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Children come to school with different aptitudes, many of which determine their ability to learn. Some are quicker at grasping the concepts and skills that form the core of most educational curricula. Others are better able to concentrate or make friends. Some seem lazy; others determined. As a result, we label children as smart, attentive, social and hardworking—or as slow, distracted, shy and lackadaisical. The labels suggest fixed traits, not teachable skills.
In recent years, however, researchers have begun to parse the basic brain functions that form the foundation for many of the qualities and abilities necessary to succeed in school—and in later life. These “executive functions” include the mental lifting and maneuvering that manifest as intelligence, as well as the behavioral control vital for qualities such as focus, persistence and restraint. New research now suggests that these essential brain functions are not immutable. They are rapidly developing in youngsters, and the environment can alter their course.
Educators and scientists are weaving curricula into classrooms that are designed to mold executive functions and, through them, the character traits important for academic achievement and beyond. One major goal of these programs, as we report on page 48, is to give children better control over their own thoughts and emotions. Meanwhile researchers have discovered a method of brain training that can boost intelligence in children and adults alike (page 59). Scientists have also demonstrated that stress is a powerful and ubiquitous impediment to both brain function and success in school (page 64). Efforts to counteract this toxin to thinking are therefore critical for enabling children to reach their full potential.
—The Editors