The Brain Friendly Learning group is about to expand its influence into the North West.
Originally the group was set up in 2007 as a place for trainers to share expertise, ideas and expand their learning and all meetings so far have been run in the Thames Valley.
Stella Collins of Stellar Learning, (founder of the group) says:
“When we first met we asked the people there what their aims were – when someone said he wanted to share and spread the benefits of brain friendly learning with the whole world, everyone clapped spontaneously. So that’s what we do! Whilst the group has grown significantly it still maintains the benefits and informality of a small group of professionals working together.”
The group meets once a quarter and each meeting has a well defined structure, starting with a session on new skills or information delivered by a practising professional, usually from within the group.
Topics have included ‘Unconscious Learning’; ‘Food for Fit Brains’; ‘IT training – the brain friendly way’; ‘Brain friendly learning for sceptics’ and the next topic is to be ‘The Minds Ear’.
After a brain friendly lunch people work in smaller groups on real challenges to end up with solutions they couldn’t have found on their own. It’s the power of ‘mastermind thinking’ that provides the answers and there are regular updates about how people implement the ideas they go away with.
“Because there were quite a few people in the group who couldn’t attend meetings because they were too far away we decided to try out the idea of a regional group” said Stella Collins.
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“Through a contact in the North West we have now got new members up in that area and our first North West meeting will take place on 26th June. Brain Friendly Learning for the sceptical was such a popular topic that I’m going to go to Chester to run that session there. It’s great for me as that’s my home area so I’m revisiting my roots.”
In a recent survey members confirmed that the main benefits of the group are:
- The opportunity to learn and develop skills. Trainers often focus on developing others and appreciate the rare opportunity to work on their own skills
- Sharing knowledge, ideas and experience
- Maximising business opportunities through networking and collaboration
- Taking time to review and generate new ideas
- Keeping up to date on developments in brain friendly learning
