The concept of accelerated learning is increasingly becoming a talking point for teachers. It’s the way we tap in to maximise the brain’s potential by creating optimum learning conditions. Keeping the brain well nurtured and regularly hydrated features high on the list of accelerated learning factors, which is where water comes in.
Much like the world we live in and the rest of our bodies, the majority of the human brain is made up of water molecules; about 80 per cent to be more precise. Even slight dehydration of the brain can raise stress hormones which can have a damaging effect on over time. Dehydration naturally leads us to thirst, which scientists suggest can cause mental performance to deteriorate by up to 10 per cent. If dehydration is not relieved, it can cause fatigue and irritability, which of course can all affect a child’s concentration when they are sat in class trying to learn. By staying hydrated throughout the day, children are able to concentrate for longer and stay alert throughout the lesson.
Many schools are now allowing pupils to keep a bottle of water with them in class. And contrary to what you might think, the extra sipping does not lead to more disruption with frequent toilet breaks, spillages and or drinking breaks, according to the Teachers Pocketbooks’ Accelerated Learning. Author Brin Best says that children’s urinary systems will actually adjust and regulate themselves in accordance to the increased intake of water, eventually resulting in healthier systems and less trips to the toilet.
Water, she says, should eventually become an everyday part of pupils’ equipment, as commonplace as your pencil case or exercise book.
