Recently a couple of teachers and I heard Dr. Jane M. Healy speak about her latest book, Different Learners. It is recognized as a resource in dealing with children who have academic, social or behavioral learning challenges. The author says that, “Today’s fast-paced stressed-out culture is hazardous to growing minds, and a growing ‘epidemic’ of children’s disorders is the result…One thing that brain research tells us is that the way we raise and teach our children not only helps shape their brains, but can influence or even alter the way genes play out their roles.”
The human brain is so plastic that each of us builds a unique, custom-tailored brain as genetics interact with lifetime experiences. To be effective learners children need opportunities to use and develop rich networks of connections for language (listening, speaking, understanding, thinking), problem solving, memory, attention and logical thinking, to name just a few.
In describing brain-positive learning environments, Dr. Healy points out that Montessori schools are “founded on a set of well-developed principles about how the young brain grows and the most appropriate ways to support intellectual and personal development.” She comments that our schools have a distinctly articulated system of values based on the principles of a child’s developmental needs and the importance of active personal involvement in learning.
Dr. Healy gives many examples on how we adults can help children learn self-regulation, which is as important as intelligence for success in school and in life. Some factors (p.318) she identifies that impede the development of self-control are: -stress overload in disorganized environments
-media that pulls the child’s attention to whatever is on the screen
-intrusive sensory environments including visually stimuli, too many toys
-adults who are unable or unwilling to model delayed gratification, etc.
-schools that focus on memorization, acceleration and test scores at the expense of how to learn
-overmanagement that reduces the child’s personal sense of control
I particularly found Chapters 10 and 11 in Different Learners to be helpful. Entitled “Brain-Cleaning 101: How to Help Your Child Learn Better” and “Brain-Cleaning 102: Tackling Lifestyle Factors,” these pages list practical steps to reduce brain disruptors – the risks of toxins, unhealthy eating habits, lack of adequate sleep and inappropriate media use.
I strong recommend this book for prevention as well as identification and treatment of childrens’ learning problems. There is a copy of the book in Eton’s library.