Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs
In this best-selling book, Ellen Galinsky explores the amazing new research about how the brain develops and the influence on how children are raised and taught.
Category Parenting and Childcare
Details In her groundbreaking book, Ellen Galinsky explores the amazing new research about how the brain develops and explains what that means for us in terms of how we teach and raise our children. As always, Galinsky’s work is fresh, meticulous, accessible and must-reading for parents, teachers and anyone who cares about kids.

Galinsky is president of the Families and Work Institute, executive editor of the Work & Family Life newsletter and a leading authority on child development and work and family issues. She has worked with top researchers in early learning, reports what they have learned and takes their findings a step further.

Galinsky identifies seven life skills that will help children reach their potential in school, in the workforce and in life:
  1. Focus and self control
  2. Perspective taking
  3. communicating
  4. Making connections
  5. Critical thinking
  6. Taking on challenges
  7. Self-directed engaged learning.
Every chapter is full of tips and suggestions for how parents can encourage and develop each of these skills. Some ideas call for doing the everyday things that you do with your children, but in new ways: for example, playing games like “Simon Says” but turning the rules around - to practice self control. And you can help kids practice communication by asking why, what, where and who questions.

Galinsky suggests using “extra talk” - where parents talk about “what if ” and “remember” and “what do you think” or use words that elaborate or extend what a child is doing, saying and learning. Throughout the book there are sections in parents’ own words - giving their perspectives on aspects of their children’s learning and development.
Author Ellen Galinsky
Publication Date April 20, 2010
Source HarperCollins 
Format Trade Paperback 256 Pages, 6 x 9 x 1.02 in
Availability Order the book: Mind in the Making 
Cost Available online for under CAD$20.00
Related Links See Mind in the Making companion VIDEOS
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