Matters of the BRAIN
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The BRAIN Matters
A child’s early literacy learning is powered by the brain. How all of this transpires is an amazing feat. The brain keeps the physical body working & growing, stores & recalls social-emotional memories, builds language develops thinking and reasoning capacity.
The human adult brain, a nearly 3-pound mass of matter, housed in a hard shell inside the head, holds the secrets of the body and mind. What a magnificent mushy clump! It’s covered in ridges that have crevices and holds about 86 BILLION nerve cells-neurons! This unique organ is vital for “humanness”!
Of course, the brain matters and is a must-have! Remember the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz who shares with Dorothy sadly, his hearts desire —”if I only had a brain!” Together they agree upon his wish,– off they go, skipping down the yellow brick road, excited to reach the Emerald City, meet the Wizard, get a brain for him and a trip home for her. Happy endings to be had by all. (Making a long wonderful story- – – – -oh, so short!)
Luckily when a human baby is born it comes equipped with a brain instantly ready to manage the newborn’s body functions and start the process of understanding its surrounding!
Size-wise an infant’s brain is one-fourth the weight of an adults. A newborn to the outside world may seem to be in a relaxed state-of not doing much. It’s just filled with must-haves…food, love-human contact, sleep and health care. All true-but………deep within the child’s brain, neurons are firing and making connections. The brain is a factory filled with ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY & MORE ACTIVITY!
It’s kick-off time–the start of the big game of life.
A learner has arrived ready, willing and able!
Our journey to become
READERS has already begun!
Our journey to become
READERS has already begun!
The BRAIN Matters
A child’s early literacy learning is powered by the brain. How all of this transpires is an amazing feat. The brain keeps the physical body working & growing, stores & recalls social-emotional memories, builds language develops thinking and reasoning capacity.
The human adult brain, a nearly 3-pound mass of matter, housed in a hard shell inside the head, holds the secrets of the body and mind. What a magnificent mushy clump! It’s covered in ridges that have crevices and holds about 100 BILLION nerve cells-neurons! This unique organ is vital for “humanness”!
Of course, the brain matters and is a must-have! Remember the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz who shares with Dorothy sadly, his hearts desire —”if I only had a brain!” Together they agree upon his wish,– off they go, skipping down the yellow brick road, excited to reach the Emerald City, meet the Wizard, get a brain for him and a trip home for her. Happy endings to be had by all. (Making a long wonderful story- – – – -oh, so short!)
Luckily when a human baby is born it comes equipped with a brain instantly ready to manage the newborn’s body functions and start the process of understanding its surrounding!
Size-wise an infant’s brain is one-fourth the weight of an adults. A newborn to the outside world may seem to be in a relaxed state-of not doing much. It’s just filled with must-haves…food, love-human contact, sleep and health care. All true-but………deep within the child’s brain, neurons are firing and making connections. The brain is a factory filled with ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY & MORE ACTIVITY!
It’s kick-off time–the start of the big game of life.
A learner has arrived ready, willing and able!
Resources & References
Dancy, Rahima Baldwin, (2012), You Are Your Child’s First Teacher, Ten Speed Press,
Chapter 1-You Are Your Child’s First Teacher
Early Childhood Education and Care, (2023), Early years brain development, Queensland Education,
https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/early-years/early-years-brain-development
Herculano-Houzel, Suzana, Dr., (2019), How Many Neurons Are in the Brain?, Vanderbilt University,
Brain Institute YouTube & transcript,
https://youtu.be/efLp7nqtlgc?si=LaaymEz4daR_-lm9
Herculano-Houzel, Suzana, Dr., (2019), How Many Neurons Are in the Brain?, Vanderbilt University,
Brain Institute YouTube & transcript,
https://youtu.be/efLp7nqtlgc?si=LaaymEz4daR_-lm9
Wolfe, Patricia, Nevills, Pamela, (2009), Building the Reading Brain, Corwin Press,
Chapter 2-Brain Basics
