A Neuroscience-Informed Approach to Learning & Curriculum Reform, Summary.

Dear Colleagues,

As we navigate increasing complexity in education, we are called to ask: What kind of learning environments are truly sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready?

This handbook invites you into a transformative conversation, one that bridges the science of how the brain learns with the lived realities of classrooms and system-level policy.

Education is not merely the transmission of knowledge; it is the cultivation of brains, relationships, and the capacity to thrive in a rapidly changing world. This resource offers research-informed insights and practical tools to guide meaningful reform, reform that honours both student diversity and educator humanity.

We hope it challenges outdated assumptions, affirms your commitment to learner success, and empowers your work toward systemic transformation.

Thank you for your courage and leadership.

With respect and gratitude,

Natasha Dorsey

Executive Summary

This handbook provides a neuroscience-informed framework to transform curriculum,

instruction, and school culture. It is designed for educators, leaders, and policymakers and connects brain research with actionable strategies to foster more equitable, emotionally intelligent, and effective learning environments.

Key Points for Policymakers and Curriculum Developers:

Prioritize Depth Over Breadth:

Design curricula that reduce content volume, allowing for deeper conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and application of knowledge, rather than superficial coverage (McPhail, 2021; OECD, 2020).

Mandate Neuroscience-Informed Curriculum Design:

Integrate principles of Backward Design and cognitive science into all curriculum development processes, ensuring alignment with how the brain processes information, manages cognitive load, and forms long-term memories (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005; McTighe & Willis, 2019; Clement & Lovat, 2012; Dubinsky & Hamid, 2024).

Invest in Teacher Well-being and Professional Development:

Recognize teacher emotional and psychological well-being as a critical component of student success (De Rubeis et al., 2024; Sokal et al., 2020). Fund sustained, high-quality professional development focused on neuroscience-informed pedagogy, implicit bias, emotional regulation strategies, and the explicit teaching of executive functions and metacognition (Dubinsky et al., 2013; Gibson & Brooks, 2012; Blair, 2017; Roebers, 2017).

Foster a Culture of Research and Evaluation:

Address the "innovation-evidence gap" by investing in longitudinal research and robust evaluation frameworks for curriculum reforms (Guskey, 2020; Greany & Waterhouse, 2016). Prioritize evidence-based decision-making over anecdotal success or fads (Allen & Penuel, 2014).

Promote Real-World Relevance and Transferable Competencies:

Embed cross-curricular competencies (e.g., critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration) and real-world themes into curricula to foster student agency and prepare learners for an unpredictable future (OECD, 2024; Goodwin et al., 2020; Haidt, 2024).

Key Points for School Leaders:

Cultivate Psychologically Safe Environments:

Actively promote a school culture where students and teachers feel safe, seen, and valued, recognizing that connection precedes cognition (Goldberg, 2022; Jensen, 1998; Sousa, 2016).

Support Teacher Autonomy and Manage Workload:

Implement reforms in a way that frames expectations as belief in teacher capacity, managing cognitive load and workload to prevent burnout and foster mutual adaptation (McLaughlin, 1976; Sokal et al., 2020; Zee & Koomen, 2016).

Champion Equitable Expectations:

Provide ongoing training and support for teachers to address implicit biases and consistently communicate high, equitable expectations for all students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds (Rosenthal & Jacobson, 1968; Gentrup et al., 2020; Rubie-Davies et al., 2015).

Integrate Nervous System Regulation Strategies:

Encourage and model practices that support nervous system regulation for both staff and students, such as mindfulness, movement breaks, and opportunities for rest and play (McEwen, 2017; Vogel & Schwabe, 2016; Greene, 2014).

Key Points for Educators:

Prioritize Relationship Building:

Actively build strong, empathetic relationships with students, understanding that this is the foundational step for all learning (Goldberg, 2022; Greene, 2001; Babad et al., 2003).

Design for Desirable Difficulty:

Intentionally create learning tasks that challenge students within their Zone of Proximal Development, fostering effort, deeper thinking, and intrinsic motivation (Vygotsky, 1978; Clark & Bjork, 2014; Brown et al., 2014).

Explicitly Teach Executive Functions and Metacognition:

Recognize that challenges in these areas are often neurological, not behavioural. Explicitly teach planning, organization, emotional regulation, and self-monitoring strategies, particularly for neurodiverse learners (Barkley, 2009; Blair, 2017; Roebers, 2017; Stanton et al., 2021).

Respect Working Memory Limits:

Break down complex information, provide clear instructions, and pace instruction appropriately to prevent cognitive overload (Martinussen & Major, 2011; Sousa, 2016; Klinkenberg et al., 2011).

Re-calibrate the Reward System:

Design learning experiences that cultivate intrinsic motivation and perseverance, helping students value effort and delayed gratification in an age of instant digital rewards (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Berridge, 2018; Lieberman & Long, 2019).

And lastly, but most importantly:

Take care of yourself