BRAIN GYM AND RESOURCES

BRAIN GYM

Brain Gym began as a breakthrough for overcoming learning challenges, but soon expanded into a program for drawing out potential at every level of skill and achievement.

Brain Gym’s fun and easy movements optimize how we learn and perform in all areas of our lives while reducing the stress around brain function. Regular practice of Brain Gym movements stimulates every part of the brain to work simultaneously. This can bring about rapid and lasting changes in fundamental abilities, including focus, organization, comprehension, physical coordination, memory, attentiveness and social and communication skills.

Brain Gym® is a program that consists of specially designed movements to enhance brain processes.

Successful brain function requires efficient connections across the neural pathways located throughout the brain. Stress inhibits these connections, while the Brain Gym® movements stimulate a flow of information along these networks, restoring the natural ability to learn and function with curiosity and joy.

The Brain Gym® program considers three dimensions of the brain as they relate to our ability to ease stress and improve thinking:

• The Laterality Dimension pertains to the relationship between the two sides of the brain – especially in the midfield, where the two sides must integrate. Laterality skills are fundamental to efficient communication including reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• The Centring Dimension concerns the connection between the top and bottom structures of the brain. Centring enables us to harmonize emotion with rational thought. Stress can disturb centring and equilibrium, leaving us tense and out of sorts; when we’re centred, we feel more grounded and organized.
• The Focus Dimension describes the relationship between the back and front areas of the brain. Focus affects comprehension – the ability to blend context and details into a full personal meaning and to understand new information in terms of previous experience. Attention disorders (ADD or ADHD) are related to the inability to focus.

Young children experience: that brain development does NOT happen without movement. The first six years of one’s life are significant for the brain to develop fully. During the stages of early childhood development like rolling over, sitting up, crawling and standing, important brain body connections are being made. Brain Gym® movements further activate the development of these critical neural pathways that will enhance the child’s coordinated movements, visual and auditory skills, growing independence, and language.

Students experience: that learning new information is NOT only a brain function. Our bodies are very much a part of all our learning. The simple body movements of Brain Gym® stimulate the brain in a way that eases the absorption of new material. Students using Brain Gym® notice improved concentration, focus, attentiveness, self-esteem and attitude toward school. This newfound confidence will serve them well throughout their life.

Adults experience: that drugs are NOT the only way to deal with stress. Managing some of our everyday stress through the use of Brain Gym® movements helps to create calm in our day. The Brain Gym® movements can be added into a work day or home life to synchronize our body and mind and ease the stress that we carry. This reduced stress and clarity of thinking gives us back control of our life.

Seniors experience: that declining brain function is NOT inevitable. Using Brain Gym®, many have found that they are able to improve their cognitive functioning and maintain mental fitness. They experience the ability to manage or prevent confusion, lack of concentration, poor recall, limited thinking patterns, depression, lethargy, lack of motivation, low self esteem and seeming inability to learn new material. This gives them an increased sense of independence and control over their lives.

RESOURCES

There are many books and products available on the Brain Gym website at: www.braingym.org One of the books that is available through Mindstage is:

Brain Gym Teacher’s Edition Revised 2010

The principles in the program are so widely accepted that the Brain Gym program is now the standard in many schools around the world and is recommended by tutors and teachers and those looking for a more functional, satisfying lifestyle and sense well being. Teachers who incorporate the Brain Gym movements within their daily classroom routine rediscover that joy of teaching for which they originally chose their profession.