Review of "From Frustrating Forgetfulness to Fabulous Forethought" by M. Hall and G. Brier.

Hall, M. and Brier, G., (2007) From Frustrating Forgetfulness to Fabulous Forethought: Current research on the adolescent brain may provide insight on how to create a more fruitful learning environment. The Science Teacher, 74(1), 24-27.

Review

The article begins with a brief discussion of some typical student behaviors such as forgetfulness and focus, and then launches into a summary of some recent research on brain development, particularly that of the development of the adolescent brain in the regions of the pre-frontal lobe, the cerebellum and limbic cortex. They then discuss some of the processes during this phase of life, particularly that of myelination, or the development of myelin around the axons that guide neurotransmitter processing. It is also during this discussion that they mention various aspects of adolescent behavior that are related to these developments, particularly that of the development of organizational abilities (pre-frontal cortex), motor control and the understanding of social cues (cerebellum) and emotional stability (limbic cortex). The article then launches into a discussion of various useful tools and techniques meant to help encourage the development of these various regions of the brain, such as firm due dates, negative consequences and student developed organization of tasks to aid in the development of the pre-frontal cortex, varied in class activities (visual aids, kinesthetic hands on activities, etc…) and types of organizers to help remind students of the structure and timing of the class (pre-frontal cortex and cerebellum), allowing students to personalize their learning process to create emotional context to the educations(limbic system). The article ends with a discussion of what the teacher can do to help engage their students with examples such as demonstrate emotional neutrality, providing choices, varying instruction and holding mini-conferences to assess student development and advancement, helpful suggestions all.
I found the article to be helpful and informative as a teacher. Had I not known anything about neuroscience and adolescent behavior the article would have been an excellent introduction to the subject. While some of the information would go over the head of non-science teachers the writing was contemporary and easily understood by the layman. In giving specific techniques the article shined. It gave may helpful ideas and suggestions that could be easily used in class to make both the teacher and the students lives easier, such as color coordinated papers and daily rosters of activities. The only criticism I might have is that I would have liked a discussion of the linking process between the activities and the brain development, even if in footnotes, but must admit that would probably have put the article into the realm of the scientists rather than the teacher so do not begrudge its absence, at least a good bibliography was provided so such activities could be undertake if you are so inclined. Fortunately the authors do stress that the teacher should remain emotionally neutral in regards to their student but passionate about the subject and try to encourage such passions in the students. All too often the concept of emotional neutrality is taken to such an extreme that a dry intellectual approach to subject matter can bore students and teacher alike. Interestingly, I found one note, mentioned merely as a illustration of adolescent behavior in the article to be most illuminating, the authors tell of how the teacher was teaching the class about the development of the pre-frontal cortex and how it does not full mature until around the age of 25, to which a student responded that he was happy to know that all this organization would become easy one day. Actually teaching students about the process rather than using it, as a tool of manipulation via psychology is probably one of the best tools we have these days. Sharing this information with the students so they can come to realize what they are going through as much as possible so as to become more integrated in the learning process itself may be one of the best techniques we discover as a result of these discoveries. Should such information not be shared with those actually going through the process itself even if they are not ready for the full study of neurochemistry itself? This author thinks so.