August Conference

Who: Educators at Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
What: 1-Day conference with Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown about embodied pedagogy
Where: Bates College Campus, Lewiston, ME – in-person!
When: Friday August 22, 9 am – 4 pm
Why: Learning together is worthwhile
Included: Light breakfast, Lunch, and Reception Snacks

Move to Learn: Leveraging brain-body connections to increase academic performance

Intellectual and somatic ways of knowing are intertwined, how can we leverage this connection to impact more significant learning?

Many students today spend much of their time in a screen-dominant world. Our society’s heightened reliance on technology has caused many to become increasingly disembodied, and to mistrust one’s own senses. As a result, many are less attuned to their bodies than previous generations, which impacts overall wellness. Seriously, when was the last time you went somewhere unfamiliar without directions on your phone? Or checked the sun to see what time it is?

This keynote workshop-presentation will explain, through demonstration, how learning and student engagement can be driven through the body. Through the use of embodied responses to questions and embodied narratives, participant-attendees will consider how minor tweaks to lesson plans can be adjusted to center mind-body connections. These shifts in teaching approach enhance learning and student engagement and can also uplift whole-body wellness.