The Functions of Two Structures of The Brain That Are Important in My Classroom

 

The Functions of Two Structures of The Brain That Are Important in My Classroom

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

The brain is considered to be the complex organ that manages the entire activity of a human being. It not only controls human thought, emotion, vision, memory, and touch but also controls breathing, body temperature, motor skills, and the regulations of the functioning of our body (Hopkins, 2022). I, as a teacher, should never end up saying that my students are of the same age and they possess the same learning capacity. The brain of an individual matures at different rates and its maturation has a direct impact on the learning readiness of any learner (Clikeman, 2010). Understanding every structure of the brain along with its function is not an easy task. Table 2.1 Key functions of areas of the brain (Schunk text, p 38), summarize 14 major brain structures and their respective functions. In this discussion, I will be discussing two important structures as “cerebral cortex” and the “frontal lobe” on how these structures are important in my classroom for learning effectiveness.

The Cerebral Cortex

The functions of the cerebral cortex are important because it is connected with the process of higher-order function related to students’ thoughts and actions (NBIA, 2022). It is essential especially during my literature classes because it enables students to become unique in their own way with higher mental capabilities in the classroom. While studying literature, during their research learning they are to research on certain literature eras, compare and contrast the information from the text, and then derive new knowledge out of their analysis. It also demands them to create good reasoning with a better command of the language. This function would enable them to process the information with higher-order thinking and can enable them to be conscious of what they are learning with better perception, understanding, sensation, and imagination.

The Frontal Lobe

The other one is the functions of the frontal lobe which is essential. It is important in my classroom because this function of the brain helps me manage any emotional or behavioral aspects in the classroom, which is essential as per the demands of our curriculum. I can help students understand social situations right from classroom activities. They can learn to act socially in an appropriate manner eventually when they complete their studies. Moreover, its function enables students to be more cognitive in the decision-making process which demands them to think critically and consciously to be better problem solvers (Mcleod, 2021) while studying and analyzing the literature. During my literature classes, students are deeply engaged in a proper decision-making process whereby they select the relevant information from the resources they use on the internet. Students collaborate and work whereby they get both the cognitive and social skills for their future usage.

How they influence my Teaching Approach, Choice of Delivery, and Classroom Management

These structures greatly influence my teaching approach, choice of delivery, and classroom management because I frequently engage my students to work in groups making them collaborate through research and discussion, do the presentation of their work, and finally publish their work in the form of final copy through well-structured monitoring of the class by the teacher. During their learning, they are encouraged to plan and organize their task well, process sensory information to make sense, process their language usage to determine their intelligence and competence, and finally align their own personality for effective learning outcomes to happen (Mcleod, 2021). Even my lesson delivery is based on interaction variation through advanced questioning where this structure is necessary and used widely during the literature classes. Engaging students through such activities helps them remember the process they have followed from the simple classroom activity to the lifelong plans with a better orientation and gain social understanding and skills (Jawabri and Sharma, 2021). 

 

References

Clikeman, M. S. (2010). Research in Brain Function and Learning. https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/brain-function

Hopkins, J. (2022). Brain Anatomy and How the Brain Works. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-of-the-brain#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20brain%3F,central%20nervous%20system%2C%20or%20CNS.

Jawabri, K. H., & Sharma, S. (2021). Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538496/

Mcleod, S. (2021). What Does the Brain's Cerebral Cortex Do? https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-the-cerebral-cortex.html#:~:text=The%20cerebral%20cortex%2C%20which%20is,reasoning%2C%20language%2C%20and%20memory.

NBIA. (2022). Brain Structure and Function. https://www.nbia.ca/brain-structure-function/