Getting the Most Out of Your Brain at a Free Arizona Online Charter High School

Hope High School Online Offers Tips for Students
Attending Free Arizona Online Charter High School

You might have read this title and aren’t sure of what this truly means. Well, that’s why I’m here! As principal at a free Arizona online charter high school, the staff at Hope High School Online strives to provide tips and tricks to our students so that they get the most out of their education.

Everyone’s brain is wired differently and our experiences can shape the way we think and approach life. John Medina, author of Brain Rules, recounts some things we know about how the brain works. He recounts each of them and the science behind them in his book. I want to provide a brief overview of some of them in hopes of helping our Arizona online charter high schooI students understand how their brain works and what they can do to improve its function!

  • Wiring: Every brain is wired differently-Every person has a uniquely individual brain. No two people have the same brain! Realize that your brain is different from everyone else’s and that is a good thing! Learn how you learn best. Communicate that to your teachers at our school so that they can work with you in a style that works best for you.
  • Exercise: Exercise boosts brain power-According to research, John Medina states that cognitive scores increase the more active people are. The reason is that exercise provides increases oxygen to the brain increasing mental sharpness. So, even though HHSO is an Arizona online charter high school, it is important to make sure that you are getting enough exercise and provide your brain with what it needs!

Success Rates at Our Free Arizona Online Charter High School Reflect Our Students Success

Four out of five Hope High School Online students go on to higher education.  Our mission is to empower our students to succeed.  We recognize that students learn differently, which is why many of them turn to a free Arizona online charter high school as a viable option for quality education.  Below are additional tips for learning:

  • Music: Study or listen to boost cognition-There is just something about music that can truly change the way we feel. Music has the potential to uplift us or provide a “boost” of energy. Some students have found that listening to music while completing their courses is helpful and others listen to music during breaks to invigorate them. Whichever type of student you are, I encourage you to use music as a way to boost your academic performance!
  • Exploration: We are powerful and natural explorers-Babies are a perfect example of how we learn-we explore. As students, we explore various content areas, thoughts, and ideas in our courses! Use your digital learning device to explore the information presented in your courses! Never stop wondering about the world around you and seek to understand it! The information in your courses could serve as a window for further exploration. Keep learning from exploring!
  • Memory: Repeat to remember-Our brain works like a muscle, the more you “exercise” it, the stronger it becomes. If you want to remember information in your course, associate it with something. Scientists have proven that this is an effective tool for increasing one’s memory along with repetition. If you are learning something new, it’s important to repeat it so that you are able to commit it to memory.
  • Sensory Integration: Stimulate the Senses-All of your senses work together, but smell has been linked to effectively evoke your memory. Since HHSO students can work on their courses in multiple locations, it might be a great idea to find somewhere that stimulates your senses. Even a coffee shop could have a positive effect of your memory and learning!
  • Stress: Stressed brains don’t learn the same way.  Stress has been proven to damage every kind of cognition in the brain from your memory and executive functions to your motor skills. As many of us know, stress even affects our immune system. It affects our emotions too. It is important that students recognize the role stress plays in our lives so that they can develop strategies to deal and overcome stress. Developing a growth mindset can help reframe stress so that it is seen as an opportunity for growth, not something to bring us down.
  • Sleep: Sleep well, think well-Did you know that we spend ⅓ of our lives sleeping? If we spend that much time doing it, it must be important! Loss of sleep can have a negative effect on our brain function from our mood, attention span, logical reasoning, and dexterity. Make sure that you get enough sleep so that your brain can work at its maximum capacity! Sometimes a short 20 minute nap can be just what we need to re-invigorate us to continue on.

Our Free Arizona Online Charter High School is Ready to Help Your Student Learn!

Our brains are so powerful. When we understand how our brain works, we can start to do things and make choices that will strengthen our brains and improve our learning!  We are committed to supporting you as you support your student. Go HERE for contact information that we hope is helpful. If it is not the right contact, just call and we can connect you with the right person. Go HERE to download our free information kit to find out more about why students succeed at Hope High School Online.

 

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Pear Press, 2008.