Three Simple Tips from Neuroscience to Learn Better
Do you want to improve your academic performance, but you do not know how? The answer may be found in neuroscientific studies. They claim that development of the brain from early childhood is a key to successful learning. Here we have 3 insights for you to understand how the brain works and how to make use of this knowledge.
Insight 1: It is Important to Develop Your Brain Since Early Age
Human brain starts developing before the child was born, and finishes its development in the early 20s. Moreover, it is important to work with a child intensively during his or her first 3 years of life, as that is the time of most significant growth. Indeed, research in the Center on Developing Child in Harvard University proves that development of child’s brain has a great impact on his further behavior, health, and learning. It is true, as the bad impact on the brain of a child may have negative consequences in an adolescence. Moreover, the brain also significantly develops in adolescent period, but in the sphere of emotional responses.
Apart from innate traits and genes, interaction with family and friends is also important. All the development of a child depends on his or her experience at home, at kindergarten and later at school. Such people as parents, friends, relatives. Teachers take a great part in the shaping of child’s brain.
Insight 2: Constant Stress Makes Learning Less Effective
Neuroscientists prove that stress in harmful for the brain of a child or adolescent person. They studied the effect of negative experiences and chronic stress on the brain and found out and brain development is correlated with psychological and educational influences. E.g. everyday stress may have bad intact on emotional responses, self-confidence, self-regulation, learning, and planning.
If a child lives in stressful conditions such as poverty, violence, unstable family relationships, he or she will lag behind those children who are from rich families with good relationships and good living conditions. Neuroscience helps to understand how outer conditions influence the brain development of a child and help teachers to learn how to adjust learning process for such children.
Insight 3: Relevant Activities is the Key to Improvement of Brain Development
If you want to improve the situation of children, who are under constant stress and help their brain to develop, it is important to provide them with the good learning environment and relevant activities. Teachers should create a pleasant experience with the help of different tools, which lead to improvements not only in the neurodevelopment but also in social cognitive and emotional interactions.
There are some inventions, which can help to improve not only learning of children, but students’ writing, reading and learning too, who are under constant stress and their behavior. E.g. teachers can try different practical approaches to develop executive skills of such children. Sometimes meditation and calm atmosphere in the classroom help to improve behavior. It is also good to have a neuroscientist in school, who will be able to observe children and give his or her recommendations.
Currently, neuroscientists are working on development and improvements of stress effected children, by researching in areas of Brazil, Honduras, and El Salvador, as there are a lot of children, who live in poverty and violent environment. They study the impact of such surrounding on the brain productivity and methods to improve learning and behavior of such children.