Is there a cure for the teenage brain for parents

The Teenage BrainLori Boll

Is There a Cure for the Teenage Brain?

Lori Boll

Today’s Take-aways• An understanding of

how the teenage brain works

• Learn about executive functioning skills

• Figure out how to support our teenagers at home

Diigo Bookmarks

https://goo.gl/E5dSOO

https://goo.gl/E5dSOO

You can find this presentation here:

http://goo.gl/5NohAk

http://goo.gl/5NohAk

Executive Functioning

"The Teen Brain Is A Work In Progress | Inside The Teenage Brain | FRONTLINE | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/>.

Teenage Brain

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/


What emotion is this woman feeling?


you are your child’s frontal lobes

you tell them when to eat, get dressed, how to organize their lives.

exploring

figuring out the world

they don’t know what will happen but you can help them understand

put their head in the bucket

to be funnyno thought about what could be in there

impulsive

scattered? disorganized? impulsive?

frustrating!?

How could such a smart kid be so

what are some other words you would use to describe teenagers?

Hello... where is your common sense?

“Talk amongst yourselves…”

Executive Skills: The brain-based skills that are required for humans to execute, or perform tasks.

Taylor, A. (2013). Executive dysfunction after brain injury. Retrieved from https://www.headway.org.uk/executive-dysfunction-after-brain-injury.aspx

The Brain’s CEO

Still maturing

Doesn’t fully develop until age 25

You are your child’s frontal lobes

frontal lobes

As they mature you expect them to as well



Executive Skills: The brain-based skills that are required for humans to execute, or perform tasks.

Taylor, A. (2013). Executive dysfunction after brain injury. Retrieved from https://www.headway.org.uk/executive-dysfunction-after-brain-injury.aspx

The “CEO”

https://www.headway.org.uk/executive-dysfunction-after-brain-injury.aspx


What emotion do you think teens believe she

is showing?




Executive Skills• Response Inhibition

• Emotional Control

• Sustained Attention

• Task Initiation

• Goal-directed Persistence

• Organization

• Time Management

• Planning/Prioritizing

• Working Memory

• Metacognition

Executive Skills Involving Doing (behavior)

• Response Inhibition



• Task Initiation


• Organization

• Time Management


• Working Memory

• Metacognition

Executive Skills Involving Thinking (Cognition)

• Response Inhibition



• Task Initiation


• Organization

• Time Management


• Working Memory

• Metacognition

“At birth executive skills only exists as potential.The newborn has no actual executive skills.”

“…Frontal lobes, and therefore executive skills will require 18 to 20 years, or even longer to develop fully.”

“Given these factors, children cannot rely soley on their own frontal lobes to regulate behavior? What’s the solution?”

We lend them ours.

Otherwise, the consequences can be

dire…

“Inside Your Teenager’s Scary Brain”http://goo.gl/OPo2uA

https://goo.gl/npyVT8

https://goo.gl/npyVT8

Supporting your teen• Teach Organization skills

• Help with time management

• Help them plan out long term assignments

• Allow them to make mistakes

Sources

Why does disorganization rear

it’s ugly head in Middle School?

Elementary vs. Middle

• Organized

• One classroom

• Everything you need is inside the room

• Transition as a class

• Teacher manages your world

• More unstructured

• Multiple classes

• Locker

• Go places individually

• You manage your world

Symptoms of Disorganization

• Frequently Loses Papers

• Doesn’t hand in assignments on time

• Has a backpack full of crumpled paper and random objects

• Can’t break down long-term projects and misses dead-lines

• Leaves everything for the last minute

• Disrupts home life with frantic searches, urgent requests for late-night help and anxiety-ridden meltdowns

“Don’t agonize. Organize.”-

Florynce Kennedy

Missing Homework

Excuses, excuses

Oh sure... blame it on

me.

3 Most Common at ISB

• “I lost the paper”

• “I forgot that I had it”

• “I didn’t have time”

“I lost the paper”• Get a collection box

or folder of some sort.

• Keep all papers in a file at home to use for future studying.

• Keep current papers in notebook or binder REMEMBER:

Paper is the enemy. File it or get rid of it

“I lost the paper”

Lockers are the culprit! Systems are the key!

“I forgot I had it”

• Check Haiku

• Can’t count on memory

• Encourage your child to use a written planner

“I didn’t have time”

Time Management Suggestions for Parents

LoriBoll.me | @LoriBoll

• List out assignments

• Make sure you have all materials

• Decide who will provide help if needed

• Estimate time needed

• Prioritize assignments

• Build in breaks

Make a Homework Plan

http://LoriBoll.me

http://www.twitter.com/loriboll

Introduce the concept of work-sprints

Homework Plan

Humanities Modern Lang. Math Science

Check Haiku Check Haiku Check Haiku Check Haiku

Read 20 minutes Define 10 vocab words7.3 problems

1-30 odds

Review for test on Friday

Finish lab report due Wed.

Setting up the learning

environment

Soft or Natural Lighting

Temperature

68-72 degrees F 20-22 degrees C

Where does your child study?

Take a moment to discuss.

Here?

Here?

Here?

Here?...Yes!

Soft Lighting

Comfortable Seating

Desk with all materials

Free of Distractions

Aren’t they too old for all this help?

“A good system shortens the road

to a goal”-

Orison Swett Marden, writer

“As a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when

I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”

Mark Twain

Education

Is there a cure for the teenage brain for parents