Brain research reveals 12 principles of brain-compatible learning:

1.  Every brain is unique, becoming more distinct with age.
2.  Threatening environments or stress impairs learning and kills brain cells.
3.  Emotions are critical to learning, driving our attention, health, meaning, and memory.
4.  Information is stored and retrieved through multiple, continually forming neural pathways.
5.  Learning is mind-body; movement, foods, attention cycles, drugs, and chemicals powerfully modulate it.
6.  The brain is a complex, adaptive system; effective change involves the entire system.
7.  Patterns drive understanding; intelligence constructs useful patterns.
8.  The brain is meaning-driven, prioritizing meaning over information.
9.  Learning is rich, non-conscious, processing parts/wholes simultaneously, affected by peripheral influences.
10. The brain develops better with other brains; intelligence is valued contextually.
11. The brain develops with various stages of readiness.
12. Enrichment allows new brain connections at any age. Complex, challenging experiences with feedback are best; music and motor skills enhance cognitive skills.