Having watched the videos by Dr Suzanne Zeedyk and John Carnochan OBE, I have began to reflect on the importance of the child’s brain development on their education. The way in which a babies brain develops up until the age of 3 is immensely influencing their experiences in later life. As a young child, their brains develop to whatever environment they are being raised in, which as good as this is for a youngster to be durable to their surroundings, it also means they may be not be as good at handling different environments or experiences as their brains haven’t been “wired” that way; in turn this may have an effect on the way a child acts within the classroom.

Brain development is quite clearly fundamental however it will affect our professional practice. As aforementioned, children’s brains develop to their surroundings (ie their home life) meaning that change of environment may not be handled well by them. If a child is coming from a house of violence, their brain will be in tune with how to deal with that environment but coming into a classroom filled with an abundance of nurture and love may mean a child might struggle in terms of adapting to this. It may mean children act out, not meaning to be malicious but purely out of frustration at not being able to get their heads around this fresh feeling. This in turn, may cause disruption to the teaching and learning of others. However as Dr Suzanne Zeedyk stated our brains are flexible and can adapt to new environments meaning that with a little more consistency and support (from the teacher), it will get better. I believe that relationships are at the heart of this transition.

Relationships are fundamental to the way in which a child’s brain develops. Having strong professional relationships with those in your class will allow children to constantly continue to adapt to the classroom setting. Positive connections with children means they are more likely to succeed academically and behave to a high standard. This is due to the child respecting you, trusting you and understanding you slightly more than if barriers to a positive relationship were in place. The relationship between parent and child is crucial in determining how well skills from the classroom can be transferred to their home life, meaning a more positive relationship may mean a child will perform to a higher standard. This relationship relates to the importance of that of the relationship of the teacher and parent/carer. A confident rapport between the two once again will allow children to build connections from class learning and home learning, allowing for academic progress and their brains to develop more effectively. Relationships are at the heart of brain development and are key for a successful learning experience.