Brain-based Learning for Preschoolers

Abstract

The nineties have been called the Decade of the Brain and the Decade of Education. Because of new technology we know more about the function of the brain than ever before. We now know that, in an enriched environment where a person is actively engaged with their surroundings, the cortex of their brain actually increases. Because a thicker brain cortex produces smarter lab animals, scientists have drawn the inference that the same is true for humans (Jacobs, Schall, Scheibel, 1993). The science of deliberate enrichment, to stimulate the student’s development, is called “brain-based education.” For the preschool child there are fundamentally basic elements that must be a part of their education. These are: helping the preschooler make sense of their world; helping them feel safe and secure; teaching them that learning is fun; and empowering them with a thirst for knowledge that lasts a lifetime. A preschool classroom and environment that uses brain-based education techniques can achieve these elements.