I attended two of the sessions presented by Debbie Silver: Teaching Kids to THRIVE: Building the Other Essential Skills for Success, and Square Pegs/Round Holes-Why We Need to Pay Attention to Learning Differences. Dr. Silver did not disappoint with her insight into middle school kids and how they can best be served. She addressed the needs of the whole child and how we as middle level educators can contribute to their skill development and be more aware of their various learning differences. I particularly enjoyed how she used humor in her presentation to keep us all engaged. She always exhibits so much understanding of the middle school students and teachers and demonstrates consistent enthusiasm and excitement into her message. I came away with a refreshed sense of how to address and meet the many needs of our middle school students.
This session was more about the developing adolescent than creating a positive learning environment. Having read The Teenage Brain , a lot of the information shared was not new to me. One interesting take away - an MRI of a brain after eating sugar is similar to an MRI of a brain on drugs (I think it was heroin). The few examples of creating a positive learning environment included incorporating movement and allowing for interaction. I was hoping to take away ideas on how to get students who are hesitant to join groups and participate more involved.
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