May 10, 2013

Moderated Discussion on Social and Emotional Learning: Preparing Our Children to Excel

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Monday, May 13, 2013 | 7:00 P.M.-8:30 P.M. The New York Academy of Sciences For more information about the event click here. School has traditionally been about teaching kids new knowledge and skills. Most people have long believed that each child's temperament and capacity for learning are more or less inborn--or at least, not the province of teachers. But the recent trend in education to foster social and emotional learning in classrooms is aimed at nurturing such fundamental traits as self-control, focus, perseverance and serenity in children. These essential capacities are now known to underlie both academic and lifelong success. A program set for Monday, May 13, and presented by The Academy and Scientific American MIND will feature Amishi Jha, a psychologist at the University of Miami, who will explain how to foster emotional balance and strengthen executive skills such as attention through the practice of mindfulness--that is, being in the moment, aware of events as they are unfolding. Psychologist Clancy Blair of New York University will reveal startling new findings on the dangers stress poses to a child's ability to learn--a problem that is particularly acute for children in poverty--and the importance of creating calm in the classroom for improving kids' brain function. Scientific American MIND Editor Ingrid Wickelgren will introduce the topic and moderate the discussion. Don't miss the opportunity to discover the science and strategy behind curricula that craft young minds to be smart, socially astute and able to coolly confront life's challenges. To register and purchase tickets, click here. *Reception to follow event. The New York Academy of Sciences 7 World Trade Center 250 Greenwich Street, 40th Floor New York, NY 10007-2157

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