Why are teenagers so hard to understand? This lively and interactive seminar explores current brain research to explain cognitive and emotional developments in middle and high school students. Through the field of neuroscience, you will explore the development of neural networks and myelination to better understand teenage thinking and feeling. In the field of psychology, you will consider the importance of working memory, self-control, attention, and motivation – and their key differences in teenagers. These scientific explorations will inform your teaching practice and offer practical classroom strategies. The workshop will also consider research into sleep, the unique sleep needs and schedules of adolescents, and their implications for current school schedules. Finally, you investigate the surprising and often contradictory research into technology usage and video games that keep adolescents busy and (dis-)connected. You will leave with a deeper understanding of adolescent brains and minds, and ways to better serve them in school.
This seminar runs from 8:15 am to 2:30 pm at the Crowne Plaza White Plains - Downtown.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Participants will be able to:
• Explain the neural changes behind adolescent emotional development, especially the "imbalance hypothesis"
• Outline the trajectory of teenage cognitive development, especially working memory, long-term memory, processing speed, and self-control
• Realign teaching strategies, school policies, and schedules to fit with teenage brain development and learning
• Enhance students' self-control with research-supported strategies
• Explain the benefits and detriments of adolescent technology use, including academic technology, social media, and video games
• Understand the limitations of scientific research, in order to use it most effectively in the classroom
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This seminar is applicable for 6-12 teachers of all disciplines, academic administrators, instructional leaders, learning specialists, and middle and high school counselors
WORKSHOP LEADER
Andrew Watson, MA, EdM, has been connecting brain research with teachers and schools for the better part of a decade. A one-time dean of faculty, and an award-winning teacher with 16 years of experience, Andrew Watson now presents on the classroom uses of neuroscience and psychology research. He is the President of Translate the Brain - an educational consultancy. He is also the author of Learning Begins (2017) and the editor of the LEARNING & THE BRAIN blog.
