7.

Examine the Role of Brain Development in Early

Learning (Conception-3yrs)
The brain is a very interesting organ. Its amazing how we go from one
cell at conception to developing into a baby to your brain developing at
increased rates after birth to being 75% weight and size by age2. Science
has proved it to be a myth that people are right or left brained, but that we
use both sides for complex functions such as reading or playing music.
Science has proven that its both heredity and environmental that effects the
brains development. Science has also discovered if you need to remove
some parts of the brain other parts may pick up to restore functions of the
missing parts of the brain. Mainly they can be retaught through repetition.
Many of the brains connections synapses are developed before age five.
Which in return means that we hold many key aspects in helping the brains
of our students develop into big, smart, developed brains. So when you are
trying to teach someone something and its like a light comes on and they
get it. That is because the brain has made the connections to understand it.
Information comes into the neuron through dendrites, travels through axon,
and at the end of the axon are terminal buttons that release chemicals called
neurotransmitters into synapses which allows communication between
neurons. Myelin sheaths form over the axon, it allows signals to move faster.
As the brain makes connections from one neuron to another it can also prune
out unused/unneeded synapses. So remember that if it doesnt make a
connection to the child in some way it may be pruned from the system. This
is another good reason to know what interest the child. The brain makes
connections through experiences. Then neuro constructivist view is that a)
biological processes and environmental experiences influences the brains
development, b) the brain has plasticity and is influenced by contexts, and c)
development of the brain is closely linked with the childs cognitive
development. This view emphasizes the importance of interactions between
experience and gene expression in the brains development.
The importance of quality early childhood programs helps to stimulate
brain development. A persons genes are the blueprint to brain development,
but their experiences shape the process that determine whether a childs
brain will provide a strong or weak foundation for all future learning,
behavior, and even health. When children experience quality childhood
programs, they have experiences with loving caring relationships that help to
promote positive brain development in young children. These experiences
can lay the foundation to how the brain develops. The reciprocal
relationships, the back and forth interactions, that children have with the

adults in their lives shapes a childs brains architecture. Our relationships we

have as young children literally shapes our learning capacities, behaviors,
and physical & mental health. If a child has fear, anxiety, or stress it can
have a detrimental effect on their learning and brain development. It can
disrupt the brains development. It can even lead to problems later in life.