The final neurotransmitter we want to release and increase is norepinephrine. According to Jensen (2013), norepinephrine affects many areas of the brain, such as the amygdala, which can influence where we direct attention. This means it is influenced by all of the above activities, but one thing that can encourage its release is movement. When norepinephrine is released, less distraction and focus occur. According to Jensen, the “part of the brain that processes movement is the same part that processes learning” (Jensen, 2005). Therefore, teachers should encourage students to move around. Every 10 minutes, a two-minute burst of movement like Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up; Walk, Pair, Share; or even brain break stretching, can make all the difference in releasing norepinephrine and other transmitters, thus helping students retain learning and increasing focus and engagement.
Engaging students means engaging their brains wholly with the release and increase (or decrease in some cases) of the four main neurotransmitters. The takeaway for all of us is to make sure we think brain engagement – not just student engagement – and make the most of our classes with these chemical reactions!
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References
- Burns, M. (2012). Dopamine and learning: What the brain’s reward center can teach educators. Scientific Learning. Retrieved from scilearn.com/blog/dopamine-learning-brains-reward-center-teach-educators
- Connelly, A. (2011). Tips to make your anticipatory set interesting to students. Examiner.com. Retrieved from examiner.com/article/tips-to-make-your-anticipatory-set-interesting-to-students
- Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
- Jensen, E. (2013). What brain insights can boost your student’s classroom success? jensonlearning.com. Retrieved from jensenlearning.com/news/brain-insights-boost-your-students-success/brain-based-learning
- Klem, A. M., & Connell, J. P. (2004). Relationships matter: Linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health, 74(7).
- Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Heflebower, T. (2012). The highly engaged classroom. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
- Reinisch, S. (2012). How comfortable classrooms lead to a better student community. Concordia Online Education. Retrieved from education.cu-portland.edu/blog/news/welcoming-classrooms-better-students/
- Schlechty, P. (1994). Increasing student engagement. Missouri Leadership Academy.
- Solís, A. (2008). Teaching for cognitive engagement materializing the promise of sheltered instruction. Intercultural Development Research Association. Retrieved from idra.org/idra_newsletter/april_2008_student_engagement/teaching_for_cognitive_engagement/
More About Dr. Knight:
Stephanie Knight, EdD, is an experienced 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts educator. She inspires students to think critically and creatively. With that, she loves to see her students grow in their writing with expressive flair. She, herself, continues to work on her own writing process. Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Science in Business at the University of Colorado in Boulder, her certification in K-8, 7-12, English as a second language, English, Principal, and her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Arizona State University. She taught in Title One schools for eight years helping them grow from underperforming to excelling, then in an independent school, and now is part of GCU’s adjunct faculty where she teaches graduate level education and reading courses. She continues to be committed to seeing the next generation of teachers be successful in educating our youth to a bright future.
