We are living in a complex age, one in which children are overusing digital and tech, our definitions of sex and gender are being negotiated in social media, academe, and our schools, violence surrounds us, and teachers and parents feel almost desperate for tools to help the children in their care.

In this dynamic keynote presentation, Dr. Gurian will explore how the minds of boys and girls learn and grow, including brain differences that impact K – 12 education, early childhood, and social emotional development throughout the lifespan.  He will provide insight into best teaching, parenting, counseling, and mentoring practices targeted to sex on the brain

Michael’s presentation will include PET, SPECT, and MRI scans that display sexual dimorphism (male/female brain differences) as he focuses on educating, raising, and counseling boys, and educating, raising, and counseling girls.  He will also show brain scans that help us understand the whole gender spectrum.

Michael will lead two working lunch discussions, as well.  Some of Michael’s recent books are Saving Our Sons, The Stone Boys, Portrait of a Mother and Son, and The Minds of Girls.  We hope you will read one or more these books ahead of time.  In these working lunches, we will study and strategize regarding violence/suicide prevention, and mental and emotional health in our schools, families, and communities.

Dr. Gurian’s second keynote focuses on resilience-building of children in school, at home, and in our communities.  Michael’s new memoir, The Storm In My Mother’s Eyes:  A Journey of Forgiveness and Resilience, explores the science of resilience in story form, including a key psychological source of resilience:  forgiveness.  Without the journey of forgiveness, Michael argues, children and adults lack a primary building block for thriving.

A product of childhood trauma, Michael scores a 7 out of 10 on the Adverse Childhood Experiences, ACE survey.  The publication of his previous book, The Stone Boys, made public some of his own childhood trauma, and his memoir continues that exploration with brain science connected to story.  We hope you will read The Stone Boys (available on amazon.com and other outlets) and/or The Storm In My Mother’s Eyes (available via subscription at michaelgurian.substack.com) ahead of time for a deep dive into the potential trauma-responses of both males and females, and the call of resilience.

Michael’s wife of 37 years, Gail Reid-Gurian, died this last year from pancreatic cancer.  Her death further compelled Michael to learn and share more about the walk of resilience that every human being will have to make during childhood and later in adulthood.  Obstacles are built into life as elemental motivators of both maturity and of a good life.  This keynote, focusing on the development of resilience in children, will also help heal adults on their own journey.

This bonus keynote, which will be available for viewing before the weekend, Michael will focus on how to help schools, teachers, and children use tech safely and effectively.  Overuse of social media and tech is a national mental health problem, yet tech is here to stay, especially in the post-Covid era.  Limiting screen time–which is necessary and important–is not the whole story.

This keynote focuses on tech use as both a positive and negative in children’s lives.  Dr. Gurian looks carefully at the neural connection between tech use, especially among young children, and brain issues later.  Because some schools are one-to-one, he will bring parents into the equation, who may need to cut back on child tech use at home so that teachers can use it in school.

Some schools are going to a no-phone-during-the-school-day policy, and Michael will endorse that, with brain science to show why it is a good plan.  Other schools are going toward more hands-on, project-driven, and nature-based learning.  Michael will provide brain research that supports this direction in education.

In this dynamic and moving keynote, Michael will provide insight and tools, strategies, and real-time conversations to have with boys and girls as parents and teachers help them navigate their digital world.

Please click https://gurianinstitute.com/events/gurian-summer-institute-2024/ to learn more about our Summer Training Institute and to register.   To register groups of five or more, write Dakota Hoyt, our Managing Director, at info@gurianinstitute.com.  If you are wondering about becoming a Gurian Certified Trainer, check out the Trainer page of www.gurianinstitute.com then write us at info@gurianinstitute.com to register for the extra training.