Brain Talk Leads to Brain Growth

Julia Volkman, Montessori teacher and mentor, founder and president of Maitri Learning, educational publisher, teacher of Mind, Brian Health and Education courses, and columnist for Pubic School Montessorian, recently wrote an article for the newspaper entitled, “Learning about the brain improves achievement.”

Interesting article.  In short, Ms. Volkman believes that empowering children to change their mindset will make a difference in influencing their brain “growth.”

She supports having brain discussions with children at home, meaning - talk to them about their brains.  She offers the following tips when doing so.

     - Your brain is changing… right now  (brain functioning term -Neuroplasticity) 
     - Use it or lose it (Neural Pruning) 
     - Practice makes permanent, we have to make effort again and again to learn (Dynamic Skill Development)  
     - Upset brains can’t think (Limbic System) 
     - When we perceive someone else doing something, our brains get activated as if we were doing it (Mirror Neurons) 
     - Daydreaming and down time are good for you (Default Mode Network) 
     - Exercise improves our ability to remember, understand and learn

Montessori education consistently supports brain growth; children are encouraged to repeat activities themselves or give a lesson to a younger friend to solidify their knowledge of a concept.

To learn more about the brain and how we can support its growth, visit Ms. Volkman’s website www.brainbasics .org