The Upside Down Organization (UDO) workshops utilize applied brain research to address common issues and challenges faced by child-serving organizations, in particular, foster homes, group care facilities and special education schools. Our training also teaches child-serving organizations how Transformation Education (TranZed) creates a powerful therapeutic milieu to help emotionally disturbed children grow and change.
Beyond Poverty: Brain-Inspired Ways to Understand and Respond to Poverty
Poverty has a synergistic and pervasive negative impact on children’s brains. Given the many developmental windows occurring in childhood, poverty often wreaks havoc on the brain’s ability to grow and function optimally. In this workshop, participants will learn the specific damage that occurs in the developing brain exposed to poverty, the impact of that damage in the classroom and the community, and the interventions that can be used to overcome poverty’s effects. Specific, research–based strategies for combating the negative impact of poverty on learning will be introduced for infants, pre-school and school-aged children. Exciting discoveries in neuroscience have revealed that the brain is a dynamic and changing organ—particularly in childhood. Known as “neuroplasticity,” the brain’s ability to change and grow through exposure to environmental stimulus offers exciting new approaches and strategies for educators, parents and child-serving professionals working with children of poverty. The impoverished brain can be changed significantly for the better and these techniques provide you with the tools to begin transforming young minds.
Giving a Fish a Bath: The Untold Story of the Adolescent Mind
Ever think the adolescent mind was impossible to understand? Recent discoveries in neuroscience offer exciting insights into how the brains of our teens really work and the special “brain-based” challenges facing adolescents as they mature. This workshop reveals why teens are especially vulnerable to drug use, high-risk peer influences and depression as well as the proactive measures adults can take to minimize a teen’s exposure to these dangers. This seminar also addresses the often mystifying role of hormones on adolescent development and focuses on the key roles that stress and sleep have on teen learning processes. In addition, the workshop offers strategies compatible with the many strengths and opportunities available during this miraculous developmental period, including helping teens to develop positive character traits. If you’ve ever thought that the adolescent mind could not be understood, this workshop will arm you with the latest insights and information on knowing and empowering the teenage brain.
Right From the Start: Building Great Brains From Birth to Age Five
There is no better time to invest in building really extraordinary brains than in the first few years of life. Neuroscience is overflowing with fresh insights and valuable information on nurturing and educating young brains. From birth to age 5, the brain has very specific emotional, physical, nutritional and intellectual needs. When these needs are adequately met, brains flourish. When these needs are not met, highly predictable consequences result that require targeted interventions for correction.
There is a great deal of myth and countless opinions on what infants and toddlers need for optimal development. This research-based topic exposes many myths and offers scientifically-backed support for practices that lead to robust, resilient young brains. Learn how to build the foundation for a healthy, happy brain. Discover how to help brains struggling to achieve a positive developmental start. Know how to identify a quality early education program. Apply the five key skills for emotional and cognitive health. Build your expertise on the infant and toddler brain and make a deeper difference in your childrens’ lives!
Rethinking Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD): What Works, What Doesn't and Why
Children and youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) have unique brains. Like all brains, AD/HD minds have strengths and weaknesses. In this illuminating workshop, you'll learn the 12 power tools for maximizing the strengths and minimizing the contextual weaknesses of the AD/HD brain.
Battling the Bully: A Brain-Inspired Approach to Bullying
Bullying has become a significant concern on many campuses as students with physical or cognitive advantages intimidate and exploit their more vulnerable classmates, often with a sophistication and a discreetness that makes it difficult for adults to observe and intervene with. In this workshop, bullying, as well as boredom and other challenging behavior, will be looked at through the lens of cognitive neuroscience with a new perspective provided on the often perplexing behavior of these students.
Brain Matters: An Introduction to Brain-based Learning
For educators, parents and other child-serving professionals who want to optimize the learning performance of their students, children and youth; this is the place to start. If you are interested in how the brain learns and excited about the potential of neuroscience for accelerating this learning process, this topic effectively translates brain science into tools you can use immediately.
You’ll learn the anatomy of the brain and the structures that most heavily influence human learning. You’ll recognize teaching methods that support this learning process and be equipped to identify teaching techniques that block the brain’s natural ability to learn. This topic provides more than 50 low-cost and no-cost strategies to enhance learning, increase problem solving ability, boost motivation and expand information retention. Not only will you be empowered to help kids learn better, you’ll accelerate your own learning ability!
Interested in bringing Terri to your school or program? Contact UDO’s Business Manager, Tonya Redman at: 443-829-6155 or at redman@upsidedownorganization.org
