There was a great segment on Nightline last night talking about the human brain's potential to create new white matter. According to Dan Coyle, author of The Talent Code, the myelination process, the insulating of the "wiring" for certain activities, when taken to the extremes, is actually what creates genius. (Watch the segment here)
Coyle says what makes talent is two basic things- lots of practice, and great coaching. When a new skill is learned, new pathways form in the brain, or existing pathways are extended to "map" the new skill. As we practice the skill over and over, the newly formed path becomes a superhighway - an ultimate connector, that is not only extremely fast, but is very reliable.
Great coaching has to do with who the coach is - the great coaches have some very key core factors like being laid back, relational, and engaging in intense moments of very targeted correction. The "golden second" for coaching is immediately after an error has occurred. Unless you reach the edge of error and frustration, you never build the brain's potential - or your talent.
Families play a critical role in guiding students and coaching them in many aspects of development. Mentors (or advisories) create the opportunities for the building long term coaching relationships in the school environment that helps students -and their families - explore and develop interests, abilities, and talent - and take advantage of the golden seconds when talent is nurtured.
What Coyle is describing, of course, is one of the key aspects of Engaged Learning Communities!
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