Chapter 3 – Key Ingredients of Learning

REFLECTION EXERCISE

Learning Leadership in Action

Working independently, with a group of colleagues, or an entire staff, use the information below to explore your learning profile. Read the indicators provided and determine areas of strengths and weaknesses for each construct. Then consider how the profile of an individual or team affects instructional decision making, learning climate, or school/district policies.

Example: A team of secondary language arts teachers individually reflect on the common indicators of strengths and discuss their insights at their next team planning period. As they review their own profile of strengths and weaknesses, they discover that everyone on the team has strengths in higher-order cognition, language, and memory. The team wonders how their strengths affect the curriculum and instructional decisions they make as a team. With new insights from the science of learning, they consider what they can do to ensure the language arts curriculum and their lesson plans meet the needs of all learners, not just those who have similar strengths.

Neurodevelopmental Constructs / Common Indicators of Strengths / Strength or Weakness?
Attention / I stick with demanding work without brain fatigue setting in.
I can keep my focus and steer clear of distractions.
I routinely control impulses, plan, take my time, and check my work.
Higher-Order Cognition / I usually understand ideas and concepts quickly and easily.
I apply logic and reasoning to most challenges.
I readily generate innovative ideas. / Strength for team
Language / I gather and understand a lot of information through words and text.
I express myself well with words, sentences, and passages. / Strength for team
Memory / I can juggle mentally lots of information and many ideas.
I readily memorize information.
People can count on me to recall important information and events. / Strength for team

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Learning Leadership in Action (continued)

Neurodevelopmental Constructs / Common Indicators of Strengths / Strength or Weakness?
Attention / I stick with demanding work without brain fatigue setting in.
I can keep my focus and steer clear of distractions.
I routinely control impulses, plan, take my time, and check my work.
Higher-Order Cognition / I usually understand ideas and concepts quickly and easily.
I apply logic and reasoning to most challenges.
I readily generate innovative ideas.
Language / I gather and understand a lot of information through words and text.
I express myself well with words, sentences, and passages.
Memory / I can juggle mentally lots of information and many ideas.
I readily memorize information.
People can count on me to recall important information and events.
Neuromotor Function / I have good control of large body movements, such as for sports or dance.
I have good control of hand movements, like for art or playing musical instruments.
Handwriting comes naturally and easily to me.
Social Cognition / I collaborate effectively in a range of settings.
I nurture positive relationships with others.
I am good at reading the mood of people and situations.
Spatial Ordering / I am drawn towards visual and graphical material.
I easily recall shapes, symbols, and images.
I work well with diagrams and maps.
Temporal-Sequential Ordering / I remember processes and work well with them.
I am comfortable following steps and sequences.
Numbered lists and sequences help keep me on track.

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