quoting Confucius, "Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Let me do and I understand."
I like to coin the term "movement memory" to add to what Confucius said about learning. Brain Gym adds movement to learning and complements your school and academic processes.
I still remember a 6 year old learning to read in my class. These children were given 5 words to learn every week and had to be able to read them the following week. So for this boy in order to remember a word he had learned before and to read it aloud, he did a little dance and bump with his buttocks. It was so funny that we had a good laugh every week - that's movement memory for you.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Get to know your Brain - Neurons
The brain cell - neurons.
You have them. The fascinating thing about neurons is that they grow with stimulation of the mind and body. Imagine a tree that copiously branches out every time you touch it, speak to it, look at it, play music to it...anything!! In the infant this stimulation is continuous. That's why my 12 month old child rather play with the box than the toy in the box.
The dendrites of each individual neuron number in the thousands. They branch out and connect with other neurons as the need may be. The connection is electro-chemical across the gap called a synapse and is not physical. The purpose is to receive signals and transmit them to other neurons, forming neural circuits.
There is a neural circuit for every movement and I would like to think every thought too. Hence a movement that you can do unconsciously is run by a complex circuit whereas a new movement in which you clumsily attempt to do (think wake boarding fro the first time) is just newly forming its circuit. So there are millions of these circuits - directly proportional to the amount of stimulation you have been receiving.
What if a child does not get enough stimulation? Retardation - the ugly word.
A friend of mine met a child who was left in a hammock for the whole day while the parents, farmers, went out to work. The caregiver did not bother even to change diapers so to speak. The child was hosed down and left to dry in the warm tropical climate. Very little stimulation indeed - the result? The boy is unable to speak today. And it would have been much worse if he had not been fortunately adopted by a kind soul who saw his plight.
Movement is the door to learning.
Brain Gym advocates moving to learn.
You have them. The fascinating thing about neurons is that they grow with stimulation of the mind and body. Imagine a tree that copiously branches out every time you touch it, speak to it, look at it, play music to it...anything!! In the infant this stimulation is continuous. That's why my 12 month old child rather play with the box than the toy in the box.
The dendrites of each individual neuron number in the thousands. They branch out and connect with other neurons as the need may be. The connection is electro-chemical across the gap called a synapse and is not physical. The purpose is to receive signals and transmit them to other neurons, forming neural circuits.
There is a neural circuit for every movement and I would like to think every thought too. Hence a movement that you can do unconsciously is run by a complex circuit whereas a new movement in which you clumsily attempt to do (think wake boarding fro the first time) is just newly forming its circuit. So there are millions of these circuits - directly proportional to the amount of stimulation you have been receiving.
What if a child does not get enough stimulation? Retardation - the ugly word.
A friend of mine met a child who was left in a hammock for the whole day while the parents, farmers, went out to work. The caregiver did not bother even to change diapers so to speak. The child was hosed down and left to dry in the warm tropical climate. Very little stimulation indeed - the result? The boy is unable to speak today. And it would have been much worse if he had not been fortunately adopted by a kind soul who saw his plight.
Movement is the door to learning.
Brain Gym advocates moving to learn.
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Do Singaporeans care about their children?
I am sure Singaporeans love their children. Maybe the real question should be how do they care...often parents care enough to spend their hard earned savings...when they come to get some Brain Gym intervention. The sessions are not cheap.
However to see results I have to ask them to spend more than money. What many Singaporeans apparently don't have enough of is TIME. "So can you help your son by doing the Brain Gym with him 3 more times in the week before you see me again?" This is essential, I explain... but my words are not really good enough.
"Sure," they answer, but when they come back they bring a host of excuses...its either work or school or homework or whatever.
Is it our competitiveness, our kiasu attitude or a results driven education system? Let the sociologists among us argue and debate for an answer. For now however, the child does not get the help they need.
Any easy way out? ...blame the specialist, of course.
However to see results I have to ask them to spend more than money. What many Singaporeans apparently don't have enough of is TIME. "So can you help your son by doing the Brain Gym with him 3 more times in the week before you see me again?" This is essential, I explain... but my words are not really good enough.
"Sure," they answer, but when they come back they bring a host of excuses...its either work or school or homework or whatever.
Is it our competitiveness, our kiasu attitude or a results driven education system? Let the sociologists among us argue and debate for an answer. For now however, the child does not get the help they need.
Any easy way out? ...blame the specialist, of course.
Monday, 28 November 2011
Brai Gym Training in 2012
Be the first to get trained in 2012!
The date I am going to set is just after Chinese New Year which falls on 23 Jan 2012. So I am thinking of end Feb 2012...can you make it?
Call me at 94527277 to register early. There is a surprise gift worth S$200/- for anyone who registers in before 31 Dec 2011 with full payment.
email: braingym.cp@gmail.com
Benwinner Kam
For more info about the brain and mind visit
www.easybrainmethods.com
you will be surprised at what your God given abilities are.
The date I am going to set is just after Chinese New Year which falls on 23 Jan 2012. So I am thinking of end Feb 2012...can you make it?
Call me at 94527277 to register early. There is a surprise gift worth S$200/- for anyone who registers in before 31 Dec 2011 with full payment.
email: braingym.cp@gmail.com
Benwinner Kam
For more info about the brain and mind visit
www.easybrainmethods.com
you will be surprised at what your God given abilities are.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Learning Readiness
Have you ever considered that we need our system to be primed for learning?
It's like starting your car in cold weather. When the engine is not warm enough, it will definitely not fire smoothly.
When you just got out of bed, are you alert enough to take in new information or will just rely on routine? The state of the mind for learning must be turned on. So in the afternoon, when the boss calls a sudden meeting are you sharp enough when you walk into the room not knowing his mood or subject he will broach on.
Getting into the learning state is called getting into your personal PACE, or rhythm of processing information.
It's like starting your car in cold weather. When the engine is not warm enough, it will definitely not fire smoothly.
When you just got out of bed, are you alert enough to take in new information or will just rely on routine? The state of the mind for learning must be turned on. So in the afternoon, when the boss calls a sudden meeting are you sharp enough when you walk into the room not knowing his mood or subject he will broach on.
Getting into the learning state is called getting into your personal PACE, or rhythm of processing information.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Every child is Different
Every brain is differently wired. Yours too. Even though you are an adult. The trouble is that we think everyone else is like us. Parents especially fall into this trap of teaching their children as if they were like them.
Many parents think Brain Gym is simply doing a series of exercises just like attending aerobics class. That approach does have some merit but is not the Brain Gym way. We need to draw out the learning in the child and it takes skill to do this. DIY may not work if you think you can do Brain gym from youtube or a book. sometimes it does more harm than good.
Many parents think Brain Gym is simply doing a series of exercises just like attending aerobics class. That approach does have some merit but is not the Brain Gym way. We need to draw out the learning in the child and it takes skill to do this. DIY may not work if you think you can do Brain gym from youtube or a book. sometimes it does more harm than good.
Training makes the Difference
I conduct a free Brain Gym workshop for parents or teachers in your school. The workshop includes a live demonstration that participants can feel the difference before and after Brain Gym activities.
Free Only for Singapore - if you are in another country you need to sponsor my hotel and flight.
94527277
Benwinner Kam
Free Only for Singapore - if you are in another country you need to sponsor my hotel and flight.
94527277
Benwinner Kam
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