McLean teachers have begun to incorporate Mind, Brain and Education Science (MBES) in classrooms. The staff hopes that integration of new study techniques into curriculums will help students learn more effectively.
“Mind, Brain and Education Science refers to learning about how our brains work so that teachers and students can become more effective,” school-based technology specialist Bridget Donoghue said.
To implement it in classes, the school has been hosting MBES-focused professional development sessions for teachers centering on the science behind the teaching and learning strategies.
“[MBES] is something that a lot of our teachers have studied and believe in, but the movement towards training teachers officially started last year,” Donoghue said.
These developmental sessions for teachers help them to effectively prioritize science-based techniques in the classroom.
“I take [MBES] into consideration when reflecting on lessons and test results to see what I could have done better to improve an area of learning,” math teacher Margo Nye said. “We know more about how the adolescent brain works than ever before, so it’s important for us to use the information while teaching.”
The goal is to educate students about optimal ways of learning that are backed by a combination of psychology and neuroscience. Currently, the main three strategies being taught include the Pomodoro Technique, recall and retrieve techniques and mnemonic devices.
“The techniques are about students planning out their time and making a study plan that works for them,” Donoghue said. “We want to show them that there are new ways to be more effective at learning.”
Throughout McLean, these techniques have already started to make an impact. Jennifer Choumil’s Human Anatomy and Physiology class routinely uses MBES techniques. Specifically, Choumil employs the recall and retrieval technique, which has students actively recall information rather than passively reviewing content.
“When we do activities in class to recall material, I focus on having the students look at the information in a different way than they initially learned it,” Choumil said. “Through that, stronger neural connections are formed, and they remember the material for longer.”
Choumil has her students learn and review material in a variety of ways, such as matching activities and drawing.
“With a class that is so literal and physical, the techniques within [MBES] help implement different ways of thinking,” Choumil said.
Another method, the Pomodoro Technique, involves working in focused 25-minute intervals followed by short breaks.Students reported improvements in their productivity and ability to concentrate when they used the method.
“I like doing the Pomodoro Technique in class since I get a lot of work done and can focus well,” sophomore Divya Isukapalli said. “It’s the perfect way for me to get my work done.”
The ultimate goal of MBES is to provide students with a variety of resources and learning strategies they can build on beyond the classroom.
“With MBES, students will have a menu of study options and tricks to pull from when they’re stuck,” AP Psychology teacher Meghan Percival said.
The techniques allow students to control their own learning, giving them motivation and opportunities to personalize their own studying.
“When there’s something you really want to learn and want to do it in the most efficient way possible, having options is your best bet,” Percival said. “Students won’t feel helpless and believe there’s nothing they can do to learn the material.”