Monday's Professional Day brought Gessner Geyer, President of Brainergy (Cambridge, MA) to the Meeting House for a most successful program (we've had some doozies in the past) on the miracles of brain function, adolescence and optimal learning environments. The program reviews major advances in cognitive research. Some of it is highly insightful: typically, people don't strive for academic excellence to earn overt praise and high grades; we work because the brain is naturally satisfied when it is challenged, adapting, making connections and growing. Other research is not surprising for experienced teachers: teenagers like practical, frequent feedback as individuals, but love working in collaboration with peers.

In fact, Gessner provided data from an extensive study that demonstrated a whole set of preferences for teenagers. To simplify, they love doing stuff and being active together!

A student of Russian history, a musician, holder of degrees from Columbia and Harvard (two Masters), former syndicated TV talk show host, and Teaching Fellow at Harvard, Mr. Geyer scored points in some circles by refering to four Chuck's Corners during his presentation. Getting back to the brain: it naturally thrives when liberated from "awfulizing thoughts" and benefits from both bodily exercise (including yoga) and quieting, self-revealing meditation. Below, Raf and Jon take a moment out of geometry class to focus on their breathing:

Research proves that context means everything in successful education. A teacher's greatest accomplishment is not presenting reams of data in orderly fashion; rather, it is communicating one's passion for the subject area, so that students strive to satisfy the brain's craving for new experience and novel insight. "Neuro-plasticity," Gessner's personal area of expertise is this: electro-chemical pathways within the brain--indeed, whole sections of lobes--grow stronger through use and work! Environment shapes the brain! Nothing surpasses immediate experience as a teacher. This is demonstrated best through whole-person education, like--say--Mountain Classroom (which left yesterday for a dynamic, educational tour of the Southwest.)