When a Neurologist becomes a classroom teacher, Brain Learning Research promotes teaching strategies.
This website features the insights, publications, and presentation schedules pertaining to parent and teacher strategies to ignite student learning.
Dr. Judy Willis, a board-certified neurologist in Santa Barbara, California, has combined her 15 years as a practicing adult and child neurologist with her teacher education training and years of classroom experience. After five years teaching at Santa Barbara Middle School, and ten years of classroom teaching all together, this year Dr. Willis reluctantly left teaching middle school students and dedicated herself full-time to teaching educators. With an adjunct faculty position at the University of California, Santa Barbara graduate school of education, Dr. Willis travels nationally and internationally giving presentations, workshops, and consulting while continuing to write books for parents and educators. She is an authority in the field of learning-centered brain research and classroom strategies derived from this research.
Her articles about the neurology of learning have been published in her six books and numerous educational journals. Dr. Willis is a speaker at national and international professional educator conferences.
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This website is named for Dr. Willis' emphasis on teaching practices that engage the heart and mind to challenge all students to their highest potentials. The letters represent parts of the neural system particularly active in learning and memory:
Reach (Reticular Activating System,)
Attitude (Amygdala )
Develop (Dopamine)
There are links to many of my articles with direct links. Click on the Publications page on the right column either on the top or bottom of the page depending on your operating system.
Upcoming ASCD Institute
Jay McTighe and Judy Willis
Upcoming ASCD Annual Conference Workshop: UbD Meets Neuroscience
After several UbD Meets RAD Neuroscience workshops throughout the US and in Nairobi, Melbourne, and Athens we will do a 3-day preconference workshop in Philadelphia, March 21,22,23, 2012 before the ASCD Annual Conference, with several others being planned through invitations from school districts throughout the country - hopefully one near you.
See conversation with Jay and Judy re Collaboration
ASCD Annual Conference: 3 -day Preconference Institute Workshop Co-Presenters Jay McTighe and Judy Willis: Understanding by Design Meets Neuroscience: March 21-23, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA
Exciting New Information
Judy Willis is an
Edutopia’s “Big Thinker on Education”
http://www.edutopia.org/big-thinkers
“Change starts with an idea. That was true of the American Revolution and the microchip. It's equally true of the big changes that the American public education system is just starting to make. And despite the headlines, some of the most exciting minds are focusing their attention on the world of education.Take a look at some of the most innovative, surprising, intriguing, and inspiring ideas from some of the biggest thinkers on education.”
http://www.edutopia.org/big-thinkers-judy-willis-neuroscience-learning-video
5-part series on how young brains develop neurologically and how teachers are the caretakers of students’ future potentials: their executive functions.
Edutopia Blogger home page: http://www.edutopia.org/spiralnotebook/judy-willis
Understanding How the Brain Thinks (Part 1 of 5)
The Brain-Based Benefits of Writing for Math and Science Learning (Part 2 of 5) |
Judy’s New Position: EDUTOPIA Staff Blogger Read her first blog and watch her video, A Neurologist Makes the Case for the Video Game Model as a Learning Tool
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/video-games-learning-student-engagement-judy-willis
Judy Willis’ Blog Feed Link: fee http://www.edutopia.org/blog/19536/feed
View 7 Video Chapters of Dr. Judy Willis’ “Big Thinker in Education” Interview: http://www.edutopia.org/big-thinkers-judy-willis-neuroscience-learning-video
The Big Thinker video interview is divided into 7 1-2 minute segments by topic. From “Big Thinker” Judy Willis page , scroll down the bar to the right of the video/photo and you can open each section by name:
-Meet Judy Willis, Neurologist Turned Educator
-The Science of Boredom
-Creating Curiosity in the Classroom
-Focusing Students' Attention in the Classroom
-The Importance of Creating a Safe Environment
-Lessons Learned from Video Games
-Preparing Students for the 21st Century
Lower Canada College Video Interview
Five Part Video Series from Lower Canada College: One on One With Dr Judy Willis
One on One with Dr. Judy Willis, MD, Med: Helping Students Develop Their Highest Cognitive Potentials
Part 1: Combining Neurology and Teaching http://www.lcc.ca/cf_media2/index.cfm?g=262
Part 2: How Brain Development in Adolescents Influences Learning http://bit.ly/rKaUGU
Part 3: Why teach students about their brains http://bit.ly/uIPen8
Part 4: How to teach students about their brains http://bit.ly/y2U3Mp
Part 5: Building the Brain's Executive Functions for 21 Cent Success http://bit.ly/y0cWdZ
New Articles - look under publications for links to several new articles
Newest Book
Learning to Love Math: Teaching Strategies that Change Student Attitudes and Get Results, Insights from a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher ASCD July, 2010.
This book uses math as an example because it is the subject with the most negativity, but the book is about neuro-logical strategies for changing student negativity to motivation and promoting growth mindset in any subject or school in general.
Free chapters and study guide download at:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108073.aspx
Amazon.com link here
Recent Events:
Judy mentioned at TedX in Belgium
Rotorura, New Zealand - Jan 2012
Aspen Brain Institute - Sept 2011
2011 Invitations for Educators: Readers of my Books and Attendees of my Presentations/Workshops
Here are the Internet Links to what I’ve been calling my “Brain Owner’s Manual” that has now been published in Educational Leadership and is available on line as a two part article/pdf (you can also link directly from the publications-articles portion of this website)
Internet Links to Brain Owner’s Manual
Willis, J.A. (Dec. 2009) How to Teach Students About the Brain. Educational Leadership. 67(4) Online Link Here
Willis, J.A. (Dec. 2009) What You Should Know About Your Brain. Educational Leadership. 67(4) Online as an illustrated downloadable PDF to use in teaching students about their brains at: Link Here
An open Invitation
Sign up for RAD e-newsletter twice a year, copy of How to Teach the Brain to Motivate Students (Brain Owner’s Manual, Judy’s article from Educational Leadership, and updates on articles and new ideas. XXLink to Contact FormXX
Recent Santa Barbara News Press Feature
Deserving of a gold star: Actress and local neurologist collaborate on innovative project for children
MARILYN McMAHON, SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER August 18, 2010 - Link Here
American Academy of Neurology -
Member Spotlight
AAN News - June 2010
link here to read
Keep Igniting,
Judy Willis
Link to the New Author's Page at ASCD
Link here to review 10 key concepts presented by Dr.Willis
Link to Judy’s Staff Blogs (really mini articles about education, neuroscience, and child development) for Psychology Today
Link here
Video Interview from ASCD with strategies from Learning to Love Math: Teaching Strategies that Change Student Attitudes and Get Results - Math Interview
Hot Topics - Link to Psychology Today Blog Posts
What to do when Your Child Hates School 7/18
Want Children to “Pay Attention”? Make Their Brains Curious! 5/9
Why Healthy Teenagers Die 2/6
Book released - Aug 2008 - How Your Child Learns Best - Sourcebooks
Book released - Aug 2008 - Teaching the Brain to Read - ASCD
Book released - Mar 2009 - Inspiring Middle School Minds: Gifted, Creative. Challenging
Book released - July 2010 - Learning to Love Math
Winter/Spring Musing
See Discussions for recent interesting news
Watch Dr. Willis Discuss Topics
Link to View
Parent and Child Magazine 2/2009
---- 10 Great Tips for Parents - -- link
A comment: “I continue to be stopped in the hallways of throughout our school by thankful teachers – everyone is so very excited to have had a view into the brain by which to better understand learning and thereby, instruction. It is at the heart of what we strive to do everyday! Thank you again for impacting the educational vision of the country. (High School Principal, Washington State)”
Contact: Judy Willis, M.D., M.Ed. at jwillisneuro@aol.com