by MR+G

Stuff our Brain loves to pay attention to: have you ever thought about what your brain wants? Try an experiment today: as you go about your business, try to become aware of what you like to pay attention to. As you walk down the street, or through the mall, or as you surf the internet – what things make you stop and pay attention?

Early in the morning, one of the best ways to get my FULL attention is to let me hear coffee brewing – or better yet: smell it. Bam! Instant focus.

One of the best commercials I’ve ever experienced was a Coke commercial in a movie theatre. Imagine this with me: crowded theatre. The room dims to black. Everything – screen and all. The crowd quiets as they eagerly expect the movie to start -and then the commercial begins.  All is still black – but you begin to hear something. A kitchen cupboard opens, and a glass is set on the counter. You hear a “clink, clink, clink” as ice is dropped into the glass. (My brain instantly starts reminding me that I didn’t buy something to drink.) A second or two later, you hear the swooshing sound of a soft drink being opened….and then the worst: the glug glugging and fizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz of the glass being filled – and then a simple Coke logo appears. That’s it.

Remember: the room is all in black. You see nothing – but thanks to the sounds, you’re completely engrossed in the experience. The only thing that kept me from jumping up to go grab a Coke after the commercial was over was the fact that I hadn’t taken extra cash along.

I normally am not a Coke drinker. But that commercial sure lured me into wanting one.  When was the last time you tried to lure your students into your lesson?

I borrow again from the will power article from yesterday:

… after a long day at the office, we’re more likely to indulge in a pint of ice cream, or eat one too many slices of leftover pizza. (In fact, one study by researchers at the University of Michigan found that just walking down a crowded city street was enough to reduce measures of self-control, as all the stimuli stressed out the cortex.) A tired brain, preoccupied with its problems, is going to struggle to resist what it wants, even when what it wants isn’t what we need. (Blame it on the brain. By Jonah Lehrer)

My point: The brain wants stuff. What would happen if teachers took that into account when they were planning their lessons? Design to appeal to what student brains want – but carefully and skillfully insert what they need.  That way you’ll have complete attention of the brain, while covering necessary course content.  What do you think?