Transcript Document
Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Brain Gym Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Brain Gym Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The Origins of Brain Gym The programme was put together by Dr. Paul Denison of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation in 1987 Kinesiology is based on the premise that a child’s physical development, language acquisition and achievement in school are interdependent. Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The Origins of Brain Gym The programme was put together by Dr. Paul Denison of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation in 1987 Kinesiology is based on the premise that a child’s physical development, language acquisition and achievement in school are interdependent. Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Key ideas There are no learning disabilities, only learning blocks. (stress) Movement is the door to learning. (de-stress) Brain Gym activities are part of a personal program for achieving personal goals. Individuals set goals and express these in whole brain language. The Balanced learning state allows the learner to clearly see the learning road ahead and move easily between low and high gear learning states as necessary. LOW GEAR unsafe, unfamiliar stopping movement to think HIGH GEAR safe, familiar thinking and moving together focus is on parts rather than the whole focus is on the whole rather than the parts intentional behaviour automatic behaviour Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Key ideas There are no learning disabilities, only learning blocks. (stress) Movement is the door to learning. (de-stress) Brain Gym activities are part of a personal program for achieving personal goals. Individuals set goals and express these in whole brain language. The Balanced learning state allows the learner to clearly see the learning road ahead and move easily between low and high gear learning states as necessary. LOW GEAR unsafe, unfamiliar stopping movement to think HIGH GEAR safe, familiar thinking and moving together focus is on parts rather than the whole focus is on the whole rather than the parts intentional behaviour automatic behaviour Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The body and the brain together The body The brain Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The body’s 3 dimensions Left to Right communication - the three midlines Bottom to Top organisation Back to Front focus Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The brain’s 3 dimensions Left to Right ‘communication’ Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The brain’s 3 dimensions Back to Front ‘focus’ Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The brain’s 3 dimensions Bottom to Top ‘relaxation’ and ‘organisation’ Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The brain’s 3 dimensions Bottom to Top ‘relaxation’ and ‘organisation’ Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Pathways to learning V A K Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Pathways to learning V A K Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Pathways to learning V A K Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The exercises V A K 1. Brain Buttons 2. Space Buttons 3. Earth Buttons 4. Lazy 8s 5. Double Doodle 6. The Owl 7. Thinking Cap 8. Energy Yawn 9. The Elephant 10. Belly Breathing 11. Balance Buttons 12. Hook ups 13. Arm Activation 14. Footflex 15. Calf Pump 16. Gravity Glider 17. Positive Points 18. The Grounder 19. Cross Crawl Thinking for Learning Thinking Together The exercises V A K 1. Brain Buttons 2. Space Buttons 3. Earth Buttons 4. Lazy 8s 5. Double Doodle 6. The Owl 7. Thinking Cap 8. Energy Yawn 9. The Elephant 10. Belly Breathing 11. Balance Buttons 12. Hook ups 13. Arm Activation 14. Footflex 15. Calf Pump 16. Gravity Glider 17. Positive Points 18. The Grounder 19. Cross Crawl Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Exercises that focus attention on visual learning 1. Brain Buttons Part 1 - 1/2 minute Right thumb and fingertips – massage deeply the soft tissue under the collar bone to the left and right of the sternum Left fingertips – over the naval Eyes – track a horizontal line or ‘nose-paint’ a lazy 8 at the top of the far wall Part 2 - 1/2 minute Change hands New and Difficult – V – reading, writing, watching, following, Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 2. Space Buttons 1 minute Right hand two fingertips – above upper lip Left hand fingertips – on tail-bone Eyes – track a vertical line Variations – sitting, standing, lying down ‘draw’ circles around distant objects with your nose move head from side to side with relaxed eye and neck muscles. New and Difficult – V – charts, diagrams, reading drawing Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 3. Earth Buttons Part 1 - 1/2 minute – four to six breaths Right fingertips – touch under lower lip Left fingertips – rest over upper edge of pubic bone (palm over naval with hand pointing down) Breathing – slow and deep Imagine – An energy fountain moving up midline and showering back to earth) Eyes – Look down for grounding track a vertical line Part 2 - 1/2 minute Change hands New and Difficult – V – reading, writing, watching, following, Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 4. Lazy 8s 3 times Eyes – first centre the lazy 8 on a point in the room then follow the hand Right hand starts to move up to the left and then completes the lazy 8 Head – moves slightly Breathing – deeply 3 times Left hand starts to move up to the left and then completes the lazy 8 3 times Hands together Variations Head rolls drawing small Lazy 8s to bigger ones Say “Up to the left and around. Cross the middle and up. Around, down and back to the middle” Eyes – closed Voice – humming In the air, on the board, with streamers New and Difficult – V – writing, drawing, painting, reading Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 5. Double Doodle Guided Squares Right hand and left hand draw squares Refer to the midline and say, “Out, down, in, up.” 3 times Freeform Squiggles on paperNeck and eyes – relaxed Hands/arms - Large movements Variations Large paper / board to small Different media Air doodles Use shoulders, wrists, feet Use both hands and feet New and Difficult – V – writing, drawing, painting, reading Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 6. The Owl Part 1 Hand – squeezes the right shoulder/neck muscle Head – turn back over right shoulder Inhale through the nose Shoulders – pulled back Exhale slowly as the head is moved slowly through the mid-line to come to rest at the left shoulder Eyes – Follows a line across the horizontal Inhale through the nose Chin – drops to chest Exhale Part 2 Change hands Variations Blink lightly Make who-oo sound Listen with left ear when head is to the left, right ear when head to the right, both when chin is down New and Difficult – V – reading, drawing, watching Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Exercises that focus attention on auditory learning 7. Thinking Cap 1 minute – five times Thumbs and index fingers – gently pull and unroll he ears working from top to bottom Eyes – closed Variations – make low vowel sounds Say new 5 words New and Difficult – A – listening , speaking, inner voice e.g tables, mental calculation, poetry, music Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 8. Energy Yawn 1 minute – six yawns Mouth – open in pretend ‘yawn’ Voice – deep relaxed yawn Right and Left hand fingertips – gently stroke away tight spots Eyes – closed Variations – first find the opening and closing muscles New and Difficult – A – speaking, singing Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 9. The Elephant 3 times Knees – bent Head – ‘glued’ to left shoulder (hold a piece of paper between head and shoulder) Eyes – focused beyond the hand Move from the waist Left hand starts to move up to the left and then completes the lazy 8 Finger – drawing the Lazy 8 as on a flat wall 3 times Right hand starts to move up to the left and then completes the lazy 8 Etc. New and Difficult – A (ears!) listening, speaking Memory (elephant’s!) Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 10. Belly Breathing 1 minute Hand – on abdomen Inhale through the nose Blow out through the mouth in short puffs to empty the lungs Take a slow, deep but gentle breath through the nose Abdomen and chest – expand on inhalation (count to 3) Hold (count to 3) Exhale through the nose (count to 3) Pause (count to 3) Variation Breathe to the rhythm of music Variation - Breathe to the rhythm of music New and Difficult –– A - listening, speaking Singing. K - calming Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 11. Balance Buttons Part 1 – 1/2 minute Left hand two fingertips – massage then hold points just above the indentation where the skull rests over the neck (over semi-circular canals behind mastoid area) Right hand fingertips – on naval Part 2 – 1/2 minute Change hands Variations – sitting, standing, lying down ‘draw’ circles around distant objects with your nose move head from side to side with relaxed eye and neck muscles New and Difficult – A – listening to instruction, stories, computer work K – balance, good working posture Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Exercises that focus attention on kinesthetic learning 12. Hook ups Part 1 – 1 minute Ankles – crossed Fingers – interlaced Hands – hooked up Eyes – closed Breathing - deep Tongue – flat against the roof of the mouth on inhalation Relaxed on exhalation Part 2 – 1 minute Limbs - unhooked and uncrossed Fingertips - touching Breathing - deep New and Difficult – K - emotions Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 13. Arm Activation Part 1 Left Arm – held next to the ear Exhale slowly (count 4 ) Right hand presses against each side, front and back of the left arm. Part 2 Change hands New and Difficult – K – writing, drawing, games Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 14. Footflex Part 1 Right ankle – resting on left knee Fingertips - squeeze the tendons and muscles of the calf Right foot – pointing and flexing Part 2 Left ankle – resting on right knee New and Difficult – K – emotions, Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 15. Calf Pump Standing Part 1 - 3 times Hands – on a chair or wall supporting the body Right knee – bent supporting the body Left leg – straight in same diagonal line with the back Left heel – off the floor Exhale Move weight onto the left leg and push heel to the floor Part 2 - 3 times Change legs New and Difficult – K – emotions Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 16. Gravity Glider Part 1 - 3 times Sitting Right ankle - resting on left ankle Legs – straight Arms together reaching forward from the rib cage Exhale ‘Under gravity’ glide down into available space Inhale Lift up the body and return arms parallel to the ground Part 2 - 3 times Change legs Variations Standing Eyes closed New and Difficult – K – emotions Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 17. Positive Points 1 minute Fingertips – lightly pulling the skin of the forehead taut between two points in line with the eyeballs halfway between hairline and eyebrow Eyes - closed Imagery – think of upcoming stressful situation Think about its successful conclusion Variation – A stands behind B New and Difficult –Memory - recall Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 18. The Grounder Part 1 - 3 times Standing Torso and pelvis– to the front Feet - right angles to each other Right foot - to the right Right leg - bent Left foot – forward Left leg – straight Head – facing to the right Exhale Right knee – glides out over the right foot Hold Inhale Straighten right leg Part 2 - 3 times Change legs New and Difficult – K – emotions Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 19. Cross Crawl 1 minute Right arm moves together with left leg Left arm moves together with right leg Eyes – move in all directions Variations Standing, sitting, lying on back, dancing to music, skipping, ‘swimming’ Elbow to knee Hand to thigh Hand to heel Both arm to one side, kick to other Slow motion New and Difficult – VAK – sports, games, dance, keyboard skills, playing musical instruments Thinking for Learning Thinking Together 19. Cross Crawl 1 minute Right arm moves together with left leg Left arm moves together with right leg Eyes – move in all directions Variations Standing, sitting, lying on back, dancing to music, skipping, ‘swimming’ Elbow to knee Hand to thigh Hand to heel Both arm to one side, kick to other Slow motion New and Difficult – VAK – sports, games, dance, keyboard skills, playing musical instruments Thinking for Learning Thinking Together Brain Gym A set of exercises we can use to focus children’s attention on : the learning skills needed to meet the upcoming challenge – the ‘new and difficult’ themselves as confident ‘driver-learners’.