At Clonard College we are committed to fostering a dynamic and supportive environment where every member of our community can thrive. Our new strategic plan is built on our commitment to excellence and innovation, inspired by the transformative vision of Kildare Ministries and the call to go ‘one pace beyond’.

As we embark on this journey of school improvement, we invite you to join us in being Bravely Ambitious, Intentionally Connected and Thriving Change Agents. To maximise parent involvement, we are seeking your input and feedback into a Parent/Carer Seminar Program based around some of our school improvement initiatives. If you could spend 5 minutes filling in the form through the link or QR below to help plan and implement this program, it would be greatly appreciated.

https://forms.office.com/r/evqa2gW8Ls

Brain Power: Using Neuroscience To Enhance Learning Follow Up

At the beginning of the year, we embarked on an exciting journey with world-renowned educational neuroscientist Dr. Judi Newman. Dr. Judi conducted several sessions for students, staff, leaders, and families. As part of our new strategic plan, we aim to apply neuroscience principles to enhance leadership, learning delivery, and student engagement

What our students and teachers have been working on:

Grabbing Attention – Using Neuroscience to Grab and Focus Attention

Our dedicated staff have been exploring using Neuroscience as part of a pedagogical framework to involve innovative ways to engage students and enhance their learning experiences. One of the key techniques we’ve been focusing on is to use the “Reticular Activating System” part of the brain to Grab Attention using the FUUNDIIP method. The brain pays attention to anything that is Funny, Unusual, Unexpected, Novel, Dangerous, Important, Interesting, and Pleasurable. This method helps capture students’ attention within the first 30 seconds of a lesson.

Here are some engaging lesson starters our teachers have shared:

  1. Engaging Lesson Starters: Using students’ names in questions, asking them to name a bone during roll call, and sharing interesting photos as prompts.
  2. Interactive Activities: Playing games, presenting design-related photos, and conducting class surveys on fun topics.
  3. Personal Connections: Encouraging students to share personal stories related to class topics and referring to them in real-life contextual examples.
  4. Creative Techniques: Using examples in literature, political cartoons, funny pictures and role-playing to enhance learning
  5. Educational Projects: Students preparing a one-slide PowerPoint with interesting facts about a class topic e.g Chemical Element. 

Students can also use their reticular activating system by focusing on what is important to you by setting a study or learning goals and visualising how you can reach these goals.

Using Spaced Recall to enhance learning and memory

Consolidation of learning to memory only takes place with rehearsal over time, including memory techniques and independent practice from students. Many students connected with the use of spaced recall, practice, and memory techniques during Dr. Judi Newman’s “How The Brain Learns Best” session7.

One student reflected, “Dr. Judi said that most of the time it takes 17 times before you can fully build that neural pathway.” This means that struggling is a normal part of learning from a neuroscience perspective.

This means that struggling is a normal part of learning from a neuroscience perspective 

© Copyright Dr Judi Newman 2025 

Another student shared, “I learnt AVLR, which is a really interesting way to recognize and remember lists, numbers, words, etc., through a story, a sentence, or creating a word with the first letter of the words.” The AVLR technique involves Associating, Visualizing, Linking, and Recalling information

Memory Technique – Meet Avlar!

    1. Associate
    2. Visualise
    3. Link
    4. Recall

© Copyright Dr Judi Newman 2025

Associate what you want to remember with something you already know.  This allows your brain to connect to existing wiring and prior learning. Next, visualise something that represents that  for you.  The more exaggerated the visual image the easier it will be to recall later. Link this image to the next image you have created and build these into a place you know well or a story. Finally, recall the story or palace and retrieve the memory repeatedly over time.

 

Our teachers have also been discussing various memory techniques, including acronyms, acrostics, and associations. Some specific examples include:

    • Using visual aids and associations to enhance memory.
    • Laminating verb posters and sticking them in visible places.
    • Matching dietary enzymes to macronutrients with puzzle pieces.
    • Writing song lyrics to remember them.
    • Using puns to teach grammar structures.

What Leaders Have Been Working On

Leaders across our school have been focusing on using Dr. Judi Newman’s work on neuroscience and leadership attributes to inspire and influence our school community. These attributes are categorised into three main areas: Trust, Rapport, and Growth.

    1. Trust (The Survival Brain – Brain Stem)
      • Integrity
      • Humility
      • Strength
      • Clarity and Certainty
      • Positivity
    2. Rapport (The Social Brain – Limbic System)
      • Connectedness
      • Appreciation
      • Collaboration
    3. Growth (The Thinking Brain – Prefrontal Cortex)
      • Purpose
      • Challenge
      • Autonomy
      • Communication

Here are some specific examples from our leaders:

    • Focused on Collaboration by establishing protocols for collaborative decision-making.
    • Emphasized Autonomy by seeking feedback on where people feel they have choice in their work.
    • Actively promoted Appreciation through the Pulse platform to support and recognize teachers and students.
    • Celebrating quick wins for middle leaders to help them work towards larger Challenges.
    • Concentrated on Purpose by focusing on active listening and simplifying messages for clear communication.

© Copyright Dr Judi Newman 2025