Jeff Q. Bostic, MD, EdD.Jeff Q. Bostic, MD, EdD.

Mass General HospitalMass General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School

Building Building Better Brains Better Brains

at Schoolat School

Working With Adolescents (WWA)

Neuroscience Finding 1:The adolescent brain gets rid of brain cells (to make

room for connections among the useful ones)

Working With Adolescents (WWA)

Neuroscience Finding 2:The adolescent brain selectively processes information through

emotional centers

Working With Adolescents (WWA)

Neuroscience Finding 3:The brain selectively

looks for trouble(to stay alive)

“ … although the sample as a whole took more risks and made more risky

decisions in groups than when alone, this effect was more pronounced during

middle and late adolescence than during adulthood. Thus, relative to adults,

adolescents are more susceptible to the influence of their peers in risky

situations.”Gardner, Margo, and Laurence Steinberg. "Peer Influence on Risk Taking, Risk Preference, and Risky Decision Making in Adolescence and Adulthood: An Experimental Study." Developmental Psychology 41.4 (2005): 625-35. Print.

Neuroscience Finding 4:Adolescents selectively

attend to peer perceptions, and make decisions

seeking peer approval

*The average teenager requires around 9.25 hours of sleep per night. Most get 7.5 or less.

*During adolescence there is a shift in teens’ circadian rhythm or biological clock

*Melatonin levels peak around 11 p.m. to midnight.

*Ideal wake up time for a teenager would be around 9 or 10 a.m.

The result: the vast majority of teens come to school sleep-deprived

The Teenage Brain Goes to Sleep

School Start Time in Edina and Minneapolis was changed from 7:15am to 8:40am

Sleep increased by 1 hour in students throughout

Students less likely to fall asleep during am classes, or to be late

Principals, Counselors reported students “calmer” and fewer discipline referrals

Wahlstrom K. 2002. NASSP Bulletin: 86(633):3-21

The Minnesota Project

Visible Teaching – Visible LearningVisible Teaching – Visible Learning

Various InfluencesVarious Influences

J Hattie, 2009

Metas Studies People Effects ES se

Teacher 29 2,052 .5m 5,379 .50 .05

Curricula 135 6,892 7m 29,476 .45 .07

Teaching 344 24,906 52m 50,953 .43 .07

Student 133 10,735 7m 37,308 .39 .04

Home 31 1,998 10m 3,968 .35 .06

School 96 4,019 4m 13,609 .23 .07

Average 768 50,602 82/241m* 140,693 .40 .06

The Disasters ...The Disasters ...

J Hattie, 2009

Rank Category Influence Studies Effects ES

100 Mobility (shifting schools) 181 540 -.34

99 Retention 207 2675 -.16

98 Television 31 235 -.14

97 Summer vacation 39 62 -.09

96 Open vs. traditional 315 333 .01

95 Multi-grade/age classes 94 72 .04

94 Inductive teaching 24 24 .06

93 Reading: Whole language 64 197 .06

92 Perceptual-motor programs 180 637 .08

91 Out of school experiences 52 50 .09

The Winners ...The Winners ...Rank Category Influence Studies Effects ES

1 Self-report grades 209 305 1.44

2 Absence of disruptive students 140 315 .86

3 Classroom behavioral 160 942 .80

4 Quality of teaching 141 195 .77

5 Reciprocal teaching 38 53 .74

6 Prior achievement 3387 8758 .73

7 Teacher-student relationships 229 1450 .72

8 Feedback 1276 1928 .72

9Providing formative evaluation to teachers

21 21 .70

10 Creativity programs 658 814 .70

Thus … Provide correct feedback .43

About previous attempts .55

Related to more difficult goals .51

That does not discourage .33

or threaten student self-

esteem .47

Cognitive Flexibility Skills“Fine-tuning” routinesSizing up and approaching problems from multiple perspectives

Considering multiple solutions before committing and adhering to one

Identifying/Prediction Other’s point of view

Adjusting plan of action as circumstances emerge or change

Cognitive Flexibility Skills“Fine-tuning” routinesSizing up and approaching problems from multiple perspectives

Considering multiple solutions before committing and adhering to one

Identifying/Prediction Other’s point of view

Adjusting plan of action as circumstances emerge or change

Executive Function Skills Organizing tasks, steps to check off to

complete Checking that remaining attentive,

repeating and internalizing directions/input from others

Checking with others that keeping on task Considering options to respond to

situations; projecting through consequences before making decisions

Following through logical, sequential progression in reacting to stimuli

Executive Function Skills Organizing tasks, steps to check off to

complete Checking that remaining attentive,

repeating and internalizing directions/input from others

Checking with others that keeping on task Considering options to respond to

situations; projecting through consequences before making decisions

Following through logical, sequential progression in reacting to stimuli

Social SkillsReading social situations/cues accurately

Initiating, sustaining, terminating social interactions

Recognizing how behavior is impacting/affecting others

Negotiating disagreements/conflicts with others

Monitoring how others are responding to the individual

Social SkillsReading social situations/cues accurately

Initiating, sustaining, terminating social interactions

Recognizing how behavior is impacting/affecting others

Negotiating disagreements/conflicts with others

Monitoring how others are responding to the individual

Anxiety

•Afraid to Try•Afraid to Fail•Afraid to Acknowledge•Afraid to Try Again

Is It Really A T.Rex?Is It Really A T.Rex?Is It Really a Spider?Is It Really a Spider?

Is It Really a Poisonous Is It Really a Poisonous Snake?Snake?

Am I Really At Risk of Am I Really At Risk of Death or Demise?Death or Demise?

Regulating MoodRegulating Mood•Mood BarometersMood Barometers•““Mood RangesMood Ranges”” and and Hierarchies of Responses Hierarchies of Responses Based OnBased On•When at When at ““8,8,”” go to Defcon 2 go to Defcon 2 strategiesstrategies

Mood HierarchyMood Hierarchy•Defcon 4 (scale 3-4): breathe, eat, Defcon 4 (scale 3-4): breathe, eat, drink, walkdrink, walk•Defcon 3 (5-7): competing Defcon 3 (5-7): competing mechanism amidst task mechanism amidst task (hyperextension)(hyperextension)•Defcon 2 (8-9): competing activity Defcon 2 (8-9): competing activity in classroom (write, talk, soothe)in classroom (write, talk, soothe)•Defcon 1 (10): Escape (Sanctuary)Defcon 1 (10): Escape (Sanctuary)

What Affects Happiness?

1) Family Relationships

2) Financial Situation

3) Work

4) Community and Friends

5) Health

6) Personal Freedom

7) Personal Values(R. Layard, Happiness, p. 63, 2005)

Connected; Able to Relate to OthersAble to Respond to Adversity

Valued by Community; Contribute, MatterRely on Others; Shared Efforts; PartnerHealth: BioPsychoSocial Health

Control Over Own Life; Choices

Spiritual Health: Something Greater than Self