Our guest says in her book, “Love Builds Brains”, that in order for communities to prosper, we must look at what is required to support the development of our youngest children and their families. She says: “What happens in the early years, literally builds brains and establishes the pathways that allow the young to develop more and more skills. The interaction that parents have with their children, the connections that teachers make at school – all these links create the architecture of the brain.” Our guest talks about the brain and its development in adolescents, too, and we are so excited to have her here today to speak with us.

RESOURCES:

https://www.tallpinepress.ca/products/love-builds-brains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCvcnJ-MRqE ("Ghosts in our Genes")
https://drdansiegel.com/book/brainstorm/

QUOTE:

“... we humans cannot divorce ourselves from our biology, nor can we ignore the high-level sociocultural and cognitive forces that make us special within the animal kingdom. When we educators fail to appreciate the importance of students ’ emotions, we fail to appreciate a critical force in students ’ learning. One could argue, in fact, that we fail to appreciate the very reason that students learn at all.”

- Mary Helen Immordino-Yang: "We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education".

BIO:

Dr. Jean Clinton is a Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster, division of Child Psychiatry. She is on staff at McMaster Children’s Hospital with cross appointments in Pediatrics and Family Medicine, and an Associate in the Department of Child Psychiatry at Sick Children’s Hospital. She is a member on the MindUP Scientific Advisory Board as well as a MindUP for Families Advisor.
She was a Fellow of the Child Trauma Academy, and is a Zero to Three Academy Fellow since 2013. She has been a consultant to children and youth mental health programs, child welfare, and primary care for over 30 years.

Dr. Clinton was appointed as an education advisor to the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Education 2014 - 2018. Dr. Clinton is renowned nationally and internationally as an advocate for children’s issues. Her special interest lies in brain development, and the crucial role relationships and connectedness play. Jean champions the development of a national, comprehensive child well-being strategy including a system of early learning and care for all young children and their families. She is equally committed to ensuring that children’s and youths’ needs and voices are heard and respected. Dr. Clinton has also authored her first book, Love Builds Brains which will be one of the things we speak to her about today.

Her book can be ordered online through Tall Pines Press, on Amazon and in book stores everywhere.