This school year I had several opportunities to learn about brain research at educational conferences, including the International Primary Curriculum's Leadership Conference held in London and at the Assocailation of International Schools in Africa's administrator's conference held in Lusaka, Zambia. At the IPC leadership conference, Howard Gardner of Harvard University's Project Zero shared his theory of Multiple Intelligences that explains at least eight different ways that children's brains process information. Children are learning or taking in information when the brain's neurons fire and connect to other neurons. Children can process information using mathematical-locgical, linguistic, visual, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and natural intelligences. Each child's brain is unique. Gone are the days when we thought all children learned in the same way and we taught using a one dimensional approach. Now educators must evolve and realize that we're stressing out our students if we don't take the time to understand them as individuals and how they learn.

Creating low-stress learning environments optimizes learning. Stress triggers the fight or flight mechanizm in the brain and when that happens, the brain's higher thinking faculties shut down and new learning doesn't occur. Without stress, the brain naturally looks for new things to learn, feedback, and challenge.

Addiitonally, all children need certain things for proper brain development: nurture, feedback, play, movement, physical activity, and proper breathing.

Nurture: Children need to know that the adults in their lives care about them. Teachers are critically important in the role of nurturing children because they spend so many hours of the day with them in learning environments.

Teachers have many opportunities to demonstrate nurturing with encouraging and kind words, an understanding disposition, and smiles on their faces.

Feedback: Children need teachers to talk with them-not at them. Being in the classroom rather than in front of the classroom creates many ways for teachers and students to effectively communicate.

Play: Without play, there is no real learning happening in the classroom. Children need imagination and play, which facilitate learning. There must be an element of fun, curiosity and laughter form early childhhod through the highschool years.

Movement: Enhancement of communicaiton skills, concentration, and calmness are the result of movement through exercise, dance, running, and playing.

The Breath: Deep breathing clears the mind, and brings calmness and peace.

The theory of multiple intelligneces and the brain development research provide us with tools to make learning in each classroom dynamic and inspiring.

I call on all AIS teachers, administrators and staff to join hands and re-commit to the most important task facing us today, educating the leaders of tomorrow beginning form early childhood through universtiy.

The future is in our hands. Let's use this knowledge not only to teach, but to inspire!