Robert Alfred Sylwester (January 5, 1927 – August 5, 2016) was an Emeritus Professor of Education at the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

in the United States.UO Education Studies Faculty
University of Oregon

Philosophy

Throughout his academic career and other works, Sylwester has focused on improving educators' personal understanding of brain systems and processes, and on providing them with simple explanations and metaphors that can be utilized to increase their students' understanding. Sylwester believes that teachers understand their curriculum best when they can effectively teach it, so encouraging an effective curriculum about brain organization can enhance both the teachers' and students' understanding of our brain. Issues that confront society involve cognitive processes, so including brain organization in school curriculum is arguably worthwhile.

Honors

The Education Press Association of America has given Sylwester Distinguished Achievement Awards for two of the 18 syntheses of

cognitive neuroscience Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific field that is concerned with the study of the biological processes and aspects that underlie cognition, with a specific focus on the neural connections in the brain which are involved in mental proces ...

research that he published in Educational Leadership,Educational Leadership
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and one award for Best Series of Articles in an Educational Journal, published in ''The Instructor Magazine''.

Works

*''The Adolescent Brain: Reaching for Autonomy'', Robert Sylwester, Corwin Press, 2007, *''How to Explain a Brain: An Educator’s Handbook of Brain Terms and Cognitive Processes'', Robert Sylwester, Corwin Press, 2005, *''A Biological Brain in a Cultural Classroom: Enhancing Cognitive and Social Development through Collaborative Classroom Management'', Robert Sylwester, Corwin Press, 2003, *''Student Brains, School Issues: A Collection of Articles'', Robert Sylwester, Corwin Press, 1998, *''A Celebration of Neurons: An Educator's Guide to the Human Brain'', Robert Sylwester, Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, 1995,

Personal life and death

Sylwester died at his home in Eugene,

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, on August 5, 2016, at the age of 89.Obituary
Musgrove Family Mortuary He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Eileen Maier Sylwester. He is survived by seven adult children and twenty grandchildren.

References

External links

Monthly Columns at BrainConnection.com

Archived Articles at Educational Leadership

"Cognitive Neuroscience Discoveries and Educational Practices"
article for The School Administrator, December, 2006.

article for The Daystar Journal, June, 2005.
"The Brain, Technology, and Education"
interview by Henryk Marcinkiewicz, November, 2003. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sylwester, Robert 1927 births Writers from Portland, Oregon 2016 deaths University of Oregon faculty University of Oregon alumni Concordia University Nebraska alumni