Should we set a screen time limit What programs can our children watch? Is my child playing too many video games? Children’s technology use is a common topic of discussion echoed in living rooms across the country. A recent piece in the New York Times highlights the struggles faced by pandemic families who express…
January 26, 2021
There’s More to “Seat-Time” Than We Thought
There has been a lot of discussion about earning credit via “seat time” (aka Carnegie units) versus “proof of mastery.” Where one insists a person attend a minimum number of class periods while the other cares not about attendance, just the ability to demonstrate knowledge however that may be done. When it comes to early…
December 22, 2020
Promoting Executive Function with STEAM
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I’m just not creative,” or “Gosh, I wish I were better at math”? How about considering yourself to be either left-brained (analytical) or right-brained (creative)? It can be tempting to think of science and art as opposite ends of a spectrum, but evidence from neuroscience shows us that brain…
December 9, 2020
Just Right Parenting: An Executive Function Strategy for Parents
If your child has ever complained to you about having too little milk in a glass (“But I’m thirsty!”) and then after you added more, complained that it was too much (“I can’t finish it all!”), you know how challenging it can be to find the right balance in parenting. It’s like how Goldilocks wanted…
December 3, 2020
Supporting Theory of Mind Development in Children
Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to understand that other people have thoughts that are different from our own. Acquiring this understanding of the mind is a crucial developmental milestone for children and allows them to succeed in environments such as school. Using their ToM, children can make predictions about another person’s behavior and…
November 30, 2020
Mindfulness and Mental Health
As most educators and parents are seeing, this historic pandemic is having a large effect on children and students of all ages. The current pandemic has upended in-person education, disrupted our daily routines, and has isolated many of us from friends and family. A survey of 1000 students between the ages of 16 and 19,…
November 4, 2020
Embedding Executive Function into All Classrooms
For students to succeed academically, it takes more than simply knowing what to study—they need to have the ability to learn. This starts with students understanding Executive Function (EF), and the essential role it plays in achieving desired results—from aceing a test to winning an art contest. As teachers and parents, it’s our responsibility to…
October 29, 2020
Clinician Spotlight: Executive Function, ADHD, and Academic Success
Self-regulation and Executive Function (EF) rely on three key types of brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and inhibitory control. These highly interrelated skills are imperative to a child’s development. But what does this mean for children diagnosed with ADHD? A Bit of Background In a recently published study done by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical…
October 28, 2020
Play Builds Serious Skills
Playtime is many things. It’s fun for children. It’s an escape for busy parents. But it’s much more than that. According to Dr. Stephanie M. Carlson, distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota, and Reflection Sciences co-founder, “Play is about as ‘blueprinted’ a behavior as you can have in terms of basic survival…
October 6, 2020
COVID-19, Student Trauma, and Executive Function
Everyday, we are bombarded with new information on and experiences with COVID-19. While we may be acutely aware of how the pandemic impacts us personally we may not know how the pandemic is impacting our children or students, or how to prevent possible long-term negative effects. It’s logical to presume that many children are experiencing…