Full brain is similar to a cup that's filled to the brim. You just can't pour any more water into that cup because it will simply spill over. That's what full brain feels like and looks like.
I'd be interested in what full brain looks like via a brain imaging images and I'm curious what neurologists consider full brain to be. In the meantime, I know that I experience full brain every late winter and spring in school, and the following attributes characterize that full brain:
- More to do than time to do it
- Need to focus on the details
- Plans are set and there's little room for anything new or different
- Time is spoken for
- Energy and time for new ideas are limited at best
Since my daily reading and study continues to introduce me to new and better ideas even though I have full brain, I've devised a good way to deal with this condition. I create a 2019-2020 prep list and I add links to new ideas, articles, and efforts that I want to consider with depth over the summer to that list. Then when my brain space opens up again in the summer months, I take a deep look at those ideas. If I believe the ideas will positively impact our systemwide think and efforts, I'll share the articles with system leaders right away so that we don't lose the opportunity to stay up to date and provide our students with the best possible teaching/learning opportunities.
What do you do when you face full brain? How do you deal with this as an educator? I'm curious.
