Local educator specializes in brain-based teaching and learning

Zweier of Vernon High was presenter at annual school board convention VERNON — Richard Zweier, academic chairman for Performing and Visual Arts at Vernon Township High School, recently served as a presenter at the New Jersey School Board’s annual convention in Atlantic City. The 2006 workshop, “Making Connections,” was held Oct. 25 to 27. Zweier’s presentation was a question-and-answer roundtable, titled Brain-Based Learning In-Service Programs. In the past three years, he has taught numerous workshops and courses in brain-based teaching and learning in the Vernon School District and at various state conferences. Zweier was recently approved for full Jensen Learning Certification in Brain-Based Learning, after completing over 160 hours of training with the San Diego-based organization led by Eric Jensen, one of the top worldwide leaders in the field. Zweier will also be teaching graduate level courses on the brain and teaching for The Regional Training Center - The College of New Jersey beginning in January. He is slated to present a workshop at the state music convention in February: “The Brain-Compatible Music Classroom.” Zweier reports that recent findings in neuroscience, based on the newest imaging studies such as PET scans, MRI scans and other research, have provided cutting edge knowledge about how the brain naturally learns best. He suggests, “It is imperative for teachers in the 21st century to implement strategies based on the principles of Brain-Based or Brain-Compatible Learning.” Topics in the field include multiple biological memory systems, emotion and cognition, the importance of physical activity and many more relevant aspects of how the brain functions and processes information. Zweier is currently facilitating an in-service course for Vernon teachers, titled The Brain’s Natural Rules for Learning. All of these workshops blend theory with practical classroom strategies. By gaining knowledge in this field, Zweier feels that “teachers’ jobs will be easier, instruction more powerful, and educators more effective as they structure learning activities based on brain-friendly principles.”