I. Course Description

Neuroscience discoveries have revolutionized our understanding of how the brains of our children learn and grow. In particular, brain research reveals how the specific language used by adults who teach, mentor, counsel and parent youth has a much more profound effect on their development than previously realized. Walk away with a new way of talking to youth that builds resilience, promotes intrinsic motivation, enhances cognitive stimulation and creates kaleidoscope thinkers. What you say matters, more than you ever knew!

II. Course Objectives

1. Participants will be introduced to the rapidly emerging research on how the developing brain is built and how it works.

2. Participants will learn words that tune students into listening.

3. Participants will learn to develop the right mindset in their students around learning. They will learn the two types of Mindsets: Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset.

4. Participants will learn how to give directions, commands and feedback to students that promote student use of executive function skills rather than motivating student behavior through fear, threat or consequence.

5. Participants will understand the memory hierarchy in the brain and how to utilize critical questions to improve memory in their students.

6. Participants will learn the “Technical Side of Hope” and how to adapt their language to include student affirmation, prediction of positive outcomes, and vision of a personalized compelling future that empowers students with Hope.

7. Participants will be exposed to a powerful 3-step process that significantly improves the young brain's ability to respond to adult requests for changed behavior.

8. Participants will understand self-talk and learn two simple easy-to-use strategies.