Hi, my name is Fatima and I have been practising Brain Gym at various schools around the globe, in the primary and secondary sector for more than 20 years.
I want to share and celebrate the benefits of using Brain Gym in my classroom. It really is a win-win for students.
Students are facing ongoing challenges on a daily basis at home and at school. I am passionate about helping students achieve, promoting students emotional well-being, and boosting students’ self-esteem by using Brain Gym.
Brain Gym which can be described as that simple powerful tool that makes things happen.
Simple Brain Gym Movements Enhance Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Growth
Brain Gym was developed in order to stimulate, release, or relax students involved in particular types of learning situations (Dennison & Dennison, 1994).
Through Brain Gym movements students are able to access parts of the brain previously inaccessible. Allowing children to move in the classroom in a positive manner will unfold their unique and complete intelligence so that they will not be blocked, but free to learn (Dennison, P., & Dennison, G. (1 994). Brain Gym teacher's edition revised. California: Edu-Kinesthetics, Inc.)
I am passionate about supporting the Hauora of my students.
As a middle school teacher in an ESOL classroom I am constantly looking for ways to boost student attention, interest in learning and motivation to succeed.
Help your students develop skills using Brain Gym
How do I create a participatory environment where ESOL children feel confident, safe and are able to engage co-operatively?
How do I empower my students, give them a ‘voice’ and develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills?
How do I foster confidence and self-esteem improving the quality of self in my students?
Brain Gym can be described as that simple powerful tool
It builds self-efficacy
Calms the body and the mind
Helps learners to become connected, competent and confident.
Allows learning to take place spontaneously
Encourages learners to work together and help each other
Helps learners to be more present, attentive, focused, and engaged in their learning.
Encourages learners to take risks, to ask questions, and to share their ideas
Helps develop fine motor skills, developing pencil grip
Students respond positively to the Brain Gym Movements
Reflections from Term 1: Sharing positive outcomes from the classroom
Students participate with enthusiasm and display an improved sense of focus and concentration. Their reading and writing skills have improved dramatically. Many students are now reading at or above their expected level, and their written work has become more organised, coherent, and expressive.
Neurophysiologist and educator, Carla Hannaford, found that incorporating movement into her classroom had a significant impact on her students. She began by using body brain exercises at the beginning of each day. Within a few weeks, she began to notice some positive changes. She even stated that her students "..became more attentive and their grades improved" (as found in Hannaford, 1996, p. 67).
Hauora is a Māori philosophy of health unique to Aotearoa. It includes the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the students. It comprises taha tinana (the physical dimension), taha hinengaro (the mental dimension), taha hinengaro (mental health and emotions); taha wairua (spiritual health), taha tinana (physical health), and taha whānau (family) as the key of one's wellbeing.
Doing PACE is like charging your chrome book and your phone.
Let’s Do Blessed Brain Gym
PACE and SPACE
Connect the child to be in the present moment
Help the child to gain visual perception
Ready for learning.
Drink a quick sip of water.
Brain Gym session formats a circle.
We rub our brain buttons
Hug ourselves
Cross our midlines
Cross crawls
Counting 1 to 20 in Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Fijian, Hindi, Arabic (or any language of choice - challenge your brain)
In Hook Ups
We breathe deeply
Celebrating affirmations for achieving goals
“I am a good friend”
“I am good at playing soccer”
“I speak clearly confidently and correctly”
“Today, I will be kind to myself and to others”