Brain development is an incredibly important and impactful subject that often gets overlooked by our educational system. Both when it comes to teaching educators and students about the importance of brain development.
Teaching students about their brains helps them develop:
Self-Awareness
When students learn about what’s going on in their own brain, they have better insight into why they think, feel, and act in the ways they do.
Self-Regulation
As neuroscientist Dr. Daniel J. Siegel says “You need to name it to tame it.” Teaching students about brain anatomy gives students agency over their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors because they know what regions of their brains are responsible for them.
Cognitive Skills
We don’t call it FocusedKids for no reason. Students that know what’s happening in their brain can improve their attention spans, concentration, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Empathy
Students that understand what’s going on inside the brain of a fellow student who’s having a hard time are able to empathize and relate to that other student more easily.
Educators that pratice a brain development-informed approach to teaching often exhibit improved:
Relation Skills
Teachers that understand what’s going on in a child’s brain are able to bring more empathy, understanding, and patience into their classrooms.
Classroom Management Techniques
Knowing why children are acting the way they are and having tools to get them back on track can help create more calm and cooperative classrooms.
Instructional Abilities
Teachers who understand brain development are better at tailoring teaching and discerning the needs of their students so they can understand what to teach and when.