Hello, Friends!

Thank you for taking the time to watch our video! This project works to provide culturally competent programming and media resources about the brain’s structure and function, focusing on Latinx middle school students and their families. In this video, Salvador,  a speech language pathologist  discusses how he trains the brain to (do different tasks.) help children improve their speech.

• What best practices do you see for engaging Latinx youth and their families?
• How could you use a video like this at your organization?
• What questions does this bring to mind about the brain?

We are excited to start this conversation with you, and thanks!

!Hola amigos!

!Gracias por tomarse el tiempo de ver este video! El objetivo de este proyecto es proporcionar programación culturalmente competente y recursos multimedia sobre la estructura y función del cerebro, enfocándose en los estudiantes latinx de primaria y  secundaria y sus familias. En este video, Salvador, un patólogo del habla y lenguaje, habla sobre cómo entrena el cerebro para ayudar a los niños a mejorar su habla.

- ¿Qué prácticas efectivas ves en este video  para involucrar a los jóvenes latinx y sus familias?

- ¿Cómo podrías usar un video como este en tu organización?

- ¿Qué preguntas te vienen en mente sobre el cerebro?

Estamos emocionados de comenzar esta conversación contigo, ¡y gracias!

Leah Defenbaugh and Alicia Santiago

¡Hola!

¡Gracias por visitarnos! Nuestro proyecto, CEREBROedu: Una ventana al cerebro, financiado por los Institutos Nacionales de Salud, proporciona programas educativos y recursos bilingües digitales culturalmente competentes para estudiantes latinx de primaria y secundaria y sus familias en comunidades marginadas. Los recursos de CEREBROedu incluyen:

• Programación bilingüe (español / inglés) para niños y familiares, con actividades educativas prácticas sobre neurociencia e información sobre salud mental;
• Recursos de medios digitales bilingües que incluyen videos breves que destacan los modelos a seguir de Latinx que trabajan en las profesiones de neurociencia y cuidado de la salud mental; y
• Talleres de desarrollo profesional para educadores sobre las mejores prácticas para integrar las actividades y los recursos multimedia de BRAINedu en su programación existente.

CEREBROedu busca que los jóvenes, familias y educadores participantes:

• Conozcan la estructura, función y ciertos trastornos del cerebro (Alzheimer’s, depression and epilepsy), así como las mejores prácticas y hábitos cotidianos que fomentan y mantienen la salud del cerebro;
• Aumenten su conocimiento acerca de la neurociencia y las oportunidades profesionales que ofrece; y
• Se sientan empoderados para discutir y buscar apoyo para trastornos cerebrales y afecciones de salud mental.

Visita el sitio web de CEREBROedu para ver videos de modelos a seguir, explorar los talleres de desarrollo profesional, consultar actividades para jóvenes y materiales para familias, ¡y aprender más sobre el programa!

What a wonderful project! Thank you for sharing! 

It was a great video to watch. Can you please share more details about the project in terms of how many students you reach and the details of what you do curriculum-wise to meet your project goals?

I really appreciate your group efforts to provide equal opportunities to our latin communities! Congratulations on this great project!

Great video!  Besides this video or others like it, can you explain at least one of the BRAINedu activities that Latinx serving STEM educators are trained to integrate into their programming?  Can you give an example of one of the 18 community-based organizations that you are partnering with for this project?

Hi Nickolay!

I’m so happy you liked the video! The BRAINedu activities are organized in four modules that focus on mapping of the brain, how the brain works, the brain in action, and the brain’s link to behavior. An extremely popular activity from module 1 (mapping of the brain) involves the dissection of a sheep brain. Youth work in groups to dissect a sheep brain, identify the main parts and engage in observations and discussions about differences and similarities between human and sheep brains. They become familiar with the physical characteristics of the brain and discuss why scientist use animals to learn about the brain. These are some quotes from educators related to this activity:

“I think this is a great first lesson not only because the brain structure is being discussed, but because there is such a memorable activity this day (brain dissection). Good thinking. (No pun intended.)”

“This is probably my favorite lesson. As a science major I took delight in getting to know more about the function of the brain. The dissection part was very well done and gave a great insight about the brain structure”.

There are between 3 and 4 activities per module. Each module ends with a reflection activity that helps youth organize and process their learning. It allows youth to reflect on their work; what they learned, liked, disliked, and what they accomplished. Also, educators ask questions to prompt critical thinking and help students identify connections to previous learning and their lives.

Educators use role model videos, like the one you saw, to learn about diverse Latinx professionals whose careers tie to the activities completed by youth. The goal is to increase youth awareness about the different careers in neuroscience and mental health and provide them with relatable role models that inspire them to envision themselves pursuing these careers.

Educators running the programs receive online training to empower them to engage Latinx youth and their families around learning about the brain structure and function. They also learn how to spark discussions about neuroscience educational and career pathways, use role models in their programming, and talk about mental health.

We are currently partnering with 18 Latinx-serving organizations across the country. Here is a link to our partners: https://www.cerebroedu.org/partners

One of our great partners is OregonASK - or Oregon afterschool for kids. They collaborate with many public and private organizations to implement programs for children, youth, and families throughout Oregon. For the CEREBRO project OregonASK worked with a farm workers housing partner. This partner offers diverse programs to farmworkers and their families, including education and health programs.   They were very successful in implementing the program and are looking forward to continuing to work with us.

Thanks again Nickolay and let us know if you have any more questions. Cheers!

 

 

Great work.  So important to understand how brain plasticity works, and the importance of repetition and contextualized experiences.  Is this a curriculum that helped Salvador in his work and you are evaluating its efficacy? Is this a curriculum that Salvador utilizes and you are researching its impact on work in Speech Language Pathology? 

The video is a wonderful feature of Salvador, his work, and his life, and how elements of culture, history and sections of his life intersect. I love that. I read the comments above and still struggle, though, to understand the project. Something about brain plasticity, helping families, bit is it about using insights into brain plasticity as a theoretical foundation to craft interventions that help kids in need, or is it teaching about brain plasticity (kids seem young), or is it using principles from neuroscience in supporting bilingual education? The project description above indicates middle-school aged kids, but Salvador seems to work with younger kids. 

Am I correct to assume that this video is actually not meant to discuss the project, but as indicated above, is to feature jobs that apply brain science in support of commiunities?

Hi Martin! Thanks for visiting us!  :)   And yes, with these videos, we want youth to learn about and become aware of diverse careers in neuroscience and mental health. As I told Michael (see my response to Michael above), the videos are part of a culminating activity for each module. We want youth to see people like them succeed in these careers which will hopefully motivate them to learn more about the brain and pursue a career in neuroscience or mental health. Here is the link to the other videos https://vimeopro.com/user10550772/cerebroedu-profiles-for-partner-organization-review

These videos are also shared at family celebrations organized by each of our partners. During these events, families also get connected to in person role models including neuroscientists and mental health professionals that in many instances help facilitate hands-on activities and have discussions with youth and families about their careers path, job and family life.

Thanks again Martin, and let me know if you have any other question.  Cheers!

 

Gracias por compartir su video. Me gustaría comprender más sobre el diseño de su video. También en nuestras escuelas en Boston hay mucha gente Latinx que preservan su cultura de origen e idioma con sus familias. En nuestro proyecto, trabajamos con maestros de química para fortalecer su diseño de lecciones y sus interacciones con los estudiantes de maneras más receptiva. Alentamos a los maestros a utilizar modalidades más allá del lápiz y el papel, que incluyen, por supuesto, trabajo de laboratorio, pero también videos, modelos moleculares, software de modelado, etc. Con respecto a los videos, estoy interesada en aprender formas en que los maestros puedan diseñar videos que sean más receptivos, especialmente ahora cuando es más común durante Covid-19. Veo que la historia personal de Salvador da la bienvenida a los espectadores del video al compartir la vida personal de Salvador. ¿Es este método de dar la bienvenida a los espectadores parte de su teoría general de acción?

I am interested in hearing your thoughts about why you focused on Latinx communities with this topic? It seems that when talking about the brain, we could be talking to all different kinds of communities. How children learn, how we use the affordances of how the brain develops to modify our teaching practices are all relevant to all..but I do think that how enactment of these lessons happens has to be culturally connected. Tell us more about your theoretical basis for the project. What makes the curriculum culturally relevant?