{"id":5502,"date":"2018-02-21T09:28:06","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T14:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kumon.com\/resources\/?p=5502"},"modified":"2023-08-18T14:09:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T18:09:30","slug":"why-neuroplasticity-is-the-key-to-making-your-smart-kid-even-smarter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kumon.com\/resources\/why-neuroplasticity-is-the-key-to-making-your-smart-kid-even-smarter\/","title":{"rendered":"Neuroplasticity and Growth Mindset: The Keys to Making Your Smart Kid Smarter"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is neuroplasticity?<\/h4>\n

Many of us can still remember hearing, \u201cDon\u2019t hold your breath until your face turns red! You\u2019ll kill your brain cells and they\u2019ll never grow back!\u201d<\/em> Growing up we knew our parents\u2019 wisdom should typically be trusted, and you probably shouldn\u2019t hold your breath until your face turns red. But as it turns out, we didn\u2019t really need to worry about killing or stunting the growth of our brain cells.<\/p>\n

\"Neuroplasticity<\/a><\/p>\n

Not too long ago, even scientists thought the brain stopped developing in early childhood. It was commonly believed that genetics and genetics alone dictated our ability to learn. We\u2019ve since discovered that the brain changes and develops throughout a person\u2019s life\u2014a concept called neuroplasticity.<\/p>\n

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Think of your brain like a forest. To navigate from one end of the forest to another, a deer cuts a path through the trees. As increasingly more animals follow that path, the grass gets worn down, and the path becomes clear and easy to follow. Without the repetitive steps of the deer and squirrels and rabbits, the path would become unpassable, overgrown with plants. A fox trying to cross the forest would not be able to find his way.<\/p>\n

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As we learn, our brain grows by creating and strengthening pathways between brain cells. These pathways can be created and strengthened at any point in our life, but develop at a much faster rate in early childhood. We learn constantly when we are young\u2014how to talk, how to walk, how to react\u2014and pathways are thus continually created.<\/p>\n

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As we grow, these pathways get pruned just as a gardener prunes a shrub, and our brain takes shape. The stronger the branch, the harder it is to trim. Developing strong pathways when our children are young can lead to lifelong benefits.<\/p>\n

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How can you use neuroplasticity to help your children\u2019s development?<\/h4>\n

Treat the brain like a muscle.<\/h5>\n

We know that children\u2019s brains are ripe for development. Treat them like muscles and train them to get stronger. Just as consistently lifting weights will build stronger muscles, consistent study will build stronger pathways in the brain. Incorporate this daily practice into your routine by setting aside just a few minutes a day to complete daily math exercises , stick to a nightly story time, or practice flashcards. Before you know it, your children will be reading chapter books and multiplying fractions!<\/p>\n

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Teach your children about the concepts of neuroplasticity and growth mindset.<\/h5>\n

Simply teaching children that their efforts impact their abilities leads to increased learning! Growth mindset<\/a>, a concept established by Dr. Carol Dweck, is the understanding that intelligence and abilities are not set in stone, but can be developed. As we\u2019ve learned, this belief is proven through the science of neuroplasticity. And as Dr. Dweck learned, when students are taught about the concepts of growth mindset and neuroplasticity, they perform better in school.<\/p>\n

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Here are some tips on how to teach your children:<\/em><\/p>\n