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My Educational Playground: By Antoinette Sisco

Submitted by Antoinette Sisco on Tue, 07/07/2009 - 2:01pm

Brain and Behavior

This page serves a brief introduction to me, and a topic that is near and dear to my heart, as a special education teacher, Multiple Intelligences. I am currently a teacher in the Marshall County School District, in Northern Alabama. As a returning student /learner for the Brain and Behavior Institute, I have previously seen, and experienced the benefit of this interactive, synergistic, emergent, dynamic learning environment.

The Multiple Intelligences ideology has fascinated me for over a decade. My interests in neuroanatomy and how the brain constantly changes as new pathways are formed and reformed, has a direct impact on my teaching philosophy and pedagogy.

As with me, a work in progress, please be patient with this learning tool. I am hoping that it will be a place to begin discussion and be useful to others as well as myself.

I believe that education continues to propagate a myth that gifted students and special education students learn differently, and all regular education students learn the same way. As my understanding of neuroanatomy continues to change….

I have had multiple exposures to the Brain and Behavior institute, each time I learn new information. Like an artistic masterpiece, each time I am exposed to the institute, I experience many changes. During my first exposure many of the concepts were new; I was a novice in the materials, the emergent process, the Serendip web site and many other aspects of the Institute. At the time, I was only semi-comfortable with my unknown-unknowns. Possibly like a rough sketch, I began making new neurological pathways, albeit unfinished. My expectation was that I would be able to have a degree of mastery of the materials. I added to my body of knowledge and added a conceptual framework for a new type of learning. I left equipped not only to make connections to my class, but also able to understand better the brain and brain trauma, and the relation to education.

Interactions from year one: I had utilized the web page I created in my classroom. The former traveling physics science program had come to my school. The students were very excited about the program. I also learned information about the brain, which was and continues to be important for my understanding for brain trauma.

During year two, my second exposure, I felt more comfortable with being uncomfortable. I knew that I was not going to be able to master all of the relevant information. I expected to leave someday with my mind having been so expanded that I would be unable to produce any output. I also knew that I was in the process of changing on a daily, almost moment by moment. I had utilized the web page I created in my classroom.

The reason I call this my playground, is that it I have so much fun while here, and I am hoping to give thought provoking interactive information. Please let me know what you think, and if it is helpful to you.

Some personal experiences: