Roger Harrison PhD Division of Behavioral Health Nemours Hockessin Center for Change November 9 2018 Human Brain Development Human Brain Development Cognitive Skills Thinking Reasoning Remembering ID: 743996
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Developing an Academic Mindset: Grit and Resiliency
Roger Harrison, Ph.D.
Division of Behavioral Health, Nemours
Hockessin Center for Change
November 9, 2018Slide2Slide3
Human Brain DevelopmentSlide4
Human Brain Development
Cognitive Skills
Thinking
Reasoning
Remembering
Planning
Problem-Solving
Noncognitive skills
Temperament
Attitude/Character
Resilience
Conscientiousness
Social awareness
Self-controlSlide5
Human Brain Development
Early experiences are key
Brain development easily affected by toxic stress
Noncognitive “capacities” are pre-wired and are not present in every setting
Context matters!
Noncognitive capacities are not easily “taught”Slide6
Importance of Early Attachment
Internal Working Models (IWM)
Set of expectations, beliefs about self, others, and relationships
Develops early and expands over time:
Am I loveable? Worthy of love?
Secure Attachment
Early caregivers are responsive, sensitive, and predictable
Children develop the neural connections needed to regulate emotions, attune to others, concentrate and self-regulate
Insecure AttachmentEarly caregivers are unresponsive, unpredictable, harsh
Disrupts development of neural connections needed to regulate, children develop survival responses, reduced ability to concentrate, plan, inhibit, and self-reflectSlide7
Stress and Brain Development
Severe and chronic stress (toxic stress or “chronic
unsoothed
stress)
leads to physiological and neurological adaptations in children that affect the way their minds and bodies develop and the way they function in
school
Increased stress levels have damaging effects throughout the brain, immune system, and endocrine systemLeads to increased blood pressure, increased production of stress hormones
Elevated stress disrupts the development of executive functioningWorking memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility
Chronic stress leaves the brain on constant look-out for threat and heightened flight-flight responses (threat sensitivity)
Can produce self-defeating behaviors including fighting, elopement, wariness of adults, acting outSlide8
Stress and Brain Development
Severe and chronic
stress can lead to decrease in
noncognitive
skills including:
Courage (ability to manage failure)
Conscientiousness (commitment and sustained effort)
Endurance Resilience (Optimism, Confidence)
Excellence striving (vs. perfection striving)These characteristics are often considered features of “grit”Angela Duckworth:
“Passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement”Slide9
Stress and Brain Development: ACES
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
Based on study by
Anda
and
Felitti
(1999)
Examined 10 categories of childhood traumaThree abuseTwo neglect
Five serious dysfunctionStrong findings that the presence of multiple ACES (4 vs 0) led to poorer academic, social, and health outcomes4x more likely to have heart disease or cancer
4x more likely to be sexually active by 15
6x more likely to report a later rape
7x more likely to be addicted to alcohol
12x more likely to attempt suicideSlide10
Stress and Brain Development: ACES
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
Verbal/Emotional Abuse
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Neglect
Physical Neglect
Parental Separation/DivorceWitness maternal caregiver being abused
Exposed to problem drinking/drugsSerious mental illness of a household memberIncarceration of a household memberSlide11
Stress and Brain Development: Trauma
Children experience numerous other trauma/chronic stressors
Racism
Bullying
Community violence
Homelessness
Medical trauma/accidents
Major IllnessDeath of a caregiver
Exposure to natural disastersWar/conflictDisplacementSlide12
Stress and Academic Performance: Vicious CycleSlide13
Fostering Grit: Intervention
Harsh punishments often prove unsuccessful with children exposed to ACES/trauma
Poor evidence that ‘zero tolerance’ approaches work
Rewards and punishments have limited effectiveness in educational settings, particularly for children whose neurological and psychological development have been shaped by trauma
Schools are not mental health facilities
There is often not time, personnel, or resources to manage these challengesSlide14
Fostering Grit: Intervention
Self-Determination Theory (
Deci
and Ryan)
Behaviorist approach (rewards/punishments) have limited effectiveness in some contexts
Humans are motivated not just by material consequences, but by
instrinsic
enjoyment and meaning
Humans have 3 key needs: AutonomyCompetence
Relatedness
Intrinsic motivation can be sustained only when those needs are being metSlide15
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Fostering Grit: InterventionSlide16
Fostering Grit: Intervention
Self-Determination Theory (
Deci
and Ryan)
Most educational tasks are not inherently fun or satisfying and require practice. That’s why extrinsic motivation is needed
When teachers are able to create an environment that fosters autonomy, competence, and relatedness, they are much more likely to motivate students to do hard work
For children with multiple ACES/trauma, the opposite effect occursSlide17
Stress and Academic Performance: Vicious CycleSlide18
Fostering Grit: Intervention
Self-Determination Theory (
Deci
and Ryan)
Children
are much more likely to display positive academic habits when they feel a sense of belonging,
independence
and growth (relatedness, autonomy, competence)Teachers who are able to effectively convey messages about belonging, ability, and connection have been shown to improve not just academic grades, but
noncognitive factors (attendance, suspension rate,
progression to the next grade
)
It is important to develop cognitive and
noncognitive
skills!Slide19
Fostering Grit: InterventionSlide20
Fostering Grit: Academic Mindset
Based on work of Camille
Garrington
(Chicago Consortium on School Research)
Academic perseverance
The
tendency to maintain positive academic behaviors despite
setbacksResiliency in the face of failure
Habit of looking for new ways to master material rather than giving upFour key beliefs
I belong in this classroom community
My ability and competence grow with my effort
I can succeed at this
This work has value for meSlide21
I belong in this academic community
Student has a sense of connectedness to peers and adults
They interpret setbacks in their studies as a normal part of learning, rather than a sign that they are “out of place”Slide22
I can succeed at this
Student believes they are “good” at a particular kind of task
They develop self-efficacy beliefs and have a high evaluation of themselves
They receive feedback about their effort (“you’ve been working really hard at this!”)Slide23
My ability and competence grow with my effort
Student believes that their brain “is like a muscle” that gets stronger with use
They interpret academic challenges or mistakes as opportunities to learn and develop their brains
They are motivated more by mastery than perfection.
They don’t need to show off their smarts or try to avoid looking dumbSlide24
This work has value for me
Student find ways to connect the academic topic or task to their lives
When a task is valued, students expend less energy trying to focus on that task and are more likely to remember information related to that taskSlide25
Fostering Grit: Programmatic Ideas
Provide learning opportunities where students can follow their
interests
Strengthen
bonds with
peers
Collaborate
with a diverse range of peopleBuild
competence over timeRealize accomplishment that is built on sustained hard workSlide26
Fostering Grit: School-wide supports
Tiered interventions (everyone, small groups, individual students)
Trauma-informed classrooms
Trauma-focused discipline
On-site
counseling
M
entoring Referring families
for outside servicesCoach teachers in behavior management techniques that dial confrontations downSlide27
Emotion Coaching in the Classroom
Based on work of John
Gottman
(U of Washington)
Started with parenting interventions designed to teach parents to
Recognize emotions in children
Value and validate emotions
Understand emotions
Two key messagesALL feelings are okayAll behaviors are NOT okaySlide28
Emotion Coaching in the Classroom
Four emotional response styles
Dismissing
Children learn that negative emotions can’t be trusted
They learn it’s only good to feel happy, even though they have other feelings
They learn that it’s better to “get over” their feelings rather than feel them and understand them. They also learn to hide their emotions
They learn that some feelings won’t be noticed until they escalate into stronger feelings
Disapproving
Adults may be uncomfortable with displays of emotion
Children learn that some feelings are “good” and others are “bad.” when they have “bad” feelings, they think something is wrong with them or that they are bad
Children learn that some feelings should be switched off like a light. They will suppress their feelings and not ask for help
The will feel more alone or confused, and fear punishment if they have feelingsSlide29
Emotion Coaching in the Classroom
Four emotional response styles
Laissez-Faire
Children learn that feelings are valued and they can be open with their feelings
But because all behaviors are accepted, children learn that it is okay to act out or misbehave when they have strong feelings
Children don’t learn to calm down when they have intense feelings (e.g., excited, sad)
Without guidance, they don’t learn how to appropriately handle emotions or act around others
Emotion Coaching
Children learn that feelings are important and can be trusted
They learn that they are not alone with their feelings and they can bring their feelings to a trusted adult
Children learn that all feelings are okay, but all behaviors are not okay
Children learn how to calm themselves down and learn about the feelings of othersSlide30
Emotion Coaching in the Classroom
Five emotion coaching steps
Be aware of your child’s emotions
Tune in to the child’s emotions as well as your own
Connect with the student
Use emotional moments and empathy to connect
Listen to your student
Take the time to listen, with a focus on understanding (not agreement)
Repeat, restate, reflect
Name their emotions
Help your student identify and name emotions
Find solutions
Explore solutions together. Ask “How can I help”?Slide31
Emotion Coaching in the Classroom
Emotion coaching takes time (but less time than de-escalating a meltdown). If you don’t have time to go through the five steps, make time to talk about it later
It is important to set clear limits on behavior, even while validating emotions (e.g., “It makes sense that you felt that way,” “If that were me, I would probably be frustrated too”)
You don’t have to use Emotion Coaching all the time! Adults who use this approach 30% of the time are doing great!!!Slide32
Resources
Programs
Turnaround for Children (
www.turnaroundusa.org
)
EL Learning (
f
ormerly Expeditionary Learning; www.eleducation.org
) Books and papersGrit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
(Angela Duckworth)
Helping Children Succeed
(Paul Tough)
Academic Mindsets as a Critical Component of Deeper Learning
(White paper: Camille Farrington/William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
ACES/Trauma Web Resources
National Traumatic Stress Network (
www.nctsn.org
)
Trauma-informed care and trauma-specific interventions
(SAMSHA August 2016)
Aces too High (
www.acestoohigh.com
)
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University (
www.developingchild.Harvard.edu
)