No Small Matter Movie Viewing with Discussion Panel Sylvia Kennedy-Godin January 6, 2020

This is the first full length feature documentary to explore the most overlooked and powerful force for leveling the playing field for kids today in early childhood education. Film synopsis: Thanks to new brain-scanning technology and rigorous inquiry, scientists understand more about children's brains than ever before. With every new study, the incredible development happening in a child's early years becomes more and more apparent. For example, we now know that the number of words a child hears before age three can vastly improve her school readiness. The first few years of life are a kind of "big bang" for learning - 100 billion neurons being connected by synapses at a rate of seven hundred per second. And when a child lacks an engaging, loving environment, "toxic" experiences actually have the power to rewire her brain, with consequences that can last a lifetime.