There are three parts of the brain:
the brainstem, midbrain and cortex. Each has its own
purpose. The brainstem deals with the essential or
survival functions while the midbrain deals with feelings
and emotions. The cortex controls the functions of
language and problem solving and also holds the capacity
for learning. For learning to take place, a child
must be functioning with the cortex part of the brain.
When a traumatic incident occurs in a child’s
life, the brain is fundamentally changed and the response
to the trauma is imprinted. So if the child responds
to the trauma with aggression, he will tend to be
aggressive whenever an event triggers a reaction.
If the child withdraws, that behavior is also patterned.
Under times of stress, the midbrain reacts fastest
and therefore learning cannot take place. If the child
is functioning in the brainstem, he or she may exhibit
survival reactions such as freezing or fleeing. If
the child is functioning in the midbrain, he or she
may be unable to concentrate, remember, pay attention,
think clearly or make sense of what people are saying.
Learning takes place in the cortex, and this is only
possible when the child is not in an aroused or anxious
state.
Web Resources
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Facts
About the Brain
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The brain weighs about three pounds and looks
like a gray, unshelled walnut
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A person is born with over 100 billion brain
cells, which are called nerve cells or neurons
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Changes in the neurons allow for storage of “information”
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More brain cells are not developed after birth
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Brain cells that are not used wither away
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The brain can send signals to the other cells
in the body at a speed of more than 200 mph
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Learning peaks between 3 and 10 years of age,
but continues throughout life
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Systems of the brain interact and are interconnected.
The hierarchy goes from the most complex (cortex)
to the least complex (the brainstem)
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Different states of arousal (calm, fear, etc.)
activate different neural systems
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Different parts of the brain deal with different
functions
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Brain development is predictable
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Life shapes the brain’s development
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Periods of “vulnerability” are times
when the brain is more sensitive to both positive
and negative stimulation
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The brain remains sensitive throughout life
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The cortex is more plastic or changeable than
the brainstem
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