Provision of Choice is Key to Executive Function Development in Toddlers It is clear that early executive function (EF) skills are important for many outcomes including social competence, emotion regulation, academic achievement, and school readiness (Allan et al., 2014, McClelland et al., 2013; Willoughby et al., 2017). We have seen remarkable growth in the number…
Unleashing the Power of Pretend Play: The Batman Effect and Beyond
In a world full of distractions and temptations, fostering perseverance and self-control in children can often feel like an uphill battle. However, Dr. Stephanie Carlson’s recent research sheds light on an unexpected ally in the quest to develop these crucial executive function skills: pretend play. On a new episode of the Catalyst 360 podcast, Dr. Stephanie…
Early Childhood Brain Development: The Key to Building Executive Function Skills
Did you know that 90% of brain development occurs before age five? During these critical years, young children’s brains form millions of new connections each second, helping them absorb and process information at a remarkable rate. By supporting early brain development, parents and caregivers can lay a strong foundation for executive function skills, such as…
Susan Phelps: Successful Teaching & Learning Through Brain Science
This week, we’re excited to share an interview with Susan Phelps, the Chief Officer of Neuroeducation for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC). With a background in child clinical psychology and school psychology, Susan plays a key role in the GAIN initiative, which integrates brain science into educational practices to enhance student outcomes. Introduction Reflection…
Encouraging Creativity to Develop Executive Function in Early Childhood Education
Engaging in creative learning in early childhood provides children with opportunities to express their uniqueness and try out new ideas. It’s also a great way to develop their executive function. Executive function (EF) refers to the mental processes that enable individuals to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Research has shown…
Improving outcomes with executive function interventions: a school district’s experience
This week, I am excited to share an interview with Susan Phelps, the Chief Officer of Neuroeducation for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC). With a background in child clinical psychology and school psychology, Susan plays a key role in the GAIN initiative, which integrates brain science into educational practices to enhance student outcomes. Introduction…
Creating a Classroom Environment that Supports Executive Function Development
Introduction The transition back to school can be a challenging time for children. Creating a space that fosters safety, minimizes distractions, and promotes structure can help them adjust and thrive in their new environment. In fact, recent scientific research shows that the right learning environment can help kids build their executive function (EF) skills (Terada,…
Large New Study Underscores the Importance of Executive Function in Early Childhood Education
A new long-term scientific study of over 140,000 individuals shows that early childhood executive function predicts a number of important life outcomes. In this week’s Tip for Teachers, we break down what teachers need to know from these fascinating findings. Find the study here: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/s59ev What are Executive Function Skills? Executive function (EF) skills encompass…
Creating a Focused Classroom Environment: The Importance of Simplicity
Nowadays, classroom settings are more and more stimulating. While bright colors, fun decorations, and completed art projects can grab children’s attention and make the classroom seem more engaging, when it comes to learning, simple is better. Research suggests that reducing visual distractions can help students focus, learn, and engage with their teacher’s instruction. When a…
Embracing Flexibility in Early Childhood Education
The Importance of Flexibility in Teaching Let’s face it, days rarely go exactly as planned in a preschool classroom. Flexibility is a key component for successful learning in early childhood education. A teacher’s ability to adapt to unexpected events, turn possible distractions into learning opportunities, and model how to navigate change successfully can make the…