Flourishing in the First Five Years

Donna Wilson, PhD, is an educational and school psychologist whose work in cognitive education focuses on areas including cognition in the classroom, metacognition, attention, memory, motivation, and approaches and strategies to improve teaching and learning for students of all ages. Donna is an adjunct professor and lead developer of graduate programs with a major in Brain-Based Teaching with the Abraham S. Fischler School of Education at Nova Southeastern University and Head of Academic Affairs for the Center for Innovative Education and Prevention. Her passion is for empowering educators with the resources they need to help all learners reach more of their unique potential.Marcus Conyers is an author and international speaker on innovating, learning, leading, and developing 21st century competencies. His global perspective has been honed by his work in 30 countries and in statewide initiatives with the Florida Department of Education. He has led a National Association of Elementary School Principals summer conference and was keynote speaker for a conference of the South African Principals’ Association. Marcus serves as Director of Communications for the Center for Innovative Education and Prevention, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of “empowering potential across the life span.” He is passionate about ensuring that all children experience opportunities to flourish in the first five years and beyond.

This book crosses the research, theory, and practice divide because it supplies seminal and current research from neuroscience at an understandable level and links this to everyday strategies teachers, parents, and caregivers can use to make a difference in children's lives. Key are the authors' use of cognitive assists, the recurring AEIOU model based on the learning cycle, and the simple animal stories that help children learn to be the boss of their brains.This book captures what is known from neuroscience, reminds the reader of the importance of caring adults, and reminds each of us to celebrate and respect diversity. When the authors say readers will be energized and inspired by this book, they are correct. Once I started reading the book, I could not put it down.

• Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Plasticity and Potential: What Early Childhood Educators Can Learn from Educational Neuroscience Chapter 2 Ten Key Facts About How the Brain DevelopsChapter 3 Nurturing the Brain and Body: Nutrition and Movement Chapter 4 Cultivating Optimism: How Positive Emotions Support LearningChapter 5 Playing with Language: The Power of Conversation and Reading Aloud Chapter 6 Thinking, Creativity, and Problem Solving Chapter 7 Addressing Risks to Healthy DevelopmentConclusionGlossary References