[Student Voices] The Road Ahead
Seonghyeon Kim (Korea International School Jeju, Grade 5)
Last winter break, I had an experience at math camp that rewired my brain. By focusing on a difficult math problem for 24 hours—and thinking of nothing else—I journeyed to a part of my mind that I didn’t know existed.
During the first few hours at camp, we were told to stay focused on the math problem. Don’t give up, they said. Try harder. But how was I supposed to stop myself from thinking about playing soccer with my friends, or what food was being served in the cafeteria? Keep focused on the problem, they said. Keep trying.
In the 7th hour or so, my brain began to form only necessary thoughts. I was thinking only of the lines and slopes of a calculus question. I crossed out solutions that didn’t quite work as my brain sped onward.
In the 12th hour, I had a headache. It was so painful I couldn’t eat breakfast. It felt like a hammer was pounding on my forehead. A vibration ran through my head, down my arm and into my pencil as I kept writing solutions.
In the 17th hour, I felt a sudden rush of pleasure. The problem was the easiest problem I had ever seen. Everything made sense. I was daydreaming about having the answer, celebrating wildly. I walked up to the instructor and handed in my math problem. “Try again,” he said.
In the 22nd hour, I found myself daydreaming again. Different answers ran through my head. In one daydream, I had solved it. I was still celebrating my imaginary victory as I approached the instructor. This time, in the 24th hour, I was finally successful. It was a better feeling than getting a standing ovation from all the people on Earth.
But, still, I wondered: What was happening inside my brain?
“Neuroplasticity” is the answer. Neuroplasticity is a combination of the words “neuro,” meaning related to the nervous system, and “plastic,” meaning capable of changing shape. The word suggests that our brains are structurally and functionally flexible. When we have a strong desire to solve a problem, the brain adapts as it searches to find the answer.
Imagine your brain as a city with a network of roads connecting different neighborhoods. Sometimes, construction is needed to build and connect new roads. This is what happened to me at math camp. When I focused hard enough, new roads formed.
A study from two Stanford University psychologists found that when students understand neuroplasticity—and recognize the full potential of their brains—their academic performance increases. The study, which involved 12,000 high school freshmen from 76 schools, required that students take a course about “the growth mindset”—the belief that the powers of the brain are not fixed, but can grow with effort. After taking the course, the students saw an increase in their average grades and a decrease in the number who had D or F averages. This shows that both high-achieving and struggling students can benefit from an understanding of neuroplasticity.
Everyone has a mind with great potential. If we try our best, our brains will respond. Remember that headache I had during math camp? It was a new road being built. If you look hard enough, you’ll find a road that will take you wherever you need to go.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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