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"Smart people got smart not by knowing all the answers, but by being better thinkers and eliminating the bad answer choices."

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BC: How much do you interact with neuroscientists?

Jensen: I interact with neuroscientists four ways: 1) I am a member of the Society for Neuroscience and attend the annual conferences, where I can interview scientists in depth; 2) I bring scientists into my 6-day workshops and brain EXPOs as guest speakers; 3) I have extensive e-mail contacts with many scientists in reference to their authorship on published studies; and 4) I visit many researchers in their laboratories to find out how they learn what they learn; in the last 5 years, I have made over 40 lab visits.

In addition, I have two researchers on staff who look up topics for me. I surf the Internet, read books like crazy, have several journal subscriptions; and have others who send me things or call me about new research.

BC: Do you think brain scientists fully understand or appreciate the importance of using brain research to enhance learning and education?

Jensen: Most of the neuroscientists that I work with (about a dozen or so) do understand and appreciate what I'm trying to do (link educators with researchers). But on the whole, probably less that 1 percent see any link between neuroscience and teaching methodology.

BC: What new developments from neuroscience research are you most excited about?

Jensen: Right now, I am trying to make sense of how our brain learns implicitly. So I am very excited about the discovery and applications of "mirror" neurons. I am very interested in neurogenesis, too.

BC: In your workshops, you have advocated the use of the Fast ForWord. Why?

Jensen: What's impressive about Fast ForWord is that it's one of the first legitimate learning products to come to the educational marketplace based on neuroscience. The potential is unlimited.

BC: In your book Teaching with the Brain in Mind, you argue that standardized testing, with its requirement of "right" answers, is not the most brain-compatible way to learn. Can you talk more about that?

Jensen: We become more intelligent by learning to think on our own two feet, test out a hypothesis, make mistakes and practice skills and knowledge in a supportive environment. We do not become smarter by being taught a narrow range of responses that will be needed on a test. Smart people got smart not by knowing all the answers, but by being better thinkers and eliminating the bad answer choices. That comes from time-consuming projects, discussions, research, building, designing, reflection, and brainstorming. Tests rarely reflect those items.

BC: What is your opinion of standardized testing?