How much thought do you put into the beginning of your lessons?  Dr. Judy Willis teaches that in order for students to learn, information must pass through several filters that are easily closed by common classroom circumstances.  For example, when we begin class with an activity that students find stressful, like a difficult warm-up problem or a quiz, their minds can become closed.  Instead of processing and analyzing new information, the students will respond to the situation with a flight/fright/freeze reaction.  We can help new information pass through the brain’s filters by first engaging a student’s curiosity and then limiting the stress in the classroom environment.   Beginning class with a funny video, music, pictures, a story, or a review game can set the tone for learning by capturing the attention of your students and then helping them to feel relaxed and safe, the preconditions for processing new information effectively.

Some days, I feel the pressure of having to accomplish too many things in too short a time.  I find myself beginning class by rushing students to settle down and getting started quickly with activities that might put my students under some stress right from the start.  After watching a video by Judy Willis I was reminded of the brain based strategies that increase student motivation and success in the classroom.  Today I began with a SMART board activity that introduced the activities in a fun way.  Using SMART notebook software gets students involved in running the lesson and keeps the lesson on track so I can cover the material more effectively.  The initial preparation of the lesson leads to a more relaxed lesson for me and subsequently for the students.  I also included a cartoon that related to the lesson and we used a game to reinforce some of the concepts.  By remembering to keep the stress low I am hoping that students will be better able to learn the concepts.  Tomorrow I am giving a test.  Will it help my students if we begin class with a short, entertaining video clip?  If students are more relaxed before the test will they be able to think more clearly as they work?  I’m not sure if anything can turn a test into a stress free experience, but if it helps students, I’m willing to give it a try!