In our Parent Newsletter June 2018, we’d like to welcome our new contributor, Marie Lister! Marie graduated in 2012 with a Masters of Education and a teaching license in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education. She has been a classroom teacher for 9 years and currently is a teacher at the Shirley G. Moore…
“Executive function refers to the brain skills that allow us to control our thoughts, actions, and emotions. These skills include cognitive flexibility (thinking about something in multiple ways and shifting gears, for example, transitioning smoothly from snack time to center time), working memory (holding information in mind and working with it, such as reminding yourself…
Earlier this week, Frontiers in Psychology published an article on mindfulness, reflection, and executive function. The study, “Mindfulness Plus Reflection Training: Effects on Executive Function in Early Childhood” was conducted by Dr. Phil Zelazo, Dr. Ann Masten, and Dr. Stephanie Carlson of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development and Jessie Forston of Learning Tree Yoga,…
Executive function impairments in the classroom can manifest in a number of ways. Commonly, children who struggle with self-regulation will act out. Other low executive functioning students may go undetected — rather than causing trouble, they quietly struggle. How can we, as researchers, parents, clinicians, and educators, not only detect these students but also provide support?…
Twenty-seven St. Paul Public elementary schools are blurring the lines between school work and play with a homegrown curriculum called “Discovering Our World.” Kids get around 90 minutes each day to play — or “actively learn” — at any of several stations stocked with blocks, modeling clay and art, or pretend cooking supplies. Stephanie Carlson,…
— PRESS RELEASE — ST PAUL, MN (October 25, 2017) – Reflection Sciences, Inc., an education technology company founded by University of Minnesota researchers, and Kiko Labs, the San Francisco developer of Kiko’s Thinking Time™ games, are thrilled to announce a new partnership. Research on school readiness has uncovered a link between the skill-set referred…
Mind in the Making author Ellen Galinsky, the Bezos Family Foundation, and leading researchers on Executive Function (including our Co-founders!) make the case for citizens and scientists to work together to address our most challenging and science needs to improve child outcomes in the latest issue of Child Development. Contact us to request the article.
We are thrilled to invite you to join us for a free, live, webcast with Reflection Sciences Co-founder and CEO, Dr. Stephanie Carlson and St. Anthony – New Brighton Community Services Director, Wendy Webster! The session will be held on Thursday, July 13th from 11:00 to 11:45 AM CDT. We will discuss how St. Anthony…
Each week, the Montessori Foundation’s Montessori Leadership Institute hosts live sessions focusing on Montessori outcomes for success and the importance of Montessori education. Sessions are led by Montessori Foundation experts or guest speakers. This Wednesday’s session [1:00 PM Eastern Time in the USA (GMT -4)] will be hosted by Dr. Katie Brown, DC Regional Coordinator…
According to pretend play in child development expert, Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota, and Reflection Sciences Co-founder, Dr. Stephanie M. Carlson, “Play is about as ‘blueprinted’ a behavior as you can have in terms of basic survival and reproduction.” Play, which by definition has no immediate purpose other than recreation, is…