In order to learn, the brain must be able to open the shutters

We often assume that children can pay attention all day long, but nothing could be further from the truth. It would be interesting to know what this idea is based on because it is impossible and also undesirable to be able to pay attention all day long. And yet we ask that of children.

Preschoolers with concentration problems

It is true. I regularly get questions about toddlers with concentration problems. Before the development test, I think we had never heard of it and it makes no sense at all. Moreover, it is very unnatural to put preschoolers on a chair all day long.

Toddlers and preschoolers learn through movement. In this way they learn to experience the space around them and in this way they gradually learn to develop the motor skills necessary to learn to write. Young children need exercise and their bodies require it. If they are not allowed to move, then that is asking for concentration problems.

Toddlers and preschoolers simply cannot open the shutters for so long to listen to a teacher and sit still.

Primary school children and concentration

From group 3 on, children are much more ready to sit still and their development is really ready to learn with the head. A primary school child should be able to concentrate well, especially if he feels good and there are no difficulties at home.

Sometimes, however, there are issues that require attention and that a child is concerned about. Sometimes about home, sometimes about the position in the classroom or about the relationship with the teacher.

If a child is not fit or is concerned, it is not open to the curriculum. The shutters are closed or half open, as it were. In that case, children miss a lot of material and later material that links up with the earlier cannot be placed.

Sometimes a child is also physically unable to learn, for example if there are so-called reflex remnants that are caused by a different development in the physical area. A child is then unable to sit still or hold a pen properly, for example. The child is then so preoccupied with balancing his body that there is no place left to turn the brain on for learning. Children often get the stamp of concentration problem.

Adolescents in secondary education

Where adolescents suffer a lot is performance anxiety. At least that is what it is often called, but I rarely notice that children who get the stamp of fear of failure have not yet learned to deal with pressure. And that is something completely different.

Fear of failure and not being able to cope with stress and pressure, in any case, results in closed doors. In this way, several tests and quizzes are screwed up every day in secondary education.

Adolescents who can learn well are completely cut off from their capacities because the shutters are closed. And that is unfortunate and unnecessary.

And during the infamous "blackout" during tests, adolescents have less than 7% of their brain capacity at their disposal. And that is exactly what they say. In that case, the mind is almost literally at zero.

Open the shutters

Perhaps the greatest challenge for children is to stay focused.

We adults call that living in the here and now. We often spend a lot of money on courses to live in the here and now. Mindful is in fashion and we should all get involved. Thinking is out and feeling is in. But with feeling you also run the risk of feeling things that you would rather hide. And that's where the misery starts, because then you are somewhere else in your thoughts than in the here and now. :-)

When you are emotionally involved with a topic, there is an extra imprint in the memory. We can use that fact well if we want to teach children and adolescents something.

If we can arouse interest in a topic and also create a positive feeling, learning will be much easier. The shutters are opening more and more and the memory works optimally. Both imprinting and reproducing knowledge run smoothly.

However, if there is stress and tension, the shutters will close as I call them. It has now been amply proven that we have less than half of our brain capacity at our disposal when we are emotionally in a negative way. Worry, frustration, jealousy, anger, sadness and fear make us turn our brains off. The shutters are closing and we can no longer think properly.

Everyone knows this phenomenon in an argument. Afterwards you wonder what it was about and how it was possible that you couldn't say what you wanted. When your chick opens again, you know exactly what you wanted to say, but unfortunately it is too late …… ..

This means that we can teach children and adolescents to open their brains.

They have to park their car for a while in, for example, a worry pot, learn to become aware of stress and tension in the body and learn to relax, ensure that they find the lessons interesting, even when it is boring.

And as for me… .. teach kids to laugh, use humor and teach them to laugh at themselves when things go wrong. Humor opens the shutters to the maximum.

And also… .. The shutters can be closed for a while. Just as nice and dumb computing, exercising and just daydreaming are just as good to give the brain a break in time.