Some of the most difficult children to teach are those who have a fear of failure. Unfortunately, for may teachers  such children often display deep scars of failure that can challenge even the most experienced and successful teacher. In my opinion, those teachers who possess the ability to change an [...]

Today’s complicated car engines often seem analogous to the working of a student’s learning brain. Both mechanics and teachers do not get the credit they deserve. Compare yesterday’s cars and students with today’s cars and students and you begin to see how complicated both professions have become. Years ago, teaching [...]

Being in the zone is every athlete's dream.

The ongoing saga regarding professional athletes and PEDs, performance enhancing drugs, minimizes the real problem concerning the consequences for players and drug suppliers. For years those in power have looked in the other direction when dealing with performance-enhancing drugs. That is, higher athletic performance means money to the athletes as [...]

Today’s children face dangerous environmental hazards that can affect critical developmental milestones, particularly brain development.

The proliferation of cellphone offenses cited by a recent crackdown by  police in Petaluma is frightening. Not only is the presence of danger for drivers, walkers, and bikers frightening, but also disturbing is the fact that all segments of our society seem to be committing this offense. In other words, [...]

 We should start with a personal anecdote concerning the connection between brain research and cursive writing. As an energetic third-grader, positive school experiences were far and few between, until I discovered cursive writing. The event occurred when my teacher asked for a volunteer to demonstrate how to make a cursive [...]

Teachers and child therapists are acutely aware of the effect divorce and/or broken homes can have on the child’s learning potential as well as school behavior. In fact, teachers can generally predict an evolving divorce based on observation of the student’s school performance. Although children experience divorce and separation differently, [...]

Today’s complicated car engines often seem analogous to the workings of a students’ learning brains. To continue the analogy, car mechanics and teachers do not get the credit  they deserve for dealing with the increased complexity in their professions. For example, compare yesterday’s cars and students with today’s cars and [...]

Studies have shown that only 30 % of high school senior’s demonstrate the ability to think abstractly or entertain three plus ideas at one time. Abstract thinkers can understand the U.S. Constitution, basic algebra and beyond. Reasons given by researchers for the low student percentage might be due to a [...]