Brain-based Teaching Principles

Eric Jensen-“Brain-Based Education is the purposeful engagement of strategies based on principles derived from solid scientific research. Brain-Based Learning is simply the engagement of strategies based on body/mind/brain research.”

  • Healthy Body Help - LIFE Prep ELC understands learning engages the whole body! Therefore, healthy food options, yoga and meditation are reflective in our daily practice.

  • Healthy Psyche Help - Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are trained to use terminology that develop self-efficacy in our students. LIFE Prep ELC teaches and models GROWTH MINDSET!

  • Brains help each other - LIFE Prep ELC students collaborate and communicate as a team to support each other’s learning, even in the midst of a little friendly competition.

  • Teaching improves memory - LIFE Prep ELC students reiterate their learning through mini-demonstrations. This helps them understand information better and gives peers the opportunity to do the same.

  • Practice improves memory - Repetition is known as the “Mother of All Learning!” LIFE Prep ELC students get numerous opportunities to practice the acquired skills in many ways before moving to the next level.

  • Multi-sensory Approach to Early Learning - Each LIFE Prep ELC learning adventure requires a multi-sensory approach. Our scholars touch, feel, see, hear, and smell the information we want them to retain. Multi-Sensory Learning

  • Information should be meaningful - Our educators present information in a manner that heightens personal connections to scholars. Hence, increasing the likelihood of engagement and an extended span of attention.

  • Stress-free learning environment - LIFE Prep ELC understands that learning can sometimes become a little stressful. Therefore, planning high-interest activities that generally alleviate stress is how we approach the process of learning.

Learn more about Brain-based instruction: Brain-based instruction

Growth Mindset

Over 30 years ago, Carol Dweck and her colleagues became interested in students' attitudes about failure. They noticed that some students rebounded while other students seemed devastated by even the smallest setbacks. After studying the behavior of thousands of children, Dr. Dweck coined the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset to describe the underlying beliefs about learning and intelligence. When students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger. Therefore, they maximize their effort, hence leading to higher achievement.

All teachers are trained to use growth mindset statements and actions. Scholars tend to mirror the actions of those whom surround them. As a result, scholars begin to develop a growth mindset which in turn lays the foundation for improved self-esteem and an eagerness to explore and learn more. Check this out! Mindset

Mindset Works Inc. 2017 https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Daniel Goldman, an American psychologist, developed a framework of five elements that define emotional intelligence. Those elements include self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. LIFE Prep ELC strongly believes establishing a solid EQ early-on, is paramount to life-long success, personally and professionally. By way of the C.E.M.E. Program, LIFE Prep scholars engage in fun, role-play adventures that teach character, etiquette and morals; virtues that align with the development of a higher EQ. Why EQ will take your children further in life.

Life Prep creates adventures using the support of The ounce scale for ages up to three and The work sampling system for ages three to five, a Pearson product. All adventures are scaled to meet the specific developmental level of each Scholar engaged. in most cases, our students work altogether during adventures while teachers provide oversight and guidance towards the intended outcome. Each day our scholars are challenged to grow in the following areas:

  • social/emotional - the process by which Children learn values and accepted behaviors

  • physical - children’s gross and fine motor skills

  • cognitive - the mind and how it works

  • language - understanding and communicating through words, spoken and written.

Emergent Learners will explore obstacles, challenges and situations that development their ability to run, skip, speak, think, decide, control one’s self, mimic others and much, much more. They may walk in the door timid and shy. But before moving to the next stage, they will be jumping over furniture, landing on their tippie toes with one foot balanced in the air while screaming hundreds of two/three year old obscenities like “no”, “why”, “how”, “mommy”, “daddy”, “mine”, “me”, “eat”, “I’m telling”,”why not”, “more please”, “go bye bye” ...….You get it!

Sounds like a true adventure, huh!

Intermediate and Advanced Learners will explore much more structured adventures that challenge their ability to control and coordinate muscles and movement, explore cause and effect, identify, classify and compare, enjoy and value reading, ask questions, use imagination, approach problems open-mindedly, follow instructions and own & manage their feelings etc.

These moments are very precious and invaluable. We must carefully plan how to use them. LIFE Prep strives to make everyday, the best day of your child’s life. With us, learning is FUN!