This is the third post in a series that highlights the speakers of this year’s 36th Annual Executive Function Conference, which will focus on promoting resilience and equity for ALL students.
This November, we are honored to feature Dr. George McCloskey, Ph.D, Professor and Director of Research, School of Professional and Applied Psychology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, who will offer a session on “Strengthening Students’ Resilience through the Motivation-EF Connection.”
Adversity, Resilience, and Self-Regulation
Resilience, or the ability to cope with hardship and overcome adversity, develops from the interaction between biology and the environment. Resilience among children is not set in stone by genes; instead, there are many factors that can positively influence children’s outcomes in the face of adversity. Parents and teachers play a role in nurturing children’s resiliency and influencing children’s motivations. These adults can help students learn how to self-regulate in ways that enable them to handle stress and develop resiliency.
Dr. George McCloskey has over 40 years of experience in teaching, school psychology, research, test development, and more. He frequently presents at international, national, and state conferences and consults with school districts and private schools nationwide on improving students’ executive functions. At ResearchILD’s 36th Annual Executive Function Conference, Dr. McCloskey will discuss the brain’s reward center, its relationship to executive functions that guide self-regulation, and ways to use this connection to help children strengthen resilience. This session will focus on strategies for building a better connection between motivation and self-regulation in young children and strengthening self-determination in older children and adolescents.
Learn More
You can learn more about Dr. McCloskey and his work:
- Read his bio.
- Listen to his interview on the Full PreFrontal Podcast where he discusses self-regulation, executive function, and ways to become self-reliant.
- Attend ResearchILD’s 36th Annual Executive Function Conference to hear Dr. McCloskey speak about “Strengthening Students’ Resilience through the Motivation-EF Connection.”
Caitlin Vanderberg, M.Ed., SMARTS Program Associate
SMARTS Executive Function Curriculum: smarts-ef.org
Research Institute for Learning and Development: researchild.org
The Institute for Learning and Development: ildlex.org