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6.4: Conclusion

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    What We Have Learned

    Understanding brain development during childhood is essential for educators, caregivers, and parents seeking to support children’s learning, behavior, and emotional well-being. From ages 3 to 13, the brain undergoes remarkable changes—synaptic pruning, myelination, and the development of key regions such as the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. These changes influence how children think, feel, remember, and relate to others.At age 3, the brain is highly plastic, primed for learning but still immature in areas like impulse control and memory. By age 6, children begin to demonstrate improved executive function, self-regulation, and cognitive abilities due to strengthened neural connections. By age 13, the brain is capable of more abstract thought and deeper learning, though it is still influenced by emotional intensity as the prefrontal cortex continues to mature. These developmental shifts underscore the importance of age-appropriate teaching strategies that align with neurological growth. Effective education supports not only academic skills but also social-emotional development, memory retention, and emotional regulation. Whether in Transitional Kindergarten, early elementary, or middle school, recognizing the connection between brain development and behavior enables educators to create supportive, responsive environments that foster whole-child development.

    References

    1. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2007). The Science of Early Childhood Development.
    2. Giedd, J. N. (2004). Structural magnetic resonance imaging of the adolescent brain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1021(1), 77–85.
    3. Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the Brain in Mind (2nd ed.). ASCD.
    4. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2010). Early Experiences Can Alter Gene Expression and Affect Long-Term Development. Working Paper No. 10.
    5. Sousa, D. A. (2017). How the Brain Learns (5th ed.). Corwin Press.
    6. Thompson, R. A., & Nelson, C. A. (2001). Developmental science and the media: Early brain development. American Psychologist, 56(1), 5–15.
    7. Zelazo, P. D., & Carlson, S. M. (2012). Hot and cool executive function in childhood and adolescence: Development and plasticity. Child Development Perspectives, 6(4), 354–360.

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    This page titled 6.4: Conclusion is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kerry Diaz & Tenessa Sanchez.