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In conjunction with our Glenlyon Norfolk School Professional Development Day in May, we are pleased to extend an invitation to a special evening presentation for parents and community members with Dr. John Medina the bestselling author of Brain Rules: 12 Rules for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School, and world-leading neuroscientist and keynote presenter. As a highlight of this annual speaker series, Dr. Medina will be in the GNS Denford Hall theatre from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2023, delivering an in-depth look at how children’s brains are affected in their home and school environments and sharing how parents and educators can use ‘12 Brain Rules’ to raise and educate happy and healthy children.
Recognized as one of the greatest neuroscientists of our time, Dr. Medina teaches at the Department of Biological Engineering of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Washington. The focus of his work is how to optimize the performance of the human brain by improving practices, interactions and environments. Whether you’re looking to maximize productivity, enhance creativity and innovation, improve learning and engagement, design brain-healthy spaces, make better hiring choices, or understand teenage behaviour, Dr. Medina unlocks solutions and explains the fascinating inner-workings of the human brain.
Faculty and staff of GNS will spend time with Dr. Medina on Friday, May 19 as part of our Professional Development Day plans and have been reading Brain Rules in advance of the visit. We sincerely hope our GNS parent community can join us in this learning for the special parent/community presentation on Thursday night. In preparation for the presentation, I will share a few articles each week relating to each of the 12 Brain Rules.
Dr. John Medina’s 12 Brain Rules:
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Exercise boosts brain power
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The human brain evolved, too
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Every brain is wired differently
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We don’t pay attention to boring things
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Repeat to remember
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Remember to repeat
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Sleep well, think well
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Stressed brains don’t learn the same way
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Stimulate more of the senses
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Vision trumps all other senses
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Male and female brains are different
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We are natural explorers
Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain powerDr. Medina’s first rule for parents is to make sure their children get enough exercise. Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive function, memory, and mood. Encourage your children to participate in physical activities they enjoy, such as sports or dance. A few related articles:
- “Exercise and the Brain: How Fitness Impacts Learning” (WGU): https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/exercise-and-brain-how-fitness-impacts-learning1801.html
- “The Case for Phys Ed: Exercise Makes Kids’ Brains More Efficient” (Time): https://time.com/3145404/exercise-makes-kids-brains-more-efficient/
- “Aerobic fitness is associated with greater white matter integrity in children” (Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 19 August 2014): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00584/full
- “The Role Of Fitness And Exercise In Education” (Oxford Learning): https://www.oxfordlearning.com/the-role-of-fitness-and-exercise-in-education/“
- Exercise can boost your memory and thinking skills” (Harvard Health Publishing): https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-can-boost-your-memory-and-thinking-skills
- “Classroom Exercise Breaks for Elementary Students” (Kids Health): https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/elementary-exercises.html
Rule #7: Sleep well, think well
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Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) – Sleep: Helping Your Children-and Yourself-Sleep Well(https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/healthy-living/healthy_sleep_for_your_baby_and_child)
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Sleep On It!: The Canadian Public Health campaign on Sleep (https://sleeponitcanada.ca/all-about-sleep/age-specific-dos-and-donts/)
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National Sleep Foundation (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/)
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Sleep and Sleep Disorders (https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/index.html)
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Mayo Clinic – Children’s sleep: How much do they need? (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/childrens-sleep/art-20044338)
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American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) – Sleep for Kids (https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/bedtime-calculator/)
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) – Sleep Research (https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sleep)
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Sleep Medicine Reviews (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/sleep-medicine-reviews)
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Journal of Sleep Research (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652869)
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Healthline: Why Do We Sleep? (https://www.healthline.com/health/why-do-we-sleep)
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Edutopia: 4 Ways to Help Students Get Better Sleep: (https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-help-students-get-better-sleep)
