(Kaitlin Rose Slattery for NPR)
Neuroscience isn t on many elementary school lesson plans. But this spring, a second grade class at Fairmont Neighborhood School in the South Bronx is plunging in.
Sarah Wechsler, an instructional coach with wide eyes and a marathoner s energy, asks the students to think about the development and progress that they ve made already in their lives. You probably don t remember, but there was a time when you didn t know how to speak and you were just like Wah wah wah blah blah blah, mama, mama! she tells the kids. Our brain grows and changes when you try hard things, when you learn new things.