Executive functions in early childhood: the cherry pie in the brain!
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Why are executive job functions so important in early childhood education?
Imagine that a child's brain is like a sky cut by thousands of different planes, each in a direction, a model, at a speed, in a straight line, in a curve, in a cycle, and the child has to learn to handle all that information that comes from the environment, through the organs of the senses and their own body, from hunger, thirst, pain and emotions. To do this, you need a type of air traffic control tower, so you can discover what needs attention, where to keep focus, how to control impulses, how to plan, what information you need to keep and what should be ignored. or discarded Executive functions are that "air traffic control" in the brain!
Building the control tower
In fact, we are not born with the skills that allow us to maintain focus, control impulses and make plans, make decisions, correct the route. We were born with the potential to develop them. But that only happens according to our experiences from early childhood to the beginning of adult life (yes, the full development of executive functions only happens in adult life!). To build this control tower that commands the air traffic of our brain and leads to high performance, it is necessary to start with the foundation from childhood, gradually raising the walls, as this will support the full development of the functions. executives throughout life. These skills are developed through practice, experience, example and are progressively placed. And when that stimulus for the development of executive functions is carried out through formal education, precisely because of the consistency, frequency and planning of actions, stronger walls can be built for that tower.
What are the executive functions?
Executive functions are a group of skills that help us to focus, plan, direct and manage several information flows at the same time, monitor errors, make decisions based on available information, review plans, resist distractions, avoid hasty actions. Building the first blocks of those skills is one of the most important tasks in the early years of childhood, instead of learning any content! Stimulating these rudimentary capacities is fundamental for the healthy development of the child, for the maturation of the brain and for learning.
Among the main executive functions are:
- - Operational memory, which is the ability to maintain and manage information in our minds for short periods of time, which allows us, for example, to remember a phone number in time to mark it, remember the beginning of the text of the paragraph when We are at the end, let's do a math problem with several stages, let's review group activities, resume the exercise after having taken the snack.
- - The inhibitory control, which is able to filter thoughts, avoid distractions, think before acting, resist impulses and temptations. This ability allows us to maintain attention, focus on important tasks and control emotions.
- - Cognitive flexibility, which is our ability to change the route, to adjust according to new demands and perspectives, is what allows us to use different rules for different contexts, which allows us to look for new ways to solve problems.
Cherry pie in the brain
The Cortex pre-frontal region, which is far behind our forehead, is the most evolved area of the human brain. It is the icing on the cake, it is what differentiates us from other living beings. And that's where the executive functions are hosted. This region of the brain is related to planning, prioritization and organization, self-control, persistence, time management and behavior modulation. The lack of development of executive functions leads to lack of attention, difficulty in avoiding distractions, difficulty in organizing thoughts, impulsiveness, aggressiveness, social inadequacy, lack of emotional control, difficulty in planning and meeting objectives, among others.
Really achieved in early childhood?
The development of executive functions in early childhood is of fundamental importance, since it is the necessary basis for learning. In the end, how can we learn something if we can not maintain attention and avoid distractions? If we do not keep the beginning of the sentence when we reach the end? If we can not avoid the impulses? If we can not discard the information that arrives and is not important, such as the noise of the street, of the air conditioning, the student that goes through the corridor? If we do not control the movements of our body or prevent the mind from flying? The first experiences in childhood make up the development of executive functions to help children learn to read and write, to remember the stages of performing a mathematical operation, to understand a story, to discuss a problem in class, to relate to others children, to try to solve a problem differently, wait their turn to take the toy, concatenate ideas.
Free flight!
The executive functions are really the icing on the brain pie, they are our differential. You can not stay without the cherry. It is necessary to orchestrate the functioning of various mental activities, prepare the brain to learn and optimize its performance. But for that cherry to mature and reach its maximum potential, it is necessary to begin to stimulate such skills from the first year of life. Therefore, we can develop complete individuals, apt to always learn, self-aware and capable of commanding their free flight.
Source of information
- https://developingchild.harvard.edu/translation/inbrief-fonction-executive/
- https://www.understood.org/es-mx/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/understanding-executive-functioning-issues
- https://www.psypost.org/2015/09/new-model-of-cognitive-flexibility-gives-insight-into-autism-spectrum-disorder-37508
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Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://roseri.vornix.blog/2018/08/09/executive-functions-in-early-childhood-the-cherry-pie-in-the-brain/
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