Children's Brain Development

The article below focuses on the development of the brain during adolescence, intellectually, physically, hormonally, and socially. The brain is undergoing one of the biggest transformations of life and the brain’s neurocircuitry is still functionally and structurally vulnerable. The brain is influenced by heredity, environment, and even sex hormones. Some of the brain is developed and some is not quite there yet and this may be responsible for unsafe, immature, and impulsivebehavior found common in adolescents. This is due to an immature limbic system and prefrontal unprotected sex, and even crime. The prefrontal cortex gives someone the ability to exercise good judgement when presented difficult life situations and due to its immature development, leads to the resulting dangerous and risky behaviors. Pharmacological interventions have been used to help regulate adolescents’ behaviors, but there has been limited success. MRI studies have suggested that neurocircuitry and myelinogenesis remain under construction during this part of life and that the brain develops in a back to front pattern explaining why the prefrontal cortex is one of the last parts of the brain to develop and why risk taking behavior seems to slow with older age. This article goes on to highlight specifics of different risk taking behavior and explain the development of the brain regions and the importance of them as they mature.

In order to understand motivation, you need to understand the development of the brain, specifically with adolescents in this middle school. Some of the behaviors adolescents engage in daily may leave you wondering why they would do such a thing, but when you consider their brain development, it may make more sense. The prefrontal cortex is so important to motivation and making good decisions. Unfortunately, it is not nearly developed enough as it does not fully develop till around age 25, far past middle school classes.

This goal is to have students become more motivated and to develop a growth mindset. In order to do this, students need to be aware of how their brain develops and its ability to grow and become stronger. Students very much want to know why we teach them things and if they have this background foundational knowledge, they may be more receptive to adopting a growth mindset.