Once the student is calm, they must be motivated and engage themselves sufficiently, they must recognize the degree of complexity required to accomplish the task, and then make judgments about whether these efforts are worth the while to accomplish this task. This is a cognitive journey where the student is emotionally evaluating whether each cognitive step is bringing them closer to a correct solution or if it is leading them down an incorrect path. This emotional interplay creates reasons for the student to engage in the solving of the problem. Reasons may include pleasing their parents, the rewards of simply solving a problem or even the avoidance of punishment or the teacher's disapproval (Immordino-Yang, 2016). Mindsets also frame the running account that is taking place in one’s head. A fixed mindset creates an internal monologue that is constantly focused on judging. On the other hand, a growth mindset internal monologue is not about judging themselves and others in any way. “But they are attuned to its implications for learning and constructive actions: What can I learn from this? How can I improve? How can I help my partner do this better?” (Dweck, 2016 p. 224). Basic emotions such as anger, fear, and happiness are cognitive and psychological processes that involve both body and mind. Emotion is played out in the end and can also be displayed through characteristic changes on the face and in the body. These changes are felt in the body and the brain through processes we call emotions via the neural systems (Blakemore, 2018).

Research shows that parents and educators play a profound role in promoting students' social-emotional skills and beliefs. Again, one such way is by teaching students how to be mindful. During the 1970s, the biologist Jon Kabat-Zinn introduced the term mindfulness and he defines it “as a state of mind: the act of paying attention ‘on purpose’ to the present moment, with a ‘non-judgmental’ attitude.” Though many definitions exist, simply put, mindfulness means being present with moments and experiences as they are. There are countless classroom benefits including better stress physiology and cognitive control. Schonert-Reichel, Oberle, Lawlor, Abbott, Thomson, Oberlander, and Diamond (2015) completed a study and reported many more benefits: “Greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, optimism, school self-concept and mindfulness. Students also showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, and they were rated by their peers as more prosocial” (p. 52). A growth mindset also encourages students to approach “focus” as a practice, while examining the root of their distraction. Rather than coming from a place of shame or blame, this enables students to be more curious and aware of what they do and why they do it. Mindfulness also builds community and allows time to set or return to attention. It allows students some reflection time to explore their emotions and the relationship to the challenges before them. Intentional, mindful classroom and at-home practices allow students to self-examine how they show up to learning each day. It equips them with tools to reflect on experiences and their feelings and allows them to have space to choose how they will respond from a place of empowerment. It is through mindfulness that students can build tools to learn, explore, and grow with openness and to develop a sense of curiosity both in and out of the classroom (Boyatzis & McKee, 2005). Though these have been unprecedented times coupled with many stress triggers, it could also be the tiniest bit possible that, in terms of child development, something good could come of it: A way to press the reset button on child anxiety. Yes, even during these anxious times and perhaps precisely because of them, our children can begin to relax and become, ironically, freer, under lockdown, than many kids have ever been before. This can also be a time of great innovation for our children. As for the parents who may be worried that all this non-academic time is dooming their kids’ futures, research finds that the kids who have more free time to create and structure their activities develop stronger executive functioning skills. Our executive function skills are skills like planning, problem-solving and follow-through. Kids whose lives are more continuously structured by adults do not have as many opportunities to develop these skills.

When disruption occurs, like our new way of living, learning is inevitable. This is because novelty causes our brains to react. We find ourselves to be alert because we are in new territory, we need to recognize and take hold of this unique opportunity. Like us, our children are navigating new territory: solving new problems, adapting to new environments of learning and new circumstances of social distancing and they are muscling through, literally; this is neuroplasticity taking place each day because they have no choice. Knowing this idea of neuroeducation may also protect our teachers from burnout. Teachers who possess social and emotional competencies are more likely to stay in the classroom longer. Teachers with high levels of social competence are better able to protect themselves from burnout by developing and managing nurturing relationships with their students, managing behavior in their classrooms and online, and serving as behavioral role models for children and regulating their own emotions.

Adult self-care is another critical focus; if you are not well, you cannot help others. During this very challenging time of swimming in uncharted territories, it is important to allow yourself to be OK with making mistakes, too. Remind yourself, just like we remind our students, that making mistakes is an opportunity to learn. Teachers would benefit from being very reflective after each lesson: “What went well? What would you do differently if you could?” Remember to be kind to yourself; you have suffered a lot during this time as well, so take time for mindfulness and reflection. As we move ahead and look for new ways to move the learning forward, we must remember it is human nature to want to feel loved, to be valued and to relate to others. The only way that we will make it through this difficult time is if we do it together. Therefore, parents and educators must be OK with prioritizing relationships, social-emotional learning and healthy human connections. This means that we must spend even more time ensuring our students have the skills and ability to manage relationships with peers (and adults) and to maintain those relationships over time.

A recent study involving more than 8,000 secondary students implemented a “happiness” curriculum that emphasized 10 non-academic life skills, like mindfulness, interpersonal relationships and self-efficacy. The study indicated that student well-being and standardized test scores were “significantly boosted by the ’happiness’ curriculum” (Walker, 2017, p. 189). Learning more about neurological, cognitive and emotional developments and how the three developments interplay with one another may provide educators with an advantage to successfully teaching their students in all academic areas. The educational system could be seen as a “brain business,” yet, many educators are just beginning to make connections to current research and how it can be applied in the classroom.

Neuroeducation is not a new phenomenon. Some describe it as “techniques gleaned from research in neurology and cognitive science used to enhance teacher instruction” (Connell, 2005. p. 29). Immordino-Yang (2016) reminds us, however, that emotions play a critical role in our learning as well. She shares that there is a complex connection between emotion and learning. Marcia D’Arcangelo states: “Our emotional system drives our attentional system, which drives learning and memory and everything else that we do. It is biologically impossible to learn and remember anything to which we don’t pay attention” (p. 24).   Neuroeducation may hold the answers to provide the best possible strategies to enhance learning and to better understand behavior. The application of neuroeducation strategies may improve the ability to learn or enhance the learning skills of all learners. 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Karon Schnitzer is an associate principal in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.