult • Her science backs up observations that educational theorists have been making for years

Basic brain physiology • Reptilian brain: first filter of information asks question subconsciously” am I safe? ” • Limbic System: 2 nd filter of information asks question subconsciously ‘how do I feel about this? • Nerve links to cortex and hippocampus: ask question; ”have I done this before? • Cortex: asks final questions “ what do I think of this” and then “what do I do about it” Then it effects the motor cortex, which make the movement response. ( eg talk, etc) • Neurones: These are nerve cells that send the messages, they link through a synapse or connection. The more often a connection is made, the more a learning pathway is reinforced. • Nerve nets: these are nets of linked neurones which make a pattern eg a learning schema. The more of them, especially to the limbic system ( emotions) the more permanent the learning • Myelin: these is the substance that coats the nerves, the more of it the more permanant the pathway and learning. Movement enhances the laying down of myelin.

Movement • Research has shown that movement enhances the creation of nerve networks and the myelin coating of nerve fibres • “meaningful learning for the learner is not complete until there is some physical output. ” Hannaford (2001) p 87. • Research on learning styles has shown that most junior school children and large numbers of primary and secondary school and tertiary students are kinaesthetic learners, meaning that they learn best when they are moving (Prashinig 1995)

Experience • “We develop our neural wiring in direct response to our experiences. ” Hannaford (2001) p 17 • People’s brains are wired as a result of their experiences.

Emotions • It is believed that learning is more meaningful and more permanent when the emotions have been involved in the learning process. • “My research has persuaded me that emotion is integral to the process of reasoning. I even suspect that humanity is not suffering from a deficit in logical competence, but rather a deficit in the emotions that inform the deployment of logic. ” Domasio (1994) cited in Hannaford (2001)p 50.

Key Point on emotions • “All of our emotional/cognitive processing appears to be biochemical. How we feel about a situation triggers specific neurotransmitters. Objectively speaking, to the mind/body every experience is simply an event. The way we choose to perceive that event, coloured by our emotions, determines our response to it and our potential learning from it. ” Hannaford (2001)p 54

Stress • Instinctive : reptillian brain protects • Inhibits learning • Long term stress leads to learning disabilities • Physical outputs can relieve stress

Other factors • • Brain gym Hemisphere dominance Oxygen water nutrition Electromagnetism

Outdoor Education • • Movement Experience Emotions Reviewing myelinates nerve nets Episodic memories possible Therapeutic nature of nature A clean slate: powerful medium for rewiring brains • Connections to nature