Learning Specialist Paula Roberts attended a seminar entitled “Learning and the Brain: Using Emotions Research to Enhance Learning” in Cambridge, Mass. “John Ratey spoke on the ‘New Science of Exercise and the Brain,’ confirming that exercise turns on the cerebellum and truly is ‘Miracle Gro’ for the brain,” says Roberts. “Ross Greene gave a fabulous presentation on transforming the way we look at frustrated, difficult students. He believes that ‘kids do well if they can’ and if they aren’t doing well, it is because they have an unsolved problem or a lagging skill. He also believes it is the school’s responsibility to actively help define the problem and brainstorm solutions. Jerome Kagan spoke on emotions and biology and had some very interesting things to say about gender variations within the brain and why men and women will always be different. Most exciting was Angela Duckworth’s research on ‘Self-Discipline, IQ, and Academic Performance.’ The truth is, self-discipline outdoes IQ; it predicts academic performance better than IQ scores.”