Effective educators value young adolescents, are prepared to teach them, and are knowledgeable about this age group. Middle level educators' understanding of adolescent brain development and developmentally responsive teaching strategies can help to support all adolescents' cognitive and social-emotional development in school. This article…

When adolescents in the United States of America trail much of the world on measures of school achievement, but are among the world leaders in violence, unwanted pregnancy, STDs, abortion, binge drinking, marijuana use, obesity, and unhappiness, it is time to admit that something is wrong with the way that the country is raising its young people.…

For a generation of children immersed in technology, emerging research suggests that while the temptation to multitask may be pervasive, the ability to control it could be the real bellwether of academic success. The pervasiveness of technology and social media, coupled with a fear of missing out on something important, has led students to pay…

Childhood trauma is marked by an overwhelming sense of terror and powerlessness. Loss of loving relationships is yet another type of trauma that produces the pain of sadness and grief. The resulting symptoms only reflect the neurological, biological, and emotional coping systems mobilized in the struggle to survive. These young people need new…

Adults need certain capabilities to get and keep a job, provide responsive care for children, manage a household, and contribute productively to the community. When these skills have not developed as they should, or are compromised by the stresses of poverty or other ongoing adversity, our communities pay the price. But where do these capabilities…

Losing self-control is costly. In the aftermath, a teacher wilts with shame or embarrassment. In truth, teachers may be unwittingly susceptible to rash behavior, not because they are inherently ill-tempered people, but because they are biologically wired to respond unthinkingly to perceived threats. Thanks to the evolving field of social…

Executive functions (EFs) involve a number of interconnected systems that, when compromised, can result in difficulties that affect a child's ability to perform tasks across early childhood settings, including the home and community-based settings. In retrospective research studies, researchers have found that a young child's…

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children and adolescents can significantly affect their lives and educational needs. Deficits are often exhibited in areas such as attention, concentration, memory, executive function, emotional regulation, and behavioral functioning, but specific outcomes are not particular to any one child or adolescent with a…

This conference presentation examines concept development for congenitally blind students. It presents current research on best-practice for teaching this population. Examples of strategies to reinforce understanding of body concepts, spatial awareness, and positional language, while promoting mirroring, self regulation, and purposeful movement to…

Understanding the nature of brain development in adolescence helps explain why adolescents can vacillate so often between mature and immature behavior. Early and middle adolescence, in particular, are times of heightened vulnerability to risky and reckless behavior because the brain's reward center is easily aroused, but the systems that control…

The authors examine the effects of poverty-related adversity on child development, drawing upon psychobiological principles of experiential canalization and the biological embedding of experience. They integrate findings from research on stress physiology, neurocognitive function, and self-regulation to consider adaptive processes in response to…

Children begin forming social and emotional intelligence at birth. They need the support of a caring adult at first, and then later interactions with peers, in order to encounter the experiences that will guide their brain development in the social and emotional domains. With the help and input of others, children begin to understand, express, and…

Initiatives such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) reflect America's recent emphasis on literacy and educational accountability. Policymakers have a heightened interest in educating children earlier and fostering brain growth, in part due to the increased awareness of research on brain development and the importance of the early years…

Many children and youth have difficulty controlling emotions and impulsive behavior. Brain science is shining new light on the process by which children develop self-regulation and controls from within. This article expands upon Fritz Redl and David Wineman's pioneering work aiding children in the development of flexible and effective controls…

Career and technical education (CTE) students find themselves in school environments using equipment and tools that could cause injury if mishandled. It is imperative that these students be wide awake and alert when operating these tools. But many adolescents are not getting the sleep they need to be refreshed and alert. Sleep restores brain…