motivation

You might be familiar with the idea that children learn best when they are following their interests.  But you might not know that by "following the child", you're also helping them develop executive functions: skills like impulse control, delayed gratification, problem-solving, strategizing and concentrating, which are much bigger determinants for success in life than IQ.

I recently attended a talk by Dr. Steven Hughes, where he focused on the development in childhood of executive functions.  I …