The Great Wall

stone upon stone upon stone

upon mountains

of stone upon stone

assailed by mongrels

and monsoons,

by warriors, wind and wandering

standing still

stillness standing

in the village

each brick laid by hands

and heart to shelter

and save the spirit

of children protected

by labour from labour

the donkey lies at peace

as the dog, alert, patrols

the straw of his rest

out of love for the hooves

that never, that never…

into the valley of earth

the walls, the world, engulfing, embracing

the small lives of beasts

upon the earth, within

the earth, beyond the reach

of wind, the lash of cold, the fist

of heat

three old men as crevassed as

the dirt beneath their eroding bench

grin, not a tooth among them, and deny the chance

to have their image taken

away

from them

themselves

only themselves

together on the bench

in the sun

in the valley

in the clean dirt

of the earth

sustained

quiet now

the last steps up the hill alone past stages, acts,

theatre of man and woman and child

upon the snow crusted earth of the worn path

towards the old school

the partridge awakes, shocking the solitude

with thunder flight from this moment of earth

then

the ancient walls appear

earth and stone and school,

school no more,

though the chalk on the wall testifies

children once learned here,

learn here still,

that walls crumble and fall

fall down

in a world divided

by a great wall

Become a Beast to Conquor The Beast

Extreme obstacle racing is one of the fastest growing sports in North America.  Imagine racing up to 25 kilometers in the mountains while crawling through mud under barbed wire, hauling 50 lb. sandbags through creeks and over boulders, hurling spears, jumping over fire, swimming across rivers, and battling gladiators.  Pushing beyond limits is what these events are all about.  Just the thing to blast this average forty-year-old teacher and father out of training plateau!

This year I decided to complete the Spartan Race Trifecta, voted the toughest adventure race series by Outdoors Magazine.  The Trifecta consists of three races: the 6.7 km Sprint, the 15 km Super, and the 25 km Beast. These races took place throughout June and July. 

By the end of this journey, I completed all three races, earned my Trifecta Medal, and conquered the Beast with a time of four hours and eight minutes, among the top 5% of competitors.  And in preparing for this trial by literal fire (and mud, and water, and mountains, and gladiators, and barbed wire, and …), I achieved the best physical condition of my life.  Here are the three keys to my survival:

Training

This summer I trained harder and smarter than I ever have before.  I worked out in the gym and spent hours running trails, roads, and hills.  I trained six days a week.  And given the diverse and extreme nature of the challenges presented in a Spartan Race, variety was critical.  Here are three sample workouts I used to become a Spartan:

Workout One:  Trail Torture

I live near a forest trail that runs along the ridge at the top of a steep hill.  The trail is three kilometers long, with bridges crossing several streams that flow in small waterfalls over the ridge.  While running this trail, I stop at each bridge and perform 20 pushups.  I also perform 10 chin-ups or pull-ups on the low hanging branches of several trees along the trail.  And at the end of the trail, I descend to the base of the ridge and then sprint/scramble back to the top.  I complete this loop three to four times in a single workout. 

Workout Two:  Drop Set Destruction

Working out with weights has always been the cornerstone of my fitness approach.  However, to become Spartan ready and to break through a training plateau, I needed to mix things up.  One of the techniques I used to prepare for the burn of the Beast was incorporating drop-sets.  Here is a sample workout, each exercise consisting of a single drop-set:

Exercise One:  Flat Bench Press

(5 reps of 235 lbs. - 8 reps of 185 lbs. – 20 reps of 135 lbs.)

Exercise Two:  Wide Grip Chins

(5 reps holding a 30 lb. dumbbell between my ankles – 8 reps with a 15 lb.

dumbbell – 10 reps with body weight only)

Exercise Three:  Smith Machine Incline Press

(2 reps of 235. lbs – 8 reps of 185 lbs. – 20 reps of 135 lbs).

Exercise Four:  Bent-Over Rows

(3 reps of 235 lbs. - 8 reps of 185 lbs. – 20 reps of 135 lbs.)

Exercise Five:  Skull-Crushers

(5 reps of 105 lbs. – 8 reps of 85 lbs. – 20 reps of 65 lbs.)

Exercise Six:  Barbell Curls

(3 reps of 105 lbs. – 8 reps of 85 lbs. – 20 reps of 65 lbs.)

Exercise Seven:  Standing Overhead Presses

(3 reps of 105 lbs. – 8 reps of 85 lbs. – 20 reps of 65 lbs.)

Note: As grip strength is a Spartan necessity, no straps are used for back exercises.

Workout Three:  50 Shades of Pain

This is a muscular endurance workout that, perhaps surprisingly, also yields a great deal of hypertrophy.  Each exercise is performed until 50 reps are completed, with the exception of the chin-ups and pull-ups.  I perform as many reps as I can, rest for no more than 30 seconds, and continue until I reach 50.  I then quickly move onto the next exercise with no rest in between.

Wide Grip Chin-Ups (25 reps)

TRX Push-Ups (with feet elevated on an exercise ball)

135 lb. Deadlifts

135 lb. Incline Presses

35 lb. One-Arm Dumbbell (or Kettle Bell) Clean and Press (25 reps each side)

Hanging Leg Raises

Medicine Ball Floor Slams

135 lb. Squats

Dips

Pull Ups

These three workouts give you a sense of the training required to become Spartan fit.  However, without rest and recovery, this type of training would become destructive rather than constructive.

Nutrition

The key to making Spartan training constructive is proper nutrition.  Above and beyond the basics (five to six meals a day, 20 to 30 grams of quality protein at each meal, lots of fruits and vegetables), I incorporate the following three “Super Foods”:

Spinach:  In addition to all the vitamins and minerals contained in spinach, two key amino acids – leucine and tryptophan – are abundant in spinach.  Leucine triggers anabolism while tryptophan, a pre-cursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin, supports restorative rest. 

Pomegranate Juice:  High in antioxidants and sugar, I drink pomegranate juice before and after each workout, along with a whey protein shake.

Chia Seeds:  Rich in antioxidants, omega-3s, calcium, and fiber, chia seeds are a perfect food for runners.  They absorb water and slow the release of carbohydrates so that your tank remains full throughout your training.  Chia seeds are also a complete protein source.

Proper nutrition not only ensures maximal physical performance, it also fuels a strong mental approach to the grueling test of the Spartan Race.

Mental Strength

When competing in a Spartan Race, the toughest challenge is mental.  The key is to stay in the moment.  When running down a mountain, each step could bring disaster.  When grinding your way back up, the agony can be overwhelming if you think too much about how much further you have to go.  Keep your mind in the moment, understanding that each moment yields both joy and pain.  This is what you signed up for and this is what you will carry with you long after the race is run.  In Spartan Racing as in life, grit is worth more than speed or talent, pain yields more progress than comfort, and the journey is of far greater value than the destination.  It is only through fire that we are forged. 

So, whether you plan on competing in an adventure race or simply want to bring greater challenge and reward to your current training, following the path of the Spartan will yield epic results!   

          

     

Neurotransmitters and Learning Pt. 4: Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is linked to our gastrointestinal systems. It affects our moods and our ability to learn and remember. When serotonin is in abundance, we are awash in feelings of well-being. Thus, serotonin is often called the "happiness hormone."
　
The best illustration of the effects of serotonin is how we feel after a big turkey dinner shared with family and friends. You know, that relaxed feeling of complete contentment. In our ancestors, serotonin was released when they were safe, a relatively rare state in our pre-historic past. Thus, when our bellies are full (i.e. we are not going to starve) and we are surrounded by loved ones (we are not going to be attacked), our bodies produce serotonin.
　
In addition, serotonin is metabolized from the amino acid tryptophan found in turkey. We also need a release of insulin caused by carbohydrates to allow this to take place. Thus, turkey dinner is great. However, many foods, including nuts, milk and spinach, have a much higher concentration of tryptophan than turkey. One of the best ways to use nutrition to support serotonin production is to have a bowl of cereal in milk, making sure that you drink all the milk. This is part of the reason why milk is recommended before bed and a big reason why a good breakfast including protein is so important to learning.
　
So, aside from giving our students milk, what can we do to leverage the power of serotonin to improve learning and well-being? Well, first of all we can make sure our classrooms are safe. When animals, including humans, sense resources are scarce or a threat is present they stop producing serotonin. Thus, we need to balance the challenges of the classroom (see norepinepherine entry) with a supportive environment.

Our classrooms and learning environments should be safe, comfortable and trusting. We should be available to our students who should in turn feel like they are in an environment of total support. Use of colours, plants, artwork, strategic seating and humour can really help with the release of serotonin. Watching fish swim in a aquarium produces serotonin, which is why fish tanks are often present in dentist offices. Most importantly, however, is how we treat our students and how they treat each other. Safety and support augment serotonin levels; scarcity and threat diminish serotonin levels. If students feel like they can succeed with their peers instead of feeling like they have to compete against them more serotonin will be available to provide a sense of well-being and improve learning.
　
Thus, serotonin balances or evens out the stimulation of norepinepherine while enhancing the drive associated with the pleasures of dopamine. Therefore, if we want our students to be driven, focused and balanced learners, we need to harness the power of these three important neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters Pt. 3: Norepinepherine.

Norepinepherine is another neurotransmitter that has an impact on learning. I like to think of norepinepherine as the sabre-toothed tiger neurotransmitter. Essentially, if when our ancestors were peacefully walking through the woods and a sabre-toothed tiger jumped out, norepinepherine (or adrenaline) would pump into their systems and trigger the flight or fight reflex. It would trigger an increased heart rate to pump more oxygen to the brain. It would also be the neurotransmitter used by the brain to focus all of our ancestors' senses on the threat posed by the tiger. Finally, it would create a permanent record of where and when the tiger leapt out so that the threat could be avoided in the future, provided our ancestors were not subsequently mauled by the animal.
　
Thus, norepinepherine is a neurotransmitter used to respond to stress and challenge in a more focused way. Certainly too much stress can inhibit learning. However, some stress, particularly good stress (eustress as opposed to distress) can really benefit learning by increasing attention, elevating alertness, and augmenting memory.

To harness the power of the neurotransmitter norepinepherine in the classroom, incorporate challenge and competiton. Ask your students meaningful questions and elicit their responses. Provide your students opportunities to move, perform, and interact. A four-corners activity where students move to the corner that best represents their opinion about a question posed and then come up with support points to present to the class to back up this opinion is an activity that could stimulate norepinepherine.

Compare theses two methods of review: One is to use notes to complete a worksheet independently in order to organize ideas for studying. Another is to create a Jeoprody style quiz activity based on content to be tested that students play in teams. The second activity, and the test itself, both provide challenge and stress that triggers norepinepherine release. These type of activities contribute to what I like to call "Wide-Awake Learning." They add just the right amount of sabre-toothed tiger to the classroom so that students are stimulated and engaged. In fact, of all the neurotransmitters, perhaps none contribute to fully engaged learning more than norepinepherine.

However, this does not negate the importance of the type of learning exemplified by the first review option described. This option, however, would likely result in the release of the last neurotransmitter I would like to discuss: serotonin. Stay tuned.

Neurotransmitters Pt. 2: Dopamine

Dopamine is the reward neurotransmitter, the neurotransmitter responible for drive. It is the neurotransmitter used whenever the brain wants to reward us for doing something good for our survival and for the survival of our genetic code in generations to come. Thus, when we have sex, we receive a rush of dopamine that makes us feel great. Interestingly, when we have meaningful sex with a partner in a monogamous relationship, we receive a much greater rush of dopamine than when we simply "hook-up." Just thinking about someone we are attracted to, even an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend who broke our hearts, causes the brain to release dopamine. This is why we love sad songs. Relationships with others also lead to dopamine release, for these relationships contribute to our survival.
　
Eating and thinking about food also results in dopamine release. For our ancestors, as they rose atop a hill and saw before them a herd of wildebeast, they would feel the exhaltation of a dopamine rush for they knew they would eat soon and survive. Dopamine is our brain's way of rewarding us for surviving. As well, this dopamine rush would create a network of neural connections linked to the experience so that our ancestors would remember where and when they found the wildebeast. Essentially, they would learn, and this would help them find food in the future. In fact, the act of climbing the hill, or any exercise for that matter, can lead to a dopamine rush, as exercise is good for our survival and, in the days of our ancestors, something important that needed to be remembered would often follow exercise.
　
In our world, success also produces a dopamine rush. When we score a goal, write an excellent paper, nail a presentation, master a level of Super Mario or receive a phone call telling us we got the job, our brain rewards us with dopamine, and dopamine produces lasting learning. When our friends praise us, our teachers reward us, or our bosses make note of our accomplishments, we feel great about ourselve and them. This is the effect of dopamine.
　
So, how can we use what we know about dopamine to turn the classroom into a better learning environment. First of all, we should develop meaningful relationships with our students. If they trust us and know that we really want the best for them, just being around us will produce dopamine in their brains and allow them to use these neurotransmitters to learn what we have to teach. Our students should know that we love them and we should praise their courage, their persistance, their hard work, and the character traits that make them who they are.
　
As well, we should provide choice and the chance to make decisions. When we feel like we are in control of our own destiny, we produce dopamine. The more autonomy a student has, the more each accomplishment will mean to her or him, and the more dopamine will be produced.  Students who are able to make choices become driven to succeed.
　
Providing meaningful, challenging learning experiences while also providing the support needed for a student to be successful will also lead to dopamine production. A kid with severe dyslexia faced with a challenging reading assignment will lose confidence and dopamine production will shut down. Ever notice how the kids who hate school tend to also be pretty grumpy when they are in class? This is because they don't experience the dopamine rush that those who love school feel when they succeed. And because the school haters are grumpy, they disinvite the affection that they need to experience a dopamine release and are even less likely to learn anything. Thus the cycle continues. However, teachers have the power to break this cycle by loving the kids who need our love most and by finding ways, no matter what, to help students succeed. The kid with dyslexia who uses the audio book to learn and answers a question right in front of the class can get the same dopamine rush as the kid who does not need this support.  As kids develop competence and as they achieve meaningful results, they become driven to succeed.  And the neurotransmitter responsible for drive is dopamine.
　
Finally, laughter is a great way to produce dopamine. Joy produces dopamine which in turn makes us feel joyous. Music released dopamine.  Art and beauty release dopamine.  Therefore, be a source of joy in your classroom and make light of your self while taking your work seriously. You'll find that your kids will learn better thanks to your humour and the environment you create, and you might just experience a dopamine rush yourself as you succeed in being the teacher your kids need you to be. Dopamine: a pretty powerful neurotransmitter and a great learning stimulator wouldn't you say?

P.S. Dark chocolate, well the cocoa in dark chocolate, is rich in the amino acids that are used to produce dopamine. That's why women prefer chocolate to men!!!

Neurotransmitters and Learning Pt. 1

The purpose of this and the three subsequent blog posts is to share what I have learned about the role played by neurotransmitters in relation to learning. Specifically, three particular neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinepherine, and serotonin) are essential contributors to learning.

However, before I get into discussing each of these neurotransmitters, it is important that we understand a) how thinking happens and, b) how our brains are the product of millions of years of evolution, yet are essentially driven by the same factors as those of our hunter and gather ancestors.

So, on with the show...

We think using connections among neurons or brain cells. We have nearly 100 billion of these little guys, and they are able to create trillions of connections (Not that it matters, but a trillion is 1,000,000,000,000). The point here is that the brain has almost limitless learning capacity.

Neurons have an axon (cable) that connects to to the dendrites (hairs) of other neurons across a small gap called a synapse. Essentially, a neuron sends an electric signal down its axon which releases chemicals. These chemicals cross the synapse and attach to receptors on the dendrites of another neuron. When this happens enough times, an electric signal builds in the receiving neuron which then sends it down its axon to create another connection. Times this by thousands, even millions, and you are thinking, remembering, learning, and acting. And, the more times this happens, the more permanent the connection.

So, what does this have to do with neurotransmitters? And what are neurotransmitters anyways? Great questions!!! I'm glad you asked.
Neurotransmitters are the chemicals
that are sent across the synapse from one neuron to another. Without them, we couldn't think, act, or feel. They are made from amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and there are a whole bunch of different ones. When you think about the man or woman you love, your thoughts are mostly made out of the neurotransmitter dopamine. When you think the dark shadow in the alley ahead is a mugger, you are mostly thinking with norepinepherine. And when you listen to the soothing sounds of waves on the beach, you are thinking relaxing thoughts using serotonin. Pretty interesting, heh? Our ancestors thought so too, because they also thought and learned using these same neurotransmitters.

Let's now look at the function of each of these different neurotransmitters and their role in learning.

Life's Meaning

Much thought has been dedicated to answering the question "What is the meaning of life?"

We can never fully answer this question, though this does not mean we should stop trying to, for life ultimately has meaning.  The drive to live, and to perpetuate life, is so powerful and so profound that life must be meaningful.

My sense of it is that life's meaning is rooted in its cyclic nature.  As seasons change and return again and again, so too is life constantly re-born and never vanquished.  If there is one truth evident again and again it is that every ending is but a new beginning.  Though we are mortal, if this truth is all encompassing, and I believe it is, our death is but a new beginning as well.  In my mind, the idea of metamorphosis helps understand this notion.  We are all catepillars upon the earth.  However, like a catepillar who cannot understand what it is like to be a butterfly and soar, so too can we not comprehend what awaits us beyond death's door.

Within this idea of the cyclic nature of life lies a further truth: everything is connected.  We are all one, but are often so focused on self that we lose our connection with other.  This is a survival mechanism.  We must learn to distinguish and protect our "selves" from the threats of this world.  However, we are evolving to a point where this alienation of our selves will fade and the connectivity of everything in this world, in this universe, will open to us.  In fact, neurotheologists have studied the brain activity of those who claim to experience transcendental spiritual experiences.  Their findings show that the area of the brain responsible for distinguishing self from other is inactive during these moments of transendence, meaning that those experiencing this state are not filtering their experiences through the usually dominant lens of selfness.  Once we fully understand and embrace our connectedness, much of the darkness on this world will vanish as the sun of our compassion rises.  More on this in a later blog.

For now, let's think about what makes our individual lives meaningful.  We all search for meaning in our own lives.  However, it is important to understand that meaning, on an individual level, is not found but created.  If we want lives of meaning, we must create them.  We must become the people we need to be to live lives of personal meaning.  If we value artistic expression, we should create and appreciate art.  If we love others, we should live lives of service and compassion.  Our actions create meaning in our lives.  Our lives mean whatever we create.  Creativity, in the sense of building meaning and connection within our lives, is our birthright as human beings.  Thus, be open to discovery, but also understand your responsibility to live a life of meaning and creativity.