Everyday, we are bombarded with new information on and experiences with COVID-19. While we may be acutely aware of how the pandemic impacts us personally we may not know how the pandemic is impacting our children or students, or how to prevent possible long-term negative effects. It’s logical to presume that many children are experiencing…
August 10, 2020
What is Executive Function?
Executive Function, or “EF”, is a distinct set of skills imperative to school readiness and academic success. Scientists refer to these skills as the biological foundation for adaptation and learning throughout life. They argue that strong working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control – the 3 components of EF – provide the basis upon which…
June 8, 2018
Parent Newsletter – June 2018
In our Parent Newsletter June 2018, we’d like to welcome our new contributor, Marie Lister! Marie graduated in 2012 with a Masters of Education and a teaching license in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education. She has been a classroom teacher for 9 years and currently is a teacher at the Shirley G. Moore…
February 28, 2018
Mindfulness, Reflection, and Executive Function
Earlier this week, Frontiers in Psychology published an article on mindfulness, reflection, and executive function. The study, “Mindfulness Plus Reflection Training: Effects on Executive Function in Early Childhood” was conducted by Dr. Phil Zelazo, Dr. Ann Masten, and Dr. Stephanie Carlson of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development and Jessie Forston of Learning Tree Yoga,…
January 29, 2018
Measuring Executive Function Gains in Formal and Informal Child Care
University of Minnesota education technology startup Reflection Sciences is collaborating with Harvard Graduate School of Education to identify what works for children in a range of learning environments. – Press Release – MINNEAPOLIS, MN (January 29, 2018) – Most US states have early education standards in core learning areas for literacy, math, science, and social…
January 14, 2018
Executive Function Impairments in the Classroom
Executive function impairments in the classroom can manifest in a number of ways. Commonly, children who struggle with self-regulation will act out. Other low executive functioning students may go undetected — rather than causing trouble, they quietly struggle. How can we, as researchers, parents, clinicians, and educators, not only detect these students but also provide support?…
January 4, 2018
Part II: Executive Function Interventions
We know that executive function skills are important, but how can parents and teachers use executive function interventions such as reflection training, mindfulness, and scaffolding, to promote healthy development? In this second episode of Full Prefrontal, Sucheta Kamath and Dr. Phil Zelazo discuss interventions ideas for parents, teachers, and caregivers to build successful members of society. Listen to the…
November 14, 2017
Executive Function Skills: Measure What Matters
Reflection Sciences’ Professional Development Team and Executive Function Experts have designed an early childhood session, “Executive Function Skills: Measure What Matters” that will be presented, live at Minnesota’s Metro ECSU on January 9, 2018. The session will address: What is Executive Function? Why should we measure it? What is the MEFS? How is the assessment…
October 25, 2017
Pairing Digital Tools to Measure and Improve School Readiness
— PRESS RELEASE — ST PAUL, MN (October 25, 2017) – Reflection Sciences, Inc., an education technology company founded by University of Minnesota researchers, and Kiko Labs, the San Francisco developer of Kiko’s Thinking Time™ games, are thrilled to announce a new partnership. Research on school readiness has uncovered a link between the skill-set referred…
May 3, 2017
What Is Social Development in Early Childhood?
Social development in early childhood is an important part of a person’s overall health, well-being, and happiness throughout his or her life. Social development is very closely linked to cognitive and emotional development, and together these developmental markers and milestones build the foundation for developing relationships with other people, coping with stressful situations, and many…