The central nervous system pyramid of learning

The Central Nervous System Pyramid of Learning is the basis on which I’ve operated as an educator over the last few years. It encompasses everything I know to be true about children and learning. This is a bottom up design, meaning when the systems and development at the bottom of the pyramid aren’t engaged, reaching the cognitive and intellectual aspects at the top will be unnecessarily challenging.

In pre-k, we spend a lot of time in the bottom sections of the pyramid in order to prime the brain for the top sections in years to come. This is not to say that we don’t access academic learning at all, but we do it in a way that engages the sensory systems and encourages sensory & perceptual motor development.

While it’s important to be intentional about incorporating activities that will engage the systems and development in the lower parts of the pyramid, it isn’t challenging once you have an understanding of each level. Some easy ways I do this are to:

• Have a movement center that provides opportunities for different types of movement (balancing, jumping, spinning, rocking, swaying, swinging, etc…). The kids can create different obstacle courses and make the equipment work for their needs.

• Have at least one sensory/discovery center that provides a multi-sensory experience.

• Use the facilitated language small group guides (guided dramatic play) from Carrie Thurston.

• Have a “Movement of the Week” focused on either vestibular or proprioceptive input or primitive reflex integration.

• Allow students to move in different ways when transitioning from one area of our school to another. My students can often be seen crawling or marching in the hall.

  **Often times, the activities we do are incorporating multiple elements of the pyramid at once.