Training/Event Reports

 

Participants Thrilled by Frank Kros and the Teenage Brain

The forty one participants at Frank Kros’ “Rethinking Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” training, sponsored by TNOYS’ XL Institute embraced the content and Mr. Kros’ animated and novel presentation.  Evaluation comments like “One of the best workshops I have ever attended!” and “…great communicator with awesome info!” were the norm.

Frank’s combined multi-media resources and his engaging and humorous presentation style to inform us about how knowledge of brain development during the teen years and how ADHD works in the brain can be a useful foundation knowledge for youth-workers and counselors.  Some of the more salient, interesting, and useful tidbits from the workshop are included here for folks who weren’t able to attend.

Frank traced this history of ADHD, reminding some of us old folks that this diagnosis evolved from “being lazy” to MBD (Minimal Brain Dysfunction) to ADHD.  It used to be described as a moral problem and has evolved into a biological/medical problem.  Now ADHD is defined as a “constellation of context-dependent behaviors that are most disruptive in restricted environments” (like schools).  In the right environment, however, “it is no more a disability than being blind in the dark, or being dyslexic on the soccer field.” according to Eric Jenson, a trainer of trainers in brain research.

Frank also caught us up on the new generation of youth.  Every generation gets a label and the new one is “Digital Natives”… these kids like to parallel process and multi-task.  They respond to graphics before text, function best in networks, and thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards.  Youth today have moved beyond linear problems solving, and instead use random access problems solving using broken up text, pictures, and internet resources. 

This all suggests to Frank that we are actually seeing an evolution of the human brain in the new generation and this evolution can look suspiciously like ADHD!  Theoretical neuroscientists sometimes call the ADHD brain the brain of the future.  Our old “liberal arts” education is evolving into an education of selective data and immediate access.  In fact, at present ADHD is a disorder that is most problematic in the schools; where the evolution of educational process is not up to date with brain or cultural evolution.

Frank went on to use humorous stories and fun activities to review the various parts of the brain and what they do, as follows:

• Hippocampus ~ “sea horse” ~ Bar code of the brain… like UPS, it pulls long term memory into short term memory for immediate use and then sends back after use.  Sleep is important for this guy to do his work because 89% of movement to long term memory occurs during sleep.  [Kids and Sleep:  Under 14 they need 10 hours per night; over 14 they need 9.25 hrs. per night]

• Amigdala ~ “almond” ~ The center of uncertainty: “YIKES!” and “OH OH”. This part warns us of stress… and is linked to every other organ… to find instinctual feelings of safety as follows: 1) SOS; 2) cortisol increase (the neurotransmitter that forces you to do something); 3) Escape or Solution doesn’t work à shoot more cortisol in there and “YIKES!” à traumatic stress…  [IMPORTANT for us to provide safety in our programs because kids can’t learn when the Amigdala is shooting off cortisol all the time.]

• Frontal Lobe ~ The last part to develop (starts at about 16) and related to making good choices, organization skills, problem solving, impulse control, and reading social cues. [Brain fully developed at about 25: before 25 there is partial functioning of the frontal lobe]

• Hypothalmus ~ Asks “what’s in it for me?” And “why is this important?” Controls body temp and satiation (needs natural light).  At 8 the answer is “cause the teacher says so.”  At 13 the question is “Why” and the answer is “cause I said so”.  By adolescence the communication stops.

According to Frank, our biggest mistake is not making the relevance connection for adolescents.  Make every statement, instruction, advice, relevant ALL THE TIME.  Tell them what’s in it for them!

• 90% of adult functioning is about predicting future consequences or outcomes

• Kids don’t think that way (about outcomes) naturally; they’re short in involvement with the future.  REMIND them over and over and over.  Lend them our dveloped Frontal Lobe!

• Make kids PREDICT everything.  “What do you think is gonna happen….?” This is critical with ADHD kids.

More ideas for use with ADHD (and ALL) kids:

1. In residential programs rather than post the rules, have a game of life where they go thru the steps of making it in thru the program… tie in novelty.

2. ADHD is a biological disorder of the frontal lobe: there are currently about 13 meds for use and it is luck of the draw to find the one that works… people become discouraged after trying 2 or so, so many kids don’t get to the one that might work.

3. Give ADHD kids extra time on tests because they cannot normally track time during tests, even though they are usually above average IQ.

4. ADHD kids do better with visual kinds of learning possibilities.  SMART use of the environment, class seating up front, etc.  TV watching is BAD for ADHD kids cause it slows down thinking.  Video Games are good cause they speed up thinking and develop making choices quickly.

5. Balance exercise with classwork.

6. Give ADHD kids recipes using pictures.

7. Use colored 3x5 note cards to give ADHD kids cues:  Yellow = Caution; Green = Go; and Red = Stop.

8. Focus on successes… build esteem.  Positive self esteem comes from mastery, not from praise.  Create mastery experiences.

9. Give ADHD kids instructions one at a time: model them, and if you have to list, make the list pictures.

People with ADHD who made it anyway include Mozart, Ben Franklinm Abraham Lincoln, George Bernard Shaw, Salvador Dali, Michael Phelps, Stephen Spielberg, Bill Gates, and Frank Kros.

For more information about the work of Frank Kros and his collegues, click https://www.upsidedownorganization.org/

 

 

 

 

 

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