HOW kids learn best? What makes learning and performing more challenging
for some kids, and what can we all do to improve our education system – both at
home and at school?
A few years back, there was an
amazing conference in Virginia attended by the top neuropsychologists and
educators in the country. The conference boasted three days of intense
learning about this subject. While it is difficult to boil three days of learning into a brief article,
I thought I would share my top “takeaways” from the “Learning and the Brain
Conference: Executive Skills for School Success”. The following takeaways
will set kids up for success once you learn how kids learn best.
How Kids Learn: Think Process, Not Just Content
We have known for years that the prefrontal cortex area of the brain is
responsible for planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression,
decision-making, and moderating social behavior. This is typically known
as the executive function of the brain. The complex set of skills that
make up executive function are responsible for HOW efficiently we do what we
DECIDE to do.
Research now shows that “25% of the explanation for performance on all
kinds of measures, including IQ tests, is predicted not by how much you know
but by how you demonstrate what you know; that is, the strategies you use to
take the test or do the assignment”. – Sam Goldstein, Neuropsychologist
How Kids Learn: Watch Out for Stress
We all know that there has
been an explosion and expansion regarding WHAT kids today are expected to learn
and memorize. Science now shows what
many wise parents and teachers already knew:
When we expect kids to learn too much, too fast, the stress level for many
kids increases and their brain actually shuts down.
Under stress, the primitive part of the brain takes over, and like other
animals, we tend to act out, or zone out, the way animals flight, fight, or
freeze. Reducing the stress and possibly reducing the expectations in the
short-term will allow kids to be more available and able to learn and perform.
How Kids Learn: Don’t Ever Give Up Hope
The brain that you “build” early on with exposure to vocabulary,
activities, and experiences will still have the foundational blocks developed
during that time in place to excel in life, even if there is a delay or a need
to catch up due to difficulties in the learning environment or personal
struggles. The brain your children built will still be there in later
years.
We now have strong evidence that the brain is plastic. Learning
continues as long as we actively stimulate the brain. Be patient and
positive. School struggles don’t need to dictate ones future.
How Kids Learn: Teach Your Kids About Their
Brain
Knowing how the brain works let’s you know how to use it better – memorize
more, learn more, understand more, etc. It is vital that kids know and believe
that their intelligence CAN grow and they CAN learn. Showing kids a bit of the
science about the brain – the executive functions and the impact of stress, can
give them a greater sense of control and belief that their choice’s greatly
impact their destiny – both now and for the future.
Help Kids Learn the Value of Self-Talk:
Metacognition
The conversation we have with ourselves teaches us and guides us throughout
life. Self-talk is actually a developmental skill that often is lagging
in some children – and adults. Involving your child in the PROCESS of
what you are doing with them and for them allows them to experience the
planning, time management, complexities, etc. involved in goal setting, achieving,
balancing different needs and desires, etc. Asking them questions rather
than focusing on giving them the plan and solution is a powerful way to build
their metacognitive skills.
How Kids Learn: Sleep and Exercise Really Do
Matter
A few quick research facts to ponder:
1. A study showed that 6th graders functioned more like
4th graders in demonstrating
their knowledge when they stayed up 40 minutes later three nights in a row.
2. In a Canadian study of 500
children, kids with a daily hour of active exercise far outperformed children in
exams without exercise.
It’s not enough for parents to have this information – students and schools
must embrace this as well. There are trade offs with everything –
academic learning is only part of the equation for success.
Summary
The most important ingredient for a child’s learning environment is that
they feel safe – that they can feel free to be curious and experiment – and
that they will be treated with respect and care. They need to know that
it’s okay for them to make mistakes and not feel too rushed to move on to the
next hurdle too quickly. This will cause the most positive brain changes
and greatest outcome.
Posted
by Kids
Are Special in TEACHERS and PARENTS
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