The Most Intelligent Humans on the Planet

When you think of the most intelligent human being on the planet who comes to mind? What characteristics of this person leads you to believe they are the most intelligent human on the planet?

What if someone challenged you by stating that children ages 2-7 are the most intelligent humans on the planet? 

I have taught students ranging from birth- fourth grade and adults in parenting education. I find that my passion is with children ages 2-3 years of age. Many people think I am off my rocker to find passion in a classroom of 14 toddlers. I will say that I don't claim to be a normal human being, which may help me in my passion for young children. :-)

I have always known, even before my formal education in early childhood, that there is something extra special about a toddler. The "light bulb" moments. The "Me Do!" mentality. The passion for exploring the world and mastering skills. The persistence and determination we could only dream of having in our adult workforce. There is just something extra special about toddlers and perhaps it is the speed of their brain development and literally seeing the connection of new learning when their eyes light up after accomplishing a task for the first time. 

There are several critical windows of opportunity in brain development that we cannot ignore when working with children. The first window of opportunity begins at the young age of two. Their brain fires off connections that are waiting to be wired. These connections are called synapses. The number of synapses at age two is the highest point in their entire life. Think about that. At age two children are firing off connections at the fastest rate in their life. How can this not be exciting?!  To think these little tiny human beings have only been alive for one or two summers and they are building a brain that will be the foundation for life! It is no wonder that I find my passion and groove teaching young children and their parents about this critically important stage in life.  

Then why does it feel like it is the "terrible" twos?

It feels terrible because it is EXHAUSTING! It is exhausting for the child, the parents and the caretakers. Young children are so very curious and they will explore all things life has to offer them in the environment they are provided. It is exhausting for the adults because they are challenged with providing a rich learning environment that is safe for them to explore. This takes a extreme amount of planning, being present and stimuli. 

Ways you can support the firing of synapses and encourage rapid brain development:

• Provide a Yes environment to explore
• Be present and engaged
• Take interest in and activity of their choice 
• Provide opportunity for independence 
• Allow for mistakes and support new learning
• Follow the child's lead 
• Let go of the adult determined end result 
• Provide a rich vocabulary 
• Engage in learning through natural play  

Those of you that know me as an educator know that I preach parents are the first and best educators for their child. This is why, in addition to my love for toddlers, I also love teaching parenting education. When I can reach parents, I can reach the child. It is a win-win for me. If there are any parents reading this that do not feel the power and importance of their role please be reminded that YOU are the most important human on the face of this earth to YOUR child. There is not another human that can replace you. Being present and engaged with your child is the best foundation in the world for your child to become the most intelligent human on the planet. 

I hope you enjoyed my take on humans. I based this blog post off my reflections from the article Why ages 2-7 Matter So Much for Brain Development by Rishi Sriram. I have included the article here. Please check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.