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Getting Students Ready to Learn

Did you know that what your kids eat, in addition to the outside stimulation you feed them, affects how they do in school?
Updated: December 1, 2022

Working Together

Brought to FEN by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

By Eric Jensen

It's common to hear experienced teachers talk about "how kids used to be." But are children's brains really any different today than they were 30 or 40 years ago? We don't know for sure. No one has saved a variety of brains to compare, and today's technology was unavailable back then.

Interestingly, however, there is some evidence that children today really are less prepared for school than they were one or two generations ago. Therefore, schools, educators, and parents must work together to ensure that all of our children are ready for learning each day.

Adapted from Jensen, E. (1998); "Getting Students Ready to Learn", in Teaching with the Brain in Mind (pp. 17-28). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

About the Author
Eric Jensen is a former teacher and current member of the International Society of Neuroscience. Jensen has taught students of all ages, from children in elementary school to young adults in university-level courses. In 1981, Jensen cofounded SuperCamp, the nation's first and largest brain-compatible learning program for teens, now with more than 20,000 graduates. He is the author of Student Success Secrets, Brain-Based Learning, Brain-Compatible Strategies, The Learning Brain, and SuperTeaching. Jensen can be reached, via email, at jlcbrain@connectnet.com.

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