Embracing the Science Behind Effective Teaching and Learning
MIND AND BRAIN EDUCATION
ike all schools during the pandemic,
Xaverian Brothers High School had to
pivot quickly when the world locked
down in March of 2020. However, not all
schools utilized the experience as an opportunity
to fine-tune their educational practices. Xaverian
did, and continues to do so. As a direct result
of teaching during COVID-19 and navigating
the worlds of remote and hybrid education, this
summer Xaverian launched a new professional
development initiative for all of its teachers.
“Research suggests that the greatest
influence on student outcomes is the quality
of the teacher, and we believe if we understand
how the adolescent brain works, learns, and
ultimately creates knowledge, we can use this
to inform and optimize our teaching practices
in the classroom,” says Dr. Michael Nicholson,
Principal. For this reason, Xaverian has partnered
with The Center for Transformative Teaching
and Learning (CTTL) to provide all faculty with
professional development centered on Mind,
Brain, and Education Science (MBE). This
approach combines the latest research from
neuroscience, cognitive science, adolescent
psychology, and education to ensure that our
teaching methods continue to best serve our
students. As a first step, over the course of this
year and next, Xaverian teachers are taking 12
MBE online courses.
To facilitate this training, Mr. Gary Bowers
’87, P ’21, ’24, a Xaverian social studies teacher,
was appointed the new Coordinator for Teaching
and Learning. In addition to his work in the
classroom, Mr. Bowers is collaborating with
Mr. Steve Dacey ’95, Assistant Principal for
Teaching and Learning, to support faculty with
the online learning modules as well as the design
and implementation of MBE-informed lesson
planning. “The concept is simple,” says Mr.
Bowers. “By understanding how the brain works
and how students learn, teachers can better
deliver content to their students to help them
not just learn the concepts necessary to graduate
from high school, but to become better learners
in general. Many of our teachers already do these
things because it’s good teaching, and there are
good teachers here. The difference is that now
we’re looking at the science behind why these
practices work and we’re implementing them in
an informed way. We’re becoming more efficient
and gaining a common language that we can use
to discuss our effective practices with our peers.”
Ms. Andrea Doglioli, a veteran world
languages teacher who is in her first year at
Xaverian, appreciates this communal aspect of
the training. “We’re all in this together; I don’t
feel like I’m trying to catch up because we’re all at
the same stage in the training. It gives me a sense
of belonging and it really feels like the school is
invested in us — training us to be even better at
what we do.”
“As a school, we have an obligation to make
a commitment to our faculty to keep them on
the ‘cutting edge,’ knowledgeable in their field
and their craft of teaching,” says Mr. Dacey. “This
process should be very affirming because really
good teachers are reflective in their practice,
and that’s who we have here at Xaverian.”
MBE-informed approaches are already being
implemented across all grades and throughout
all disciplines at Xaverian, positively impacting
everything from the way content is presented to
how assessments are conducted. “These first 12
courses are really just the beginning,” Mr. Dacey
adds. “There’s so much that we can learn and
practice together, and we look forward to seeing
all of the good this incredible opportunity will
bring to Xaverian.”
“By understanding how the brain works
and how students learn, teachers can
better deliver content to their students
to help them not just learn the concepts
necessary to graduate from high school,
but to become better learners in general.”
MR. GARY BOWERS ’87, P ’21, ’24
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