Throughout my career in education, I have noticed that many schools still prioritize method, learning materials and content, but fail to see the main thing: the student.
It is common to hear that students are distracted, uninterested, or undisciplined, and as a result, the discourse of “it was different” arises.
However, more than looking for answers in the past or hoping that one method will solve all problems, we need to learn to recognize those in front of us.
When we listen to a child’s story, his or her experiences, fears, and family context, we understand that the classroom is a space where different identities and realities come together.
Neuroscience reinforces this view by showing that human development is an ongoing process and that each brain learns in a unique way. Therefore, student knowledge is essential to promoting meaningful learning environments, even more important than choice of book or methodology. At Fundação Bradesco, we look at students holistically, and to this end we positively impact, every year, the lives of more than 42 thousand children and adolescents in our 40 schools across the country.
Today, we live with different diagnoses, such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, high abilities, and others. However, many teachers do not know what to do with this information in their daily school lives.
They often expect “ready-made recipes” from neuroscience, as if it can provide instant solutions. But the truth is that pedagogy teaches us how to transform scientific knowledge into practical strategy. Neuroscience does not replace the teacher, but broadens his vision and provides foundations for more informed methodological choices.
Fundação Bradesco’s pedagogical and educational consultants and principals, together with governance and social-emotional teams, monitor students individually and collectively, work on cases related to mental health and inclusion, as well as promote social-emotional learning in daily school life.
When we understand how the brain learns, we realize that all students, whether with or without a diagnosis, benefit from methods that use visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli, as well as using humor, emotion, and references that make sense to them.
The more diverse the strategies used, the greater the opportunity to achieve different ways of learning. Here, we have a teaching team that monitors the educational work that is carried out with the students.
Neuroscience brings essential knowledge about memory, attention, sleep, emotions, language, executive functions, and brain development to the classroom.
Knowing that the brain is plastic, that is, that it continues to learn and transform throughout life, changes our understanding of school difficulties.
There is no end point to learning, but rather multiple paths. And comprehensive experience bears this out: when we modify the way we teach, many students achieve results that previously seemed improbable.
Moreover, contemporary challenges reinforce the importance of this perspective. The increasing use of technologies, the impact of emotions on learning, and issues related to the mental health of students and teachers are becoming increasingly important in education.
Neuroscience has continually investigated these topics and can contribute to more humane, balanced, and effective practices.
I like to remember a phrase from neurologist Oliver Sacks: “The therapeutic challenge can be summed up as: just communicate.”
This is also an educational challenge. Teaching is making connections between the student and knowledge, between theory and life, between what we feel and what we think.
When the teacher asks me what to do when a strategy doesn’t work, I always say: Ask the student. It’s an active part of the process. When we clarify goals, explain expectations, and listen to their perceptions, we create a clearer, more participatory environment.
And learning happens in a deeper way. In the group work we do in the classroom, as well as our high school student committees, we have many good practices in listening to and engaging with our students, working on values such as respect, listening to all participants and promoting healthy, positive and exemplary experiences.
Knowing a student means allowing him to get to know himself as well. It helps you realize that you are capable, that you are constantly evolving, and that your path makes sense. It is not a simple task, it requires sensitivity, time and consistency. But this is where the transformative power of education lies.
I am convinced that many teachers are indeed authors and primary actors in the lives of their students. They create connections, open doors, and awaken talent.
When we welcome science to illuminate our educational choices, we greatly expand this power. Thus, education becomes not only a transmitter of content, but also a promoter of human development in its fullest forms.
*Written by Katia Chedid, Education Governance Lead at Fundação Bradesco and specialist in neuroscience applied to education
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