The development of the human nervous system and our brain begins on the 18^th day after conception.  As Carlson notes, this begins a process that can continue for over two decades, highlighting the fact that the human brain has tremendous growth and development potential.  However, this process is not just driven by biology alone.  It is based on a reflexive process between a person’s biology and his/her interaction with the environment.  For example, think about the first time you tried to drive a car.  Think about all of the energy and attention that went into every single part of that experience.  It was necessary that you focus on monitoring your speed, activating a turn signal, watching traffic in front of you, and trying to remember directions for where you were going.  Now fast forward to the present.  While your concentration is certainly still required when driving, it is a significantly more automatic process.  Your brain has learned how to process all of this information and multitask in a way that makes driving significantly easier for you.

Prepare to engage in a discussion by responding to the following prompt:

• • We know that after birth the human brain continues to develop for up to two decades through multiple processes, including personal experiences.  Identify and discuss two examples of how your personal experiences helped your brain to continue to develop.
  • In response posts, encourage continued interaction to fully understand the examples of other students