Page 22 - UNIT 3 Brain Building
P. 22
What does this unit teach us and
mean to what we say and do?
WE CAN BUILD OUR BRAINS AND GET CHANGE TAKES TIME
BETTER AT THINGS – AT ANY AGE! 1. We need to be patient and not expect a child to
change unhelpful habits after one chat. It will need a
1. Brains can build and neural circuitry be re-
shaped at any age. plan, teaching, rehearsal and lots of practice to
change.
2. If you practice and repeat something, it will 2. We need to teach children about Brain Building so
become easier to do. they know their difficulties do not have to continue
for ever.
3. This is true whether it is a helpful or an 3. We need to give children the opportunity to practice
unhelpful habit. and build their Executive Function skills.
4. We need to help every child understand about Brain
4. This means that unhelpful habits can Control (Executive Function Skills) and Brain Building
become very strong. so they start to believe that they can do better and
succeed well in life. Things do not have to stay the
5. It also means that it IS possible to change same; they do not have to have a lifetime of
even strong unhelpful habits into more ‘behaviour management problems’, as they often
helpful ones – but it will take time. assume.
