Brighter Children through Music (2 videos)

Marvel over music’s power

 

Madeline Frank has amassed dozens of articles citing music’s influence over effective teaching and learning, mental health, and motivation.  Start by watching two amazing children entertain us with their musical gifts.  Six years old Viljami Morander and the Ukulele boy, both are precious.  When you finish smiling, take time enjoying Madeline’s collection of research-based music articles.  Insist your school offers music to every child and teen!  Music is essential for total brain development!

Fit Teenage Boys are Smarter

Cardiovascular fitness positively influences higher cognition

Newswise.com reports research conducted by Nancy Pederson of the University of Southern California and colleagues in Sweden showing how cardiovascular fitness (not muscular strength) correlates with higher cognitive functioning including verbal ability, to logical performance, to geometric perception and mechanical skills.

Over a long term, boys who were most fit at the age of 18 were more likely to go to college than the less fit counterparts.

Once again, Daily Physical Education is scientifically supported to optimize cognitive performance, as seen time and again on this blog.

Beating Time to Success!

Beat competency can be nurtured and improved

Rebecca Eddy writing for MAD Academy expounds on beat competency linked to physical and intellectual capabilities. Reference is made to BBC News article, Poor rhythm ‘at the heart of dyslexia’. It is surprising how many people are unable to maintain a steady beat. More amazing is how rhythm relates to language and reading development, even mathematical success.

Steady Beat Improves Academics

Reading and Mathematics are improved with steady beat competence

Phyllis Weikart’s article cites research supporting the use of steady rhythm while moving, talking, singing, and reciting poetry as a way to build reading, vocabulary, math and physical coordination. Children’s behavior, concentration, and understanding of body in space were all positively impacted. Many suggestions are given to parents and teachers wanting to help their children explore and develop their steady beat.

‘Poor rhythm is at the heart of Dyslexia’, an article by BBC news, cited research from the University College of London, finding dyslexic children were less able to detect beats in sounds with a strong rhythm.

Prime the Brain Before Studying

Move your muscles to produce and pump learning chemicals

Chemical messengers communicating between neurons are needed for the brain to pay attention and focus. Since attention precedes learning, it makes good sense to produce and pump enzymes, hormones, and neurochemicals needed, especially for people with ADD, ADHD, and other attentional challenges.

Large muscle movements (e.g., circling the arms overhead) produce dopamine, the pleasure/reward motivational chemical that orchestrates the pre-frontal cortex called upon to learn. Moving the arms and legs across the body engages both sides of the brain, helping with sequential and global brain functions involved with writing and math.

Daily Physical Education and frequent movement activities throughout the day will help brain cells excel. Why rely on stimulant drugs when the body can do the work!

Do the Body and Brain Cell dance to prime the brain.

Music and the Brain Video

Master my movement routine to speed your body brain!

Current body brain research shows the significance of learning novel and complex movements to extend neural networks. The new, speedier connections created between the sensory and motor system are the same pathways used during academic pursuits (e.g., writing, reading, calculating, spelling). Myelin is being added, speeding visual and auditory processing along with fine and gross motor movements.

How long will it take you to memorize the movement sequence and lyrics? When you do master it, send me a video clip. I will send a free copy of my perpetual Health Care-toons Calendar, 365 Ways to Feel and Look Great to the first five respondents who demonstrate mastery doing the entire routine (reciting the lyrics and mimicking the gestures), straight through without stopping the camera!

NCLB Developmentally

Leave No Child Behind Using Developmental Activities

I can’t wait to present my session ‘Neural Basis of Common Learning Problems Along with Natural Solutions’ at the Learning Brain Expo tomorrow. The Body Brain Boogieman will join me, lol. We’ll lead people though a progressive series of movements designed to integrate primitive reflexes and strengthen the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and vestibular sensory-motor systems involved with reading, writing, spelling, and math.

We will show how sensory-motor immaturity can result in learning challenges; then demonstrate natural (non-drug) solutions in the form of neurostimulation to remediate problems. This will be great fun!

Jeff Haebig

PE for Life Improves Reading and Math!

Improved Academics Comes with Increased Fitness Levels

PE4life website http://www.pe4life.org/sub/Results/index.cfm makes the case for daily Physical Education. Read how students from Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois have made substantial improvemens in math and reading scores when increasing fitness levels. At the same time discipinary incidents have decreased.

Ask youself, "Do my children and grandchildren have daily Physical Education? Is the program fitness-based?" If not, spend time on the PE4life website -- then take action! Let's move on this!

Jeff Haebig