Dr. Margaret Stockbridge
Email: margaret.stockbridge@seattlecolleges.edu
Phone:
Website:
Office Hours: By Appointment

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Name
Educational Goals (why are you taking this class?)
Contact info (email, phone number)
What do you think this course will be about (don’t use the words “health,” “human,” or “sexuality”?
What do you want to learn in this course?
One interesting thing about you!

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We’re going to be talking to each other quite a bit, so let’s start now!
Turn to the person next to you and share your information card.
Be prepared to introduce the person you met to the class
AND tell us how to remember that person’s NAME!
 Remember to be respectful, and kind – the way you want to be treated.

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Margaret A. Stockbridge (née Hamner)
PhD in Physiology and Biophysics
 UW School of Medicine
Masters in Teaching (WWU)
Research: Stroke injury in the brain
Neurophysiologist: using electrodes to measure electrical activity in the brain

Dr. Stockbridge, you’re a neuroscientist – how can
I succeed in class, and learn efficiently?
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First, let’s talk about how the brain learns new things….
Question: Think of something you learned to be good at outside of school.
Think and write: how you got from not knowing to being good at it.
Get into small groups (3 or 4 people): Share your thoughts/writing with group.

STAGE 1: MOTIVATION/Responding to stimulus in the environment: watched, observed, had to, interest, desire, curiosity
STAGE 2: BEGINNING PRACTICE/Doing it: practice, practice, practice, trial and error, ask questions, consult others, basics, make mistakes, lessons, some success
STAGE 3: ADVANCED PRACTICE/Increase of skill and confidence: practice, practice, practice, trial and error, some control, reading, encouragement, experiment, tried new ways, positive attitude, enjoyment, lessons, feedback, confidence, having some success, start sharing
STAGE 4: SKILLFULNESS/Creativity: practice, doing it one's own way, feeling good about yourself, positive reinforcement, sharing knowledge, success, confidence
STAGE 5: REFINEMENT/Further improvement: learning new methods, becoming second nature, continuing to develop, different from anyone else, creativity, independence, validation by others, ownership, habit, teaching
STAGE 6: MASTERY/Broader application: greater challenges, teaching it, continuing improvement or dropping it, feeds into other interests, getting good and better and better, going to higher levels
Adapted from Dr. Rita Smilkstein

The brain in the skull
Adapted from Dr. Rita Smilkstein

Adapted from Dr. Rita Smilkstein

Adapted from Dr. Rita Smilkstein

Conclusions:
1) Your brain was born to learn, loves to learn, and knows how to learn
2) You learn what you practice, because when you practice your brain is growing new dendrites and this is learning!
3) Learning takes time, because you need time to learn and grow dendrites
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If you don’t use it, you loose it
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Your emotions affect your brain’s ability to learn, think, and remember
• Self-doubt, fear, etc., prevent your brain from learning, thinking and remembering
• Confidence, interest, etc., help you brain to learn think and remember.
Adapted from Dr. Rita Smilkstein