Free Parent Workshop: The Middle School Brain

Dr. Christy Brady Smith will speak at Hyla on the middle school brain; how it changes, why, and what parents can do to support essential growth in these critical years. At Hyla we share Dr. Smith’s enthusiasm for the profound and positive transformation that occurs during this age.

Dr. Smith’s talk will begin with a conversation about how the middle school years get a bad rap: with all the effects of puberty, new and more complex school and social situations, and increasing independence. But there is also a tremendous opportunity for parents during this time of development. Your children’s brains are undergoing intense rewiring and change during this period – second only to the immense changes that occur in the first five years of life. Dr. Christy Brady Smith will share the latest on middle school brain development. You will learn about the structural brain changes that occur early in adolescence – and those that are not complete until the early 20s. She will discuss the opportunities and challenges you face during this unique time of development and how parents can nurture your middle schooler’s development in tangible and effective ways.

About Hyla’s Speaker Series:
Each year Hyla Middle School hosts nationally recognized speakers as part of our parent education series, called Hyla Parent University. As a learning community, we provide this service for parents to support their work during the critical middle school years. We are proud to open these events to the surrounding community and we invite all parents to come learn with us, at no cost.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Smith is a developmental psychologist, founder of Nature Nurture Knowledge, and mom of three lively kids. She earned her PhD in Developmental

Psychology from Columbia University, where she worked on numerous studies related to parenting, family relationships, and child development. She helps families and schools nurture children’s development by sharing research-based knowledge about parenting in a clear and concise way.

To learn more about Christy and her work, please visit her website and read her article Drowning in Social Media: Sink or Swim Doesn’t Work.

We hope you will mark your calendars and join us to listen to, learn from, and engage in conversation with Christy Brady Smith, PhD this Wednesday!