Reflection on NZATE conference (1)

Image taken from NZATE website.

So this is where I spent the last three days of week one.  While I managed to squeeze in a bit of conference knitting in the very early AM whilst chatting to other teachers - it took a HUGE backseat to the re:generation of ideas through workshops and keynote speakers.   I have notes on three of the four keynotes (due to snow forecast and needing to get back to my babies, I left a tad early on Friday), along with notes and thoughts from five workshops attended.   There were many, many highlights, but pinnacle for me would have been making IRL connections with several from the #BFC630NZ PNL, along with making new acquaintances and looking forward to stronger connections with these.  Oh - and listening to Banqo's Son by Tania Roxbourgh on the way home.

First KeyNote:  These are in note form for now ....

Nathan Wallis 

He discussed how children spend the first 1000 days figuring out data to figure how intelligent they need to be, it is the transcript they gather.  Genes are not the highest indicator of success, environment plays a huge role.  Cultural vs research based reality.  Research shows opposite to cultural norms. (note to self, research Tedx talk first 1000 days.)

Four different brains in head. A way to remember it is that the cortex = brain dog doesn't have.  Huge leap from the animal kingdom to us. We are able to (as adults) control emotions, understand consequences of actions/behaviours, risk-taking.  But the cortex is shut for renovations for plus/minus at least three years = adolescence, regenerating.  Fully developed at 24/25, but there is new research all the time.  This doesn't account for individuality or gender.  Birth order also impacts, npsychologyogy.  Neuroscience looks at numbers. First born or not firstborn.  First born meant to be most qualified and earn most money.  Difference is said to be that the first born, can have the sole attention in first 1000 days.   More data gathered in first born.

THOUGHTS: does is matter which parent is at home, what type of ece is in the first 1000 days, how close siblings are?

No.1 brain, survival brain, 2. Movement brain cerubellem, brain 3. Limbic system, emotional brain, lizard, dog, human.   Four brain grows outside of the womb.  

Adolescence can start as early as nine.  Principles such as body mass and race, PI hit it earlier than maori and earlier than europeans.  Cortex goes through regeneration process in about three years.  Our experience as teacher/parents, is they as teens seem to go backwards.  This is about access to cortex.  We need to nuture the parts of the brain, lavish attention onto it, planning, coordination etc.  don't respond to other part.   Restorative practices nuture this part of the brain, turns on empathy etc.   seeks to grow compassion/empathy = leaving a better citizen, exercising frontal cortex.  

No point asking what were you thinking = literally thinking nothing, they are in the emotional brain.  Appropriate = what were you feeling?  All lights are on in the emotional brain, results as two year old. Anxiety and depression of 15/16, frontal cortex is brakes on emotional.  Kids need to be tied in to another adult who can be the frontal cortex for them.  10% of time adults ignore cortex to limbic system.   Feeling and thinking function = we need to understand that teens live ,emotional brain and need to respond to that emotional.  

Step one, calm the brain stem.  Need to do mindfulness with students.  (THOUGH: I wonder if the NZreadaloud helps to do this?). Calm the brainstem down, people calm down in individual ways.  Don't impose own styles, meet needs of other people.   

Step two ... Validate the emotions coming from the limbic system "you seem really angry about that."   Ensure we are listening to them, not the 10% we want to hear.  Reflect emotions back to them.  Children will do as you do not as you say.  I need to listen to their limbic system.  We do this with our besties, so why not with our kids.  We need to validate rather than give advice.  Don't go straight to problem-solvingStep three cognitive training ... Tell the kids what to do; not what not to do.  In our room we ..... Don't punish for not having a skill.  Teach behaviours you do like. We are not eliminators.  We are teachers of skills.  Give the good behaviour words and dialogue.  Need to empower the, with the way to go it.

Thing to try: 48 hrs only do steps one and two.