What motivates kids? With Dr. Ellen Braaten

05/27/24 • 35 min

No Silly Questions- An Education Podcast for Parents

“Bright Kids who Couldn’t Care Less” is the title of our guest Ellen Braaten’s most recent book. And it’s a trend she’s found in her renowned private practice as a clinician. So why do some kids care and others don’t? In our conversation with Ellen we get into childhood motivation, how it all works, and what’s a parent to do when their kid is being - what can even feel like a taboo word- “lazy.”

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is an experienced and prominent psychologist, researcher, speaker, and author. She is the Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and the Kessler Family Chair in Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment. She also holds an appointment of Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Braaten is widely recognized as an expert in the field of pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. Dr. Braaten has traveled internationally and is a frequent media contributor to NBC News, WCVB Boston, CBS Boston, and The New York Times. She has authored several books and articles, her most recent one being Bright Kids Who Couldn't Care Less (2023).
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Previous Episode

What should parents know about sleep away camp? With Dr. Tracy Brenner

The 'awayness' of sleepaway camp is, as our guest today shares, precisely what makes it so valuable - today more than ever. But how specifically is it a ripe opportunity for growth? Is sleepaway camp for everyone? Our guest Dr. Tracy Benner - who we're calling the Camp Dr. Becky- tells us everything we need to know as we consider this decision for our children. We loved this conversation, reminiscing on our own camp experiences and preparing thoughtfully for the future- and hope you will too.
More on Dr. Tracy Brenner:
Dr. Tracy Brenner received her doctorate in Clinical School Psychology from Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt hospital in NYC. Dr. Tracy launched her professional career as the high school psychologist at The Churchill School and Center, an independent school in New York City, and is currently in private practice in New York and Connecticut, providing individual therapy to adolescents and adults as well as parenting support. In her role as “The Camp Counselor,” Dr. Tracy works with camps, camp parents and campers to promote mental health in the camp context. She also serves as a consultant to The Maine Camp Experience, an organization representing 39 sleep away camps in Maine.

Next Episode

How are kids learning about civics education? With civics teacher Jonathan Zajdel

In these highly tense and polarized times of geopolitical and domestic turmoil, and with the presidential election a few months away, you better believe we’ve wanted to do an episode for you on civics education. And while it’s our first on the topic, it won’t be our last. Safe spaces, trigger warnings, viewpoint diversity or lack thereof, performance activism, and teacher bias, these are just some of the areas we get into with our guest today, Jon Zajdel, a civics teacher who lives this everyday firsthand.
More on Jonathan Zajdel:
Jon Zajdel is a secondary social studies teacher and swim coach in Fairfield County. Jon primarily teaches Advanced Placement American Government and Politics and civics. Zajdel has also taught the middle and elementary levels. Jon earned his MAT in secondary education from Sacred Heart University and his BA in political science from Ithaca College. Jon is an AFT union member and his views are his alone and not representative of his district affiliation.