Welcome to Developing Brains! This site began in 2007 in response to the impact that the new understandings about brain development were having on the field of Early Childhood Education. Because of the changing nature of brain science, this site will be in constant development, as we learn more and more about the brain.
My name is Kathy Bobula, and I started this web site as a way to bring the exciting findings of the “new brain science” to parents and teacher-caregivers of young children in a way that applies this research to how we actually interact with children and keep them safe and healthy.
What do I mean by the “new brain science”? I’m calling it “new” because the information coming from research on how the brain functions and how it develops during childhood and adolescence seems to be “exploding” right now. Every day there is a greater understanding of the brain, and some of these findings have applications to real life decision making and problem solving. Also, new findings are causing us to rethink some of our ways of relating to children, whether as teacher-caregivers or as parents. And, many findings reinforce what we already know and do!
This is both exciting and challenging. It is exciting to understand what is going on in the brain and be able to apply it to our daily lives. It is a challenge, though, to find a pathway between the scientific findings and their appropriate and potential applications. Fortunately, there are some neuroscientists and professional science writers who are able to “translate” findings into lay language that is understandable to the NON-neuroscientist!
However, to apply this information, it is going to require that we all learn a few basic concepts about the brain so that we can understand what is going on as children learn and grow. Knowing how the brain works can help us think of creative and meaningful responses to children's questions, behaviors, and processes of learning. For teachers of young children, knowing how the brain works is a necessary part of knowing about child development, and “developmentally appropriate practices.”
None of us need become neuroscientists to understand the basics of how the brain works. Some of us, though, may need to shed our fear of “science” so we can jump in and start learning the how and why of the developing mind.
A Little BackgroundIn the 1980s, advances in technology allowed neuroscientists to “look inside” the living brain. This brought about many different kinds of research, including how the brain develops during childhood and how the child’s environment influences brain development. We refer to all this active research as the “new brain science.”
People who study child development and early education have been particularly taken by all these new findings, for it seems that these findings have a lot to say about how we parent and educate young children, especially in the first 5 to 8 years of life.
My goal for this site is to explain concepts in a way that makes it easy to access by people who are very busy and are NOT neuroscientists, particularly parents and those who work with children in educational, caregiving situations. My intent is also to do this without “watering down” the information, but by making it understandable.
Using the site
If you are NOT already familiar with the brain, how it is constructed, and how it works, or you want to refresh your memory, there is an article on Some Brain Basics for you to read. There are also Links to some great web sites about the brain and to other sites of interest.
There is an article on some of the Concepts about the Brain (such as plasticity and commitment) and one on Brain Development. These concepts are important for understanding how we impact the growth and development of children during the most influential years of birth to eight.
Though the focus of this site is on the early years, some research on adolescence has also been included. And, much of the material about the brain in this site applies to adults, too!
Finally, I have included a Glossary of Terms that you can use to remind yourself of what a particular word means. When I am reading articles by neuroscientists, I have a lot of sticky notes all over the article with definitions of terms on them! Eventually, I remember what they mean and can abandon the reminders.
Organization of the site
The site is divided into five focus areas, which include:
• Activities for Developing Brains
• Understanding Developing Brains
• Supporting Developing Brains
• Protecting Developing Brains
• Reducing Bias for Developing Brains (new area!)
As I have done trainings and presentations in the community, I have tried to share that material in the form of articles and activities. I’ve decided to add a new area to the site called Training Modules. I’ve provided ideas for group and individual training for teacher/caregivers of young children as well as parents.
There are also links to other related websites as well as a list of resources of interest. I hope the materials provide you with additional knowledge and insights that can enhance your support for children.
Updated on July 1, 2011