On-Demand
Session
Empowering educators to joyfully fulfill their God-given calling
Nervous Systems, Noisy Rooms: A Brain-Based Guide to Classroom Calm
with Alan Bandstra
In a classroom, emotions can run high, and every day can feel like it has the potential to escalate student behavior. How does the nervous system contribute to contagious behavior and teacher reactivity? Alan Bandstra shares his insights from neurobiology and practical classroom experience to invite us to help our students (and ourselves) participate in a calm classroom culture.
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About Alan Bandstra
Alan Bandstra is a veteran educator, speaker, and author who brings together research, storytelling, and humor to spark meaningful conversations about student behavior, classroom dynamics, and faith-informed education. Known for his relatable style and deep insights, he equips and encourages audiences ranging from teachers and school leaders to church and ministry teams. Alan currently teaches middle school math and science at Sioux Center Christian School in northwest Iowa, where his passion for working with preteens flows from three sources: the delight of quirky adolescent humor, the challenge of engaging reluctant learners, and the desire to support young people through a life stage that was once difficult for him.
With more than three decades of experience as a classroom teacher, youth ministry volunteer, and father, Alan has gained a front-row seat to how group behavior—especially negative behavior—can spread like a virus. His ongoing research explores themes such as social contagion, interpersonal neuroscience, self-determination theory, invitational learning, care theory, and the human drive for status. What began as a practical need to manage classrooms has grown into a lifelong quest to understand human motivation and character development—work that continues to shape both his teaching and his message.
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