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Programs: Brain Compatible Education (BCE)

How We Learn

Our brains are designed to learn. Humans – especially the young – are sponges for knowledge and experiences. As these are taken in, the brain literally rewires itself to connect and integrate them into its “neural network”.

The process of learning begins with some sort of stimulation. It could be internal (a brainstorm or epiphany!) or a new experience, like solving a puzzle or scaling a rock face. The brain then processes the stimulus, and connects it with other stored stimuli to form memory. The next time that memory is accessed, it will likely be richer and more efficient.

As we repeat earlier learning, our neural pathways become stronger and more clearly defined. As we develop this capacity, we need less brain energy to complete it – we become smarter. The flip side, however, is that the brain quickly becomes “used to it”, and may not pay full attention. To light the brain up and bring its full capacity online, we need new stimuli – especially those that engage the emotions, because emotion excites attention and attention drives learning.

This is why our curriculum is designed to balance memory reinforcing “exercise” with continuously introduced stimuli that excite the brain – why we may be on a ropes course one week, on a block schedule the next week, and out collecting marine specimens the next. It’s also why students may design structures using geometry in one class, play chess in the next, and perform Shakespeare the next. And, of course, it’s a major reason we “stress” student brains with powerful experiences traveling and performing service in the developing world.