Preparing Your Child for School by Nicole Fenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research How to make sure your teenage student is prepared for success in the classroom. en-us 2018-11-06 22:06:49 UTC 2026-01-25 15:52:47 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Apple.png What does your teenager's brain need to be successful? nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/301257506 2018-11-06 22:11:07 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/301257506 Nutritional Foods nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/301276477 Being prepared for learning starts with what children eat. While eating a lot of junk foods at this age may seem normal, it can actually affect their performance in class. But how?

- Lower test scores
"Nutritional deficits have
been known to decrease
test scores, and nutritional supplementation has improved them." (Jensen, 2005)

"...school-age children with an iron deficiency (an estimated 1 in 12 children) were twice as likely to score below average in math compared with children with normal iron levels." (Jensen, 2005)

- Lower cognitive function
"...students with diets low in vitamin B-12 have reduced learning ability." (Jensen, 2005)

 "...too much dietary fat and unbalanced diets in general can impair cognition." (Jensen, 2005)

"Your brain must manufacture the right proteins and fats to do things such as grow new connections...Without the correct amount and balance of particular building blocks, your brain will not work properly." (Chudler)]]> 2018-11-06 23:38:34 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/301276477 Sufficient Rest nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/302745262 On average, teens need 9.25 hours of sleep each night to be operating at their most successful level at school. However, on average teens are only getting 6.5-7.5 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep leads to unfocused, sleepy students and therefore a lack of learning, which ultimately leads to lower grades and test scores. (Carskadon, 2014)

It's not just their drowsiness during the day that is to blame for these learning deficits, but also the process of sleep itself. During sleep the brain needs to go through two processes; slow-wave and REM sleep. It is during these two stages that the brain the brain sorts out information that it learned into the appropriate place for it to be stored and strengthened. It is then reinforced during REM sleep. So, if students are not getting to enter this REM stage they will be losing out on the reinforcement stage of the learning/memory process. (Spinks, 2002)

Aside from lower grades/scores, a lack of sleep can also lead to a multitude of issues for teens including... (National Sleep Foundation, 2000)
- unintentional injuries
- negative moods
- increased use of
  stimulants

So why do teens need so much sleep? The hormone melatonin is to blame. "The hormone melatonin is associated with regulating the sleep schedule, and levels are typically too low during the teen years. Most teens want to stay up later and get up later." (Jensen, 2005) This low level of melatonin is what continues to plague the sleep schedule of teens, so they actually can't always help if they stay up late or sleep in too long.

]]> 2018-11-09 19:42:07 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/302745262 How you can help! nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/302996657 - Give your teens nutritious foods as often possible and limit junk foods.

- Let them get extra sleep when possible! Their body makes it hard for them to get the amount of sleep they need on an early start school schedule.

- Help them with decision making by giving them options and walking them through the decision making process. Their brains aren't able to fully do this on their own yet, so they need your help by modeling the process for them.

- Be understanding and not judgmental when they make mistakes or aren't in the most pleasant mood. Remember, they're getting less sleep than they need, so it's only natural for them to make more mistakes or be extra grouchy.

- Have conversations with them about the dangers of substance abuse and how drugs/alcohol can negatively impact their brain. This is the age where they may start to use these types of stimulants to make up for their lack of rest.]]> 2018-11-11 15:54:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/302996657 References nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303023036 Carskadon, M. (Interviewee). (2014). Inside the Teenage Brain Interview  Mary Carskadon [Interview Transcript] Retrieved from PBS Frontline Website: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/interviews/carskadon.html

Chudler, Dr. Nutrition and the Brain. University of Washington. Retrieved from http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/nutr.html

Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the Brain in Mind (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

National Sleep Foundation. (2000). Adolescent Sleep Needs and Patterns Research Report and Resource Guide. Washington, DC: Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/sleep_and_teens_report1.pdf

Spinks, S. (2002). Adolescents and Sleep. Retrieved from PBS Frontline Website: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/from/sleep.html
]]> 2018-11-11 18:34:43 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303023036 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303027298 2018-11-11 19:02:54 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303027298 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303027758 2018-11-11 19:05:42 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303027758 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303029000 2018-11-11 19:13:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303029000 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303034078 2018-11-11 19:46:23 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303034078 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303049397 2018-11-11 21:26:39 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303049397 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303070201 2018-11-12 00:23:34 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303070201 nicolemfenton https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303074086 2018-11-12 00:51:53 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemfenton/brain_based_research/wish/303074086