8. Causes of Stress in School
• Unprepared for class
• Peer relationships
• Lack of long-term goals or material doesn’t
seem relevant to student’s goals
• Frustration due to previous failure to
understand or do well in the topic
• Test-taking anxiety and oral presentations
18. Why Did You Need to Know?
Accurate predictions activate
dopamine release (pleasure) so the
brain:
u wants to predict for intrinsic
satisfaction
u needs to know if predictions
are correct
u learns from feedback
19. Incremental Progress
Children need to see frequent
connections between their work
and their progress (to build on
the intrinsic satisfaction).
Effort=Progress to Goal
21. Using the game model of
achievable challenge and
incremental goal progress
feedback, children are motivated
to persevere through challenges
22. GOAL
So children want to learn
what they need to learn
By seeing
products
or
possibilities…
23. Prime the Brain “Buy-
in” for Learning
Promote curiosity and prediction
about school topics
Connect with your child’s
interests
Family history, photos
Friends who use information in
interesting jobs
25. Important BOM Messages from
Neuroscience for Parents Children
Acting out/zoning out is brain’s adaptive
stress response
Neuroplasticity=Potential
Genius is more than genes
Past performance does not limit future success
You can change your brain’s social,
emotional, and cognitive intelligence
26. Knowing Why
When children understand the
neuroplasticity they know the
“why” for:
• doing assignments
• participation
• understanding concepts
• making mistakes!
40. Neural Networks of
Executive Function
Can be developed to:
• evaluate new information
• modify understanding as
information increases and “facts”
change
• use new technology as it becomes
available
43. Executive Functions are the
Skill sets for 21st Century Success
Analyze
Prioritize
Plan goals
Assess risk
Adapt
Organize
Comprehend communication nuances
Considered decision making
Delay immediate gratification
REMEMBER
Judgment The Dog
Tolerance
Empathy
44. Marshmallow Test
!
Those participants with high levels of self-
control activated the “executive function” PFC
Those less able to delay gratification activated
the more emotional lower brain regions
45. Executive Functions in
Young Children
More strongly associated with school
readiness success than IQ or entry-level
reading or math skills
• inhibitory control (resisting habits,
temptations, or distractions)
• working memory (patterning experiences)
• cognitive flexibility (adjusting to change)
Blair C, and Razza RP. (2007)
46. Neural Networks of
Executive Function
Can be developed to:
• evaluate new information
• modify understanding as
information increases and “facts”
change
• use new technology as it becomes
available
47. PFC Proper Care and Feeding
• Opportunities to practice
accurate and logical
interpretation of new
information
• Develop habits of mind
(critical analysis, creative
problem solving)
48. Information Analysis
Communication
Opportunities for making and
evaluating decisions (Trips and
Purchases)
Shared internet explorations
Ask questions and actively listen (no
interrupting, correcting , multitasking,
or personal anecdotes)
49. • Recognize the difference between fact
and opinion (TV commercials, internet
sites, best restaurant)
• Ask for their opinions and reasons
• Defend personal opinions with facts
• Predict arguments against theirs and
prepare responses
50. Summary
! • PFC is last part of brain to mature
• Use of executive functions promotes their
greater development
• Along the way use the dopamine boosters
