Mentoring the Mind: Neuropedagogy and the Development of Critical

ThoughtElizabeth Perry, PhDRochester Institute of Technology

Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential. Bruce Lee

All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.

Albert Einstein

Today:

Introductions and opening exercise

Brief overview of the human nervous system

Human nervous system developmentIn uteroPostnatal nervous system development

Interactions between environment and post-natal development

Impact of the endocrine system and emotions on learning

Implications for pedagogy

Paper, crayons , markers and the luxury of choice!

Please takes a few pieces of paper, and some writing/drawing tools of your choice

Paper, crayons , markers and the luxury of choice!

Please takes a few pieces of paper, and some writing/drawing tools of your choice

1st -- draw something (anything!)

2nd -- write down what you think is most important in education

3rd -- think about your earliest childhood memories and (briefly) record what you can remember. Think about what made this memory salient

Introductions:

Please share your name, school/dept and (optional) what you think is most critical in creating an environment for successful learning

Elizabeth Kriscenski Perry, 1964 Connecticut

•Great at home enrichment—read before 3—yearned to go to school

•Thought K-3 was a total waste of time•Started hating school around 4th grade—couldn’t memorize the times tables•Scored really high on all standardized tests

•Had two great 7th & 8th grade teachers, started working at a strawberry farm/cider mill, and was the youngest member of a weekly radio show called “Teen Talk”•Spent summer sessions at Talcott Mountain Science Center in Avon, CT

•Won a partial scholarship to Miss Porter’s School in Farmington CT—did well in early science but was uninspired by teachers—fell in love with literature and art—

English teacher best ever in my life

•Was admitted to Brown University, Providence RI—learned to row, and had one amazing class “Ambition and Hedonism in American Culture: The Crack of Doom on the Hydrogen Jukebox”

•10+ years later went back to school for Psychology, switched back to Biology

•Went straight on for a MS and PhD in Neuroscience

•Post-doctoral fellow ship in developmental neuroscience

•Laboratory research

•Taught in an alternative high school/GED program for 15-21 year olds

•Grants officer

•Interim Head of School at a small private Montessori School

•Lecturer at RIT for 4 years—primarily in the Biomedical Sciences program, but also other bio-related programs, and General Science Exploration.

•My own next round of education (formal classes of some kind) art and /or architecture

My conclusions/assertions:

Human beings are “wired” to learn—this is one of our defining characteristics

All education should harness this natural tendency

Must begin with a real (fact-based) understanding of human development and the anatomical substrates of learning

Good education must also utilize the strong interdependence of emotion and learning

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.

Kofi Annan (Ghanaian diplomat, seventh secretary-general of the United Nations, 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.)

Questions or comments?

Speed review of the human nervous system

Warn about a couple of autopsy photos of the exposed brain

Cerebellum

http://www.anatomyatlases.org/

Ramon y Cahal drawings of silver stained PKJ neurons

Cerebellum is involved with motor learning and coordination.

Additional research has demonstrated that the CBL is also heavily involved in other learning and cognition—and has a strong role is both language skills, modulation of sensory information and emotion.

Corpus callosum

200–250 million contralateral projections

“grey matter” vs “white matter”

cingulate gyrus“sulci and gyri”

Diencephalon

Thalamus—relay to the cortex; regulation of sleep & wakefulness

Hypothalamus—contain many small nuclei with diverse function

Talk about old vs. new structures—and cortical inhibition of deeper structures

aka— “lizard brain”—road rage and alcohol

Hypothalamic Control of Appetite and Food Intake

Region Area Nucleus Function[6]

Anterior

Medial

Medial preoptic nucleus •urinary bladder contraction •Decreased heart rate •Decreased blood pressure

Supraoptic nucleus (SO) •vasopressin release

Paraventricular nucleus (PV) •oxytocin release •vasopressin release[7]

Anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AH)

•thermoregulation •panting •sweating •thyrotropin inhibition

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SC) •vasopressin release •Circadian rhythms

Lateral

Lateral preoptic nucleus

Lateral nucleus (LT) •thirst and hunger

Part of supraoptic nucleus (SO) •vasopressin release

Tuberal

Medial

Dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DM)

•GI stimulation

Ventromedial nucleus (VM) •satiety •neurendocrine control

•Arcuate nucleus (AR) neurendocrine control

Lateral Lateral nucleus (LT) •thirst and hunger

Lateral tuberal nuclei

Posterior Medial

Mammillary nuclei (part of mammillary bodies) (MB)

•feeding reflexes

Posterior nucleus (PN) •Increase blood pressure •pupillary dilation •shivering

Lateral Lateral nucleus (LT)

The hypothalamic nuclei include the following:[3][4][5]

http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Hypothalamic

“The hypothalamus is a neuroendocrine organ” Squire p.905Contains cells that bridge neuronal and endocrine definitions. Feature neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Released not at a synapse—but into the bloodstream (the portal capillary plexus).

Hypophyseal portal system

Limbic system

From Clinical Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology ed.8Gilman & Newman

Lateral ventricles

Choroid plexus—manufactures cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)

Blood supply

Blood brain barrier

Autonomic nervous system

Enteric nervous system (ENS)

From Kandel & Schwartz, Principles of Neuroscience

“The three main parts of the brain (forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain) originate as prominent swellings at the head end of the early neural tube. In human beings, the cerebral hemispheres eventually overgrow the midbrain, medulla, and pons, and also partly obscure the cerebellum…..

Assuming that the fully developed human brain contains on the order of 100 billion neurons and that virtually no new neurons are added after birth, once can calculate that neurons must be generated in the developing brain at an average rate of more than 250,000/min.”Samuel Schacher in Kandel & Schwartz

Human primary visual cortex

PRENATAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

Cell birth/division

Cell pruning

Cell migration

Rough wiring

THIS DETERMINES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF POSTNATAL CAPACITY

POST-NATAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

this is where our work is!

Myelination

Synaptogenesis

Critical Windows

There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Children are one third of our population and all of our future.

~Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, 1981

“generic” Neuron

dendrites

Myelin sheath

Nodes of Ranvier

Cell nucleus

SYN

APSE

Axonal endings

Information flow

SYN

APSE

Myelination

Cross section of an axon

Cell body of a myelinating cell

Layer upon layer of lipid membrane

Mitochondria

dendrites

Myelin sheath

Nodes of Ranvier

Cell nucleus

SYN

APSE

Axonal endings

Information flow

SYN

APSE

Synapse imagery (zebrafish)From the lab of Rita Balice-Gordon, Ph.D, U Penn

Ramon y Cahal

Rate of neuron growth (early pregnancy) = 250,000 neurons/minute

Length of spiny terminals of a Purkinje cell = 40,700 micron

Number spines on a Purkinje cell dendritic branchlet = 61,000

Surface area of cerebellar cortex = 50,000 cm2 (from G.M. Shepherd, The Synaptic Organization of the Brain, 1998, p. 255)

Weight of adult cerebellum = 150 grams (Afifi, A.K. and Bergman, R.A., Functional Neuroanatomy, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998)

Number of Purkinje cells = 15-26 million

Number of synapses made on a Purkinje cell = up to 200,000

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/facts.html

Cortical Neurons

Cortical synaptogenesis and post-natal wiring

Elaborate networks of cortical neurons & gliaencorbio.com

Total number of neurons in cerebral cortex = 10 billion (from G.M. Shepherd, The Synaptic Organization of the Brain, 1998, p. 6). However, C. Koch lists the total number of neurons in the cerebral cortex at 20 billion (Biophysics of Computation. Information Processing in Single Neurons, New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1999, page 87).

Total number of synapses in cerebral cortex = 60 trillion (yes, trillion) (from G.M. Shepherd, The Synaptic Organization of the Brain, 1998, p. 6). However, C. Koch lists the total synapses in the cerebral cortex at 240 trillion (Biophysics of Computation. Information Processing in Single Neurons, New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1999, page 87).

Percentage of total cerebral cortex volume (human): frontal lobe = 41%; temporal lobe = 22%; parietal lobe = 19%; occipital lobe = 18%. (Caviness Jr., et al. Cerebral Cortex, 8:372-384, 1998.)

Number of cortical layers = 6

Thickness of cerebral cortex = 1.5-4.5 mm

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/facts.html

Developmental Windows and Neuropedagogy

•Perinatal Period/ Early Infancy

•Late Infancy/Toddler

•Preschool

•Elementary

•Adolescence

•Early adulthood

•Middle age and late adulthood

In humans, the brain usually triples in mass/weight during the first year—not through an increase in neuronal cell number. Increase results from glial cell proliferation, myelination (and to some degree synaptogenesis).

1. Sagittal suture

2. Anterior (frontal) fontanel

3. Coronal suture

4. Frontal bones

The flat bones of the skull are separated by areas of fibrous connective tissue that provide spaces between the developing bones. These areas (called fontanels, or soft spots) permit the skull to undergo changes of shape during birth and allow for rapid growth of the brain during infancy. Ossification of the fontanels is usually complete by 24 months of age.

Figure & Legend from:http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/aplab/

During peri-natal period and early infancy the work of the new human being is establishing bonds, securing nutrition, care and protection. Also--physical growth is in the exponential part of the curve!

Developmental Windows and Neuropedagogy “To do lists”

Perinatal Period/ Early Infancy----SURVIVAL

Late Infancy/Toddler---HAVE FUN, BE LOVED, EAT & GROW, DEVELOP RUDIMENTARY COMMUNICATION

Preschool---BEGIN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BIG WORLD, BEGIN FORMING A WORLD VIEW, ACQUIRE ADVANCED LANGUAGE SKILLS

Elementary—REFINE WORLD VIEW, REFINE COMMUNICATION TOOLS, DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM

Adolescence—COMPETE FOR DOMINANCE AND ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS, DETERMINE AND DEVELOP PASSIONS

Early adulthood—DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING OF SELF AND WORLD, SPECIALIZE

Middle age and late adulthood—DEVELOP ADVANCED RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, HELP OTHERS

Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori, 1870 - 1952Born in Chiaravalle in the Province of Ancona in 1870, Maria Montessori was the first woman to practise medicine in Italy, having graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Rome in 1896. As a physician, Dr. Montessori was in touch with young children and became profoundly interested in their development.

Through careful and exhaustive scrutiny, she realized that children construct their own personalities as they interact with their environment. She also observed the manner in which they learned as they spontaneously chose and worked with the auto didactic materials she provided.

Her approach to education stemmed from a solid grounding in biology, psychiatry and anthropology . She studied children of all races and cultures in many countries around the world, soon seeing the universality of the laws of human development played out before her. She continued her observations throughout her life, widening and deepening her understanding until her death in 1952.

http://www.montessori-ami.org/

The Montessori approach offers a broad vision of education as an aid to life. It is designed to help children with their task of inner construction as they grow from childhood to maturity. It succeeds because it draws its principles from the natural development of the child. Its flexibility provides a matrix within which each individual child's inner directives freely guide the child toward wholesome growth.

Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work. The children's innate passion for learning is encouraged by giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult. Through their work, the children develop concentration and joyful self-discipline. Within a framework of order, the children progress at their own pace and rhythm, according to their individual capabilities.

Dr. Montessori, in her initial work in 1907 in San Lorenzo, observed that the younger children were intensely attracted to sensory development apparatus. The children used these materials spontaneously, independently, repeatedly and with deep concentration. They emerged from this spontaneous activity renewed and with a profound sense of inner satisfaction.

"Montessori method is based on the spontaneous activity of the child which is aroused precisely by the interest the child takes in the material."From this initial discovery, over many years of observation and trial and error, Dr. Montessori and her son Mario, went on to design an entire range of Montessori materials.

In order for the materials to be of optimum benefit they must be presented to the child at the appropriate stage in his or her development by a trained Montessori teacher. The materials then allow the child to engage in self-directed, purposeful activity. The materials are beautiful and enticing and are displayed in an orderly and accessible way.

Developmental Windows and Neuropedagogy “To do lists”

Perinatal Period/ Early Infancy----SURVIVAL

Late Infancy/Toddler---HAVE FUN, BE LOVED, EAT & GROW, DEVELOP RUDIMENTARY COMMUNICATION

Preschool---BEGIN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BIG WORLD, BEGIN FORMING A WORLD VIEW, ACQUIRE ADVANCED LANGUAGE SKILLS

Elementary—REFINE WORLD VIEW, REFINE COMMUNICATION TOOLS, DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM

Adolescence—COMPETE FOR DOMINANCE AND ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS, DETERMINE AND DEVELOP PASSIONS

Early adulthood—DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING OF SELF AND WORLD, SPECIALIZE

Middle age and late adulthood—DEVELOP ADVANCED RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, HELP OTHERS

These are cumulative!

Work with natural development

Birth – ten novel concepts

Ten forward build on existing framework, use analogy

Emotions

Recapture the perspective of learning as a privilege and luxury

EMOTION Drives Learning

Papers

Love and Fear

It all comes back to SYNAPTOGENESIS (of course!) We are constantly forming transient connections Learning occurs with stabilization of connections—formation of permanent connections, networks, associations

The structure of the micro-circuitry of the brain is based on repetition and also the strength of the stimulation

(I believe) that this is a critical role/justification of the “expense” of emotion

Emotions are the glue of the wiring of the brain

We are wired to learn from each other (supplemented by books /internet/ other environment) and the strength/nature of the relationship will determine the success or failure of the attempt.

We are wired to learn by trial and error. A system that has no room for failure is a weak one.

THANK YOU: to each of you for your time and attention

to Ms. Christy Smith, our ASL interpreter

to the entire FITL team!

to my RIT teaching mentors, guides, muses, role-models and supervisors—in particular Dr. Dick Doolittle, Dr. Gary Skuse, Dr. Sophia Maggelakis,

Prof. Heidi Miller, Prof. Nancy Valentage, Dr. Andy Langner, Dr. Cara Calvelli, Dr. Rebecca Johnson, and Dr. Laura Tubbs

All staff and faculty colleagues —committed to student success-- in particular Ms. Lynne Mazadoorian, Ms. Catherine Mahrt-Washington, Ms. Rosanne Klingler, Ms. Kelly Youngblood, Ms. Anna Fiorucci, Dr. Jim

Myers

I’ve learned so much from all of you (and many others)

What (and how!) do you think?