April is the beginning of the academic year in Japan and that means many children across the country are enrolling in new after-school activities. Many parents have high hopes for their child's potential when they enlist them in English and music classes, among other pursuits. But at the same time, they are worried about whether their children will be motivated enough to continue with those activities and whether their efforts will bear fruit. When it comes to keeping children motivated, however, an expert in brain science says the science is clear: It's better to praise a child's progress rather than offer materialistic rewards. According to Chihiro Hosoda, an associate professor of neuroscience at Tohoku University, the occipital lobe, which is responsible for processing and interpreting vision and color at the back of the brain, is the first to develop in children.