Our challenging, inquiry-based curriculum encourages students to think critically and ask informed questions. Currently, Ms. McFarlane’s 7th-graders are discussing the novel ‘Flowers for Algernon,’ which deals with brain function and memory.
To augment their reading, students spoke with Lacordaire parent Dr. Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, who is the Director of the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at the Kessler Foundation. Dr. Chiaravalloti conducts research in cognitive rehabilitation, particularly in new learning, memory and processing speed. She presented detailed information on neuropsychological testing and its function. Students asked detailed questions about the efficacy of IQ testing, the development of the brain, and the debate over nature vs. nurture as it relates to neurodevelopment.
