Teacher Testimonials
Public school education is the touchstone of our democracy. Many public school educators wonder how we will be able to meet the sometimes daunting task of preparing our youth for the challenges of the 21st century. Viewing the film Grey Matters illuminated the very core of the work that is possible. Hearing educators articulate the specific science of the mind/body connection through brain-targeted strategies was powerful. Watching students approach learning holistically with curiosity and grit was inspiring. I left the film thirsty to dive deep into the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model.
~Deb Ptak, Principal, Henderson Hopkins School
The documentary film Grey Matters outlines the remarkable results that can occur when teachers use Dr. Mariale Hardiman's Brain Targeted Teaching Model. It follows the stories of three teachers who use the model in their classrooms and the powerful effects their teaching practice has had on the students in their classroom. By creating a supportive classroom environment, teaching students real-world applications of concepts, and offering opportunities for big-picture thinking, these teachers have instilled a passion for learning in the young people they work with every day. The teachers in attendance at the screening clearly felt inspired by what they saw, with several suggesting that the film should be shown more widely so that more educators are able to see the impact the BTT Model can have on students. ~ Laurie Ascoli, Research Assistant, Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative
As a professor at JHU SOE, I know the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model well because I teach it in my courses, and I was eager to see this movie. When I watched Gray Matters, I remember thinking at the beginning of the film how the high school and community college students felt particularly disillusioned with school and learning in general. It was a bleak picture of adolescents. Throughout the film, however, snippets of lessons from teachers at the elementary, high school, and community college level illustrated how kindness, creativity, and careful planning could really spark life into uninterested students. These teachers lived and breathed the essence of the Brain Targeted Teaching Model; it became automatic to them. They didn’t need to think about developing strong relationships with students to facilitate a warm emotional climate, they did it automatically, and they did so with each of the Brain Targets. Probably the most striking feature of the film, though, was a young lady in high school who said that she didn’t like school at all at the beginning of the film. At the end, she shared that she was enrolling in college and had planned a future career because of her teacher that used the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model. As someone who teaches this model to teachers, I’ve heard accounts about the effectiveness of the model, but this was my first time to see how this approach to instruction and relationship changes lives over time. This young lady’s life was wonderfully altered. That’s the point of education, and her life trajectory is the reward. What more can I say? It was a lovely film that illustrated the beauty of the effects of the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model lived out by teachers translating research to practice.
~ Ranjini JohnBull, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Education
As a retired Baltimore City Schools' principal, I was so encouraged by the research shared during the film 'Grey Matters'. I wished that I were active in the school system to implement the Brain Targeted Teaching framework in my school. What a great model for teachers to use in their classrooms that will spark students' learning and retention. This film should be shared with principals and teachers in all schools both public and private.
~Carolyn H. Freeland, Principal (Retired)
Teachers need to consider Grey Matters when looking for a high quality and meaningful professional development opportunity. Brain Science continues to evolve and uncovers so much about how learning occurs, (and doesn't occur) it is essential for teachers to take a deep dive into studying its implications. Modern, successful classrooms are led by teachers who understand these cognitive processes and become skillful practitioners of best practice helping all students learn to their full potential.
~Scott Wilson, Principal Churchville-Chili High School
Grey Matters was a helpful documentary for teachers to make connections between brain research and practical classroom applications. Educators are able to view different student engagement strategies and teaching approaches at various grade levels that are simple and can be easily implemented without additional planning or time constraints. This video is very helpful to begin exploring and learning about brain research in order to help build positive classroom environments and increase student engagement.
~Janel Milana, School Improvement, Syracuse City School District
“We love this!” “Can we do another one!” Who would believe this is the response I receive when I tell my students it is time to learn vocabulary, but it is! After watching the Grey Matters Documentary and learning a brain targeted approach to teaching vocabulary I returned to my class and tried it immediately. My students loved it! They learned new words, ask to use it with all unfamiliar words, used the words in context and are remembering them over a month later! Highly engaged students, increased opportunities for dialogue, students retaining information and working on a district goal! What more could a teacher want?
~Nancy Stauber, Grade 3 teacher, Pavilion Central School District
As an educator, I found Grey Matters to be an informative documentary that has piqued my interest in exploring more about how the brain functions and its implications for my classroom. This film has helped me to realize that the more we know about how the brain learns the better equipped we are to motivate our students to succeed.
~Chris Hawthorne, Early Elementary, Oneida City School District
Grey Matters was a reassuring look into the continuing push for educators to incorporate student individuality into their teaching practice. Education is important and we want students to remain invested and engaged.
~Danielle Jeffrey, Early Elementary Education
Have you seen the film? Add your voice to the conversation. Send us an email or fill in the contact form.
~Deb Ptak, Principal, Henderson Hopkins School
The documentary film Grey Matters outlines the remarkable results that can occur when teachers use Dr. Mariale Hardiman's Brain Targeted Teaching Model. It follows the stories of three teachers who use the model in their classrooms and the powerful effects their teaching practice has had on the students in their classroom. By creating a supportive classroom environment, teaching students real-world applications of concepts, and offering opportunities for big-picture thinking, these teachers have instilled a passion for learning in the young people they work with every day. The teachers in attendance at the screening clearly felt inspired by what they saw, with several suggesting that the film should be shown more widely so that more educators are able to see the impact the BTT Model can have on students. ~ Laurie Ascoli, Research Assistant, Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Neuro-Education Initiative
As a professor at JHU SOE, I know the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model well because I teach it in my courses, and I was eager to see this movie. When I watched Gray Matters, I remember thinking at the beginning of the film how the high school and community college students felt particularly disillusioned with school and learning in general. It was a bleak picture of adolescents. Throughout the film, however, snippets of lessons from teachers at the elementary, high school, and community college level illustrated how kindness, creativity, and careful planning could really spark life into uninterested students. These teachers lived and breathed the essence of the Brain Targeted Teaching Model; it became automatic to them. They didn’t need to think about developing strong relationships with students to facilitate a warm emotional climate, they did it automatically, and they did so with each of the Brain Targets. Probably the most striking feature of the film, though, was a young lady in high school who said that she didn’t like school at all at the beginning of the film. At the end, she shared that she was enrolling in college and had planned a future career because of her teacher that used the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model. As someone who teaches this model to teachers, I’ve heard accounts about the effectiveness of the model, but this was my first time to see how this approach to instruction and relationship changes lives over time. This young lady’s life was wonderfully altered. That’s the point of education, and her life trajectory is the reward. What more can I say? It was a lovely film that illustrated the beauty of the effects of the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model lived out by teachers translating research to practice.
~ Ranjini JohnBull, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Education
As a retired Baltimore City Schools' principal, I was so encouraged by the research shared during the film 'Grey Matters'. I wished that I were active in the school system to implement the Brain Targeted Teaching framework in my school. What a great model for teachers to use in their classrooms that will spark students' learning and retention. This film should be shared with principals and teachers in all schools both public and private.
~Carolyn H. Freeland, Principal (Retired)
Teachers need to consider Grey Matters when looking for a high quality and meaningful professional development opportunity. Brain Science continues to evolve and uncovers so much about how learning occurs, (and doesn't occur) it is essential for teachers to take a deep dive into studying its implications. Modern, successful classrooms are led by teachers who understand these cognitive processes and become skillful practitioners of best practice helping all students learn to their full potential.
~Scott Wilson, Principal Churchville-Chili High School
Grey Matters was a helpful documentary for teachers to make connections between brain research and practical classroom applications. Educators are able to view different student engagement strategies and teaching approaches at various grade levels that are simple and can be easily implemented without additional planning or time constraints. This video is very helpful to begin exploring and learning about brain research in order to help build positive classroom environments and increase student engagement.
~Janel Milana, School Improvement, Syracuse City School District
“We love this!” “Can we do another one!” Who would believe this is the response I receive when I tell my students it is time to learn vocabulary, but it is! After watching the Grey Matters Documentary and learning a brain targeted approach to teaching vocabulary I returned to my class and tried it immediately. My students loved it! They learned new words, ask to use it with all unfamiliar words, used the words in context and are remembering them over a month later! Highly engaged students, increased opportunities for dialogue, students retaining information and working on a district goal! What more could a teacher want?
~Nancy Stauber, Grade 3 teacher, Pavilion Central School District
As an educator, I found Grey Matters to be an informative documentary that has piqued my interest in exploring more about how the brain functions and its implications for my classroom. This film has helped me to realize that the more we know about how the brain learns the better equipped we are to motivate our students to succeed.
~Chris Hawthorne, Early Elementary, Oneida City School District
Grey Matters was a reassuring look into the continuing push for educators to incorporate student individuality into their teaching practice. Education is important and we want students to remain invested and engaged.
~Danielle Jeffrey, Early Elementary Education
Have you seen the film? Add your voice to the conversation. Send us an email or fill in the contact form.
Student feedback
This is feedback submitted from Mrs. Stauber's Grade 3 Vocabulary class:
I LOVE THIS! This is the best way to learn vocabulary. I learned so many new words.It was a really fun way to learn vocabulary! It is so cool! I noticed sometimes learning vocabulary can be fun. Kiana
I thought that it was amazing instead of saying that my cat was crazy I could say that she was frantic I really like what Mrs.Stauber taught me. From Trent
Loved it! I can't believe the grey matter Documentary really worked. I still remember all the words Mrs.Stauber taught me like Explicit and Loquacious. The Grey Matters Documentary is so awesome every person in the world should know how to do this!!!
This is Brooklyn. When my teacher came to school and said we were going to learn vocabulary all of the students in my class didn’t know vocabulary until Mrs.Stauber showed us the new vocabulary. We loved it. It helped us learn. It's a great vocabulary. What my teacher taught us saved my life from not knowing vocabulary.
I loved the vocabulary because I loved learning new words, and drawing the pictures. I LOVE Vocabulary.
Daela, Grade 3 student, Pavilion Central School District
“WOW’’! “Mrs. Stauber how did you find this vocab site? It is awesome! I love it! Can we do another one? Sure! When I heard Mrs. Stauber say go do this I said “okay”. I thought this would be another good fun activity, which it was.
Eli
“I love it!” Instead of our teacher telling us to look a word up in a dictionary we get to guess what it means. It’s a fun way of learning! I remember it by how fun it is and it’s a way of learning. Who knew that learning could be fun? I like everything about it. I even like the part where you draw what you think it is. Now I absolutely LOVE vocabulary.
Kiara, Third Grade Classroom Pavilion Central School District
I loved the drawing part in what Mrs. Stauber showed us. It was so awesome that I just could not wait for the next one.
Rev
Click here to see photos from Mrs. Stauber's Grade 3 Vocabulary classes.
