Learning and the Brain 101

Moving and Improving Body-brain Function is Key to Learning Success

Let’s go back to the basics! Understand how the body-brain is wired to learn… and what happens to create static and short-circuits making learning difficult -- even for the most intelligent people.

Sue Hyland is our master teacher. Spend time on her amazing http://suehyland.co.uk/ website starting with, ‘What is NDD?’ You will see how Primitive and Postural Reflexes become the essence of learning. How NDD, Neuro-Developmental Delays lead to physical, intellectual, social and emotional difficulties.

Understand the root causes of learning and behavioral problems (e.g., reading, writing, numeracy, co-ordination, delayed speech and language, hyperactivity, ADHD, dyslexia, school phobia, impulsiveness, and much, much more). Then apply the natural (non-drug) methods designed to mature the sensory motor system, helping people of all ages achieve their living and learning potential. Hats off to our Master Teacher Sue Hyland!

Star in Your SUPER Know!

Feel a Super Glow... Pumping... Super Learning Chemicals

By Jeff Haebig

Star in this Super Video… Mimic the following movements…Star in your Super Know! High in your Super Dome! Feeling the Super Glow! Moving muscles... Pump, pump, pumping… Super Learning Chemicals… Like good-feeling Dopamine… Pleasure/reward chemical… Increasing its flow… Helps you feel more rationale… Less impulsive… More in control… Norepinephrine… Go-go chemical… Mental arousal… Serotonin steady… Adrenaline ready… Boosting attention… Sharpening focus… Stronger retention… Higher motivation… Happy celebration!

Available soon… on this Boogie Blog… Free for you!

Cerebellum Mindbody Marvels

The Treasure at the Bottom of the Brain Contributes to Motor and Mental Dexterity

Henrietta C. Leiner and Alan L. Leiner’s article posted on New Horizons for Learning website, describes the significant part the cerebellum plays in learning and language development. Containing more neurons than all of the rest of the brain combined, the cerebellum quickly processes information from sensory areas of the cerebral cortex, from motor areas, from cognitive and language areas, and even from areas involved in emotional functions.

http://www.newhorizons.org/ New Horizons for Learning website offers News from the Neurosciences – current research-based articles focused on Teaching and Learning Strategies… Transforming Education… Lifelong Learning… Special Needs… and Perspectives on the future.Reading this article helps explain why movement is key to vibrant learning. Recess and daily physical education helps speed the transmissions within the cerebellum. Learning classroom concepts using the cerebellum will help secure learning as it engages the mainframe cerebellum linked to major areas in the brain! Transforming education means that educators understand how the body brain learns best -- then move on it!

Jeff Haebig

NCLB Successfully

No Child Left Behind requires an approach that effectively works

Reading, writing, keyboarding, calculating, and all other academic performance skills require a solid sensory input and motor output system. The postings on this Boogie blog have provided the most effective ways to achieve that.

My E-zine http://ezinearticles.com/?No-Child-Left-Behind---Developmental-Steps-to-Success&id=486136 article elaborates what precise skills are needed to succeed.

NOTICE: Please excuse the disruption on this Blogspot site. I have noticed that previous postings have disappeared and other postings show html code. This is very perplexing. I am contacting Blogspot to see what's up. Meanwhile, let's enjoy this Friday the 13th.

Jeff

Healthy Fundraising is Available

Fund wellness and enrichment programs key to vibrant learning

Looking for a highly profitable and healthy way to fund your wellness, music, debate, drama, art, athletic, or other enrichment program?

Wellness Quest offers its undated, desktop Health Care-toons Calendar at production cost. We are committed to helping people expand their enrichment programs key to vibrant living and learning. We put our money where our mouth is… sponsoring this Body-brain Boogie Blog helping you understand the science of enhanced learning through enrichments… and financially helping you offer excellent programs designed to build body brain potential.

Physical Education NCLB Solution

Mastering the Sense of Balance is the Learning Breakthrough

Frank Belgau is the ultimate Physical Educator. He developed the Learning Breakthrough program, helping people of all ages calibrate their brain, enabling it to absorb and process information more easily and effectively. Participants strengthen neural transmission and unlock their learning potential with physical activities designed to strengthen the vestibular system – central to sensory input and motor output needed to learn effectively.

Learning Breakthrough offers a drug-free ADD and ADHD treatment building brain fitness. Brain processing allows us to read, write, talk, stay focused, remember and perform athletically. It’s time people serious about NCLB No Child Left Behind practice methods designed to move child forward academically. Let’s get frank about this, share the science – and move on it!

FIT Kids Act Targets Obesity

Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act (FIT Kids)

American Heart Association notes, “Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, increasing our children’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Regular physical activity is critical to fighting back and ensuring a brighter, healthier future. The Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act (FIT Kids) would amend the No Child Left Behind Act to help prioritize quality physical education in our schools. Join in our effort to urge Congress to pass this legislation to provide more Physical Education for our kids and help them lead healthier lives." It's time to move on this!

Somatics – Mind-body Training

Enjoy freedom from pain and gain more comfortable movement

Hanna Somatics helps you sense and move your body deliberately freely and naturally. Gain and maintain a youthful body for the rest of your life. Start with the video featuring Dr. Hanna – then peruse the website to appreciate the scope of their work. Before you know it… you will be self-pandiculating.

SMART Activities Boost Learning

Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training

The foundation for school readiness is the maturity of the brain, and even students from disadvantaged backgrounds can achieve at national norm levels when the program is coordinated between grades over several years. The most important aspect of the SMART program is that it is supported by more than 10 years of data-based scientific studies with more than 30 research reports available.

SMART staff development has trained more than a thousand teachers nationwide and is used in hundreds of classrooms. The activities are chosen for their direct effects on reduction of physical discomfort, uncontrolled distraction reflexes, development of superior attention abilities, age-appropriate readiness sequences preparatory to academic curricula, emotionally-warm and positive teachers and classroom climate, direct instruction, age-appropriate homework, and public performance at automatic mastery levels. When basic skills are firmly established, success at higher grades is a steady progression. Pupils, teachers and parents love this program and the competencies that the children develop.

Early child development includes neuro-development as the foundation for school success. We expect that half of the students will score in the top quarter of nationally-normed measures, and that few students will score below average (a true Lake Woebegone effect). The Minnesota Learning Resource Center has received several million dollars in grant support to train teachers and to document the positive effects of this brain stimulation in schools.

Lyelle Palmer, Ph.D.
Research Scientist -- Co-developer of SMART
Minnesota Learning Resource Center
lpalmer@winona.edu

Problems Being Overweight and Obese

Serious health problems need to be addressed

Everyday Health website cites reasons why being overweight (more than half of our population) and being obese (up to 26%) presents serious health risks, including various cancers, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart and artery disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, joint deterioration, and many more diseases, many of which lead to premature death. Helpful weight related information is shown. Body-brain Boogie Blog will soon present more comprehensive ways to lose weight through exercise… a topic that was treated lightly.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Management

Special report rating educational strategies and associated therapies treating ASDs

Pediatrics, Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics offers an online Report on Educational Interventions, Speech and Language Therapy, Social Skills Instruction, Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration Therapy, Comparative Efficacy of Educational Interventions for Young Children, Programs for Older Children and Adolescents, Medical Management, Seizures and Gastrointestinal Problems, Sleep Disturbance, Evaluation of Challenging Behaviors, Psychopharmacology, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and Family Support.

Upcoming BOOGIE Posts

BOOGIE Blogs you can look forward to next week!

2/6 Autism Spectrum Disorder Management
2/7 Problems Being Overweight and Obese
2/8 SMART Activities Boost Learning
2/9 Somatics -- Mind-body Training
2/10 FIT Kids Act Targets Obesity
2/11 Physical Education and Brain Development
2/12 Healthy Fundraising is Available

Wellness Quest offers free DAILY Health Care-toons, wellness challenges, health benefits, inspirational quotes and jokes.

Music Linked to School Success

New Research Links Music to Increased Brain Power

Lois Thome reports how studying a musical instrument improves student’s school work. Visual and verbal ability improved on certain tests carried out by Harvard researchers. The longer and more intensely students practiced their piano and stringed instruments, the better they did on tests.

Visit Madeline Frank’s monthly Article and Musical Tips for current research connecting music and the arts to social, emotional and academic success.

New Brain-based Physical Education

Physical Education's key role boosting learning achievement

Have you noticed as school budgets shrink, Physical Education is put on the chopping block? For those of you knowing how the body-brain functions best, this makes no sense. Why don't School Boards, educators and parents take an interest in how learning happens?

NCLB can only succeed if we practice effective methods helping students with weak, immature sensory motor systems who have trouble reading, writing, sitting still, paying attention, focusing, following directions. calculating, spelling and carrying out other academic performance skills.

Body-brain enhancing movement and exercise is the key to success as this blog suggests repeatedly. It's time we enlighten those who truly want No Child Left Behind! Share this blog with people of influence. Let's move on this!

Jeff Haebig

Treat ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism Naturally

Non-drug approaches treat and prevent learning challenges

Myomancy.com plays an important role exploring body-brain causes of ADHD, Dyslexia, and Autism. Many articles examine natural ‘non-drug’ approaches currently being used to effectively prevent and treat these learning challenges. I thoroughly enjoy Myomancy’s critical thinking dealing with such emotional issues. Once again the body-brain's capacity to strengthen itself and overcome living and learning challenges using movement and exercise prevails.

25 Super Bowl Recipes

Super Bowl party healthy eats will score winning wellness points

EatingWell.com offers free, flavorful recipes for your Super Bowl Party. Eating healthier lip-smacking foods with less sodium and fat will have people scoring nutritional points with their body brain as they watch the game.

Upcoming BOOGIE blogs

BOOGIE Blogs you can look forward to next week!

1/30 Twenty-five Super Bowl Recipes
1/30 Treat ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism Naturally
1/31 New Brain-based Physical Education
2/1 Star in Your SUPER Know!
2/2 Learning and the Brain 101
2/3 Parenting Tools for Tough Kids
2/4 ADHD -- Medicate? Remediate?
2/5 Music Linked to School Success

Wellness Quest offers free DAILY Health Care-toons, wellness challenges, health benefits, inspirational quotes and jokes.

Workout in Your Chair

Follow this video to help optimize your body brain while sitting in your chair.

RealAge.com offers a sample of free workout videos worth checking out. The first video is a Chair Workout perfect for people spending hours studying or working in a seated position. Joel Harper with the help of his mother demonstrate a surprisingly complete movement sequence. Stop what you are doing and join in. Notice the physical and mental energy boost.

Fountain of Youth Rx

Watch the 60 Minutes Video on Red Wine and Being Skinny to Slow Aging

Morley Safer interviews researchers Dr. Christoph Westphal and David Sinclair who study the genetic components of aging. Resveratrol, found in red wine, triggers a survival mechanism that seems to extend life. Calorie Restriction or dieting also is a factor that extends life in laboratory animals. Chunky monkeys have more diabetes, cancer and heart disease than their thinner brother and sisters. Get the full story watching this interesting episode on 60 Minutes.

Socialize to Prevent Dementia

Be socially active and not easily stressed to prevent dementia

Newswise cites a new study reported in the January 20, 2009 issue of Neurology showing that people who are socially active and not easily stressed may be less likely to develop dementia.

What Brings You Here?

Your feedback is sought.

Thank you for visiting this Body Brain Boogie blog. After two months blogging and sharing so many interesting ideas, I thought it was time to hear from you. Could you take a quick moment and either call or e-mail me. I am wondering what brings you to this blog... what are you looking for? Do you have a topic or question you want explored?

Your feedback will be helpful as I continue to post effective body brain enhancing methods that maximize our living and learning potential. Thanks.

Jeff Haebig
507-202-1271 cell
wellnessquest@charter.net

Just How Old Is Your Child?

Sequential Processing Correlates with One’s Academic Age

Craig Stellpflug is a Neuro Development Consultant and Bio Cranial Therapist who can present complex neurodevelopmental concepts in simple, easy to understand ways. In this essay, Craig distinguishes between chronological, developmental and sequential processing age which correlates to one’s academic age. I just had an engaging conversation with Craig. He is a writer and poet among other things. For more on Craig and additional articles visit his home page at the HealingPathwaysMedicalClinic website.

Jeff Haebig

Reflex Integration is Key to Movement

Masgutova Method of Neuro-sensory-motor Reflex Integration

Svetlana Masgutova from Poland has simplified how to understand movement and its relationship to learning. For many of us, Reflex Integration is a foreign concept. Glance at the graphic shown on the Masgutova Method page. See how reflex patterns are the foundation upon which learned movement is built. Academic performance skills (writing, reading, calculating, sitting still and focusing) rely on a solid body brain base to work well.

Contact Suzanne Amanor-Wilks at neuronetsuzanne@yahoo.com or call 952.892.1883 to inquire about Dr. Masgutova’s workshops, March 20 to 23rd in Edina, Minnesota. Books are also available. You will be surprised how simple reflexes are to learn – and how highly effective sensory integration practices are to integrate dysfunctional and pathological reflexes that interfere with vibrant living and learning. You will love Dr. Masgutova's teaching style -- she's tops!

Jeff Haebig

Upcoming BOOGIE Blogs

BOOGIE Blogs you can look forward to next week!

1/23 Reflex Integration is Key to Movement
1/24 Just How Old is Your Child
1/25 Socialize to Prevent Dementia
1/26 Fountan of Youth Rx
1/27 Workout in Your Chair
1/28 Cerebellum Mindbody Marvels
1/29 Treating ADHD Naturally

Wellness Quest offers free DAILY Health Care-toons, wellness challenges, health benefits, inspirational quotes and jokes.

Physical Education and the Brain

Daily Movement and Exercise improves academic performance

Physical Education is redefining itself. Now that neuroscience has shown how movement and exercise enhances brain function, more physical educators are seeing themselves as key players in the current learning revolution spurred by brain research. Naperville Central High School has led the nation. Phil Lawler and Physical Educator Paul Zientarski have worked with Dr. John Ratey, author of SPARK – The New Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain. They have created a daily program that has proven its effectiveness. Read the stories – then insist your schools offer daily Physical Education designed to boost body-brain fitness. Test scores, social-emotional health, physical well-being and motivation will rise.

Attend the 2009 DuPage PE-Heatlh-DrEd Institute in Naperville, Illinois on February 27, 2009 and hear Dr. Ratey, Bill Hubert, Jean Madigan Blaydes and others address these exciting changes. For more conference information visit DuPageInstitue

Jeff Haebig

Vestibular System is Key to Learning

Reading, writing, speech, attention and memory are impacted

http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php shows possible symptoms of Vestibular Disorders. This sixth sense helps regulate vision, hearing, balance and movement. Many students challenged by school have weak vestibular systems resulting from insufficient childhood play, rolling, swinging, spinning, and other robust stop and go activities. More than ever, playgrounds with swings, merry-go-rounds, slides, teeter-totters are needed. Unfortunately these are disappearing -- as is Physical Education. What a shame!

Thanks to VEDA, http://www.vestibular.org/ Vestibular Disorders Association the public is informed. Hopefully people will take action, putting a spin on the importance of body brain exercise leading to academic success.

Jeff Haebig

Heart-Brain Connection -- Video

The Neuroscience of Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning

Neuroscientist Richard Davidson presents his research showing how social and emotional interactions change the brain. Presented online by Edutopia.org this video explains how disruptive excess stress can be to working memory and cognition. Overflow of the stress hormone cortisol interferes with the hippocampus and amygdala. It is important for people to learn patience and mind calming skills so stress does not hijack the brain and disrupt living and learning.

Motor Planning and Sequencing

Reading, speech, and language improve using rhythm

Reading achievement is central to school success. As neuroscience becomes more precise, understanding the areas of the body brain involved with language development and reading suggest the importance of motor planning and sequencing. The Cingulate Gyrus, Basal Ganglia, Cerebellum and Frontal Cortex are brain areas involved. Rhythmic motor activities that strengthen neural networks connecting these brain areas allow for quicker shifting of attention and focus.

Speech and language have improved. Those with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, Parkinsons, and Sensory Integration Disorders have benefited in various ways. Interactive Metronome offers research and case studies on their website showing the functional neural plasticity involved.

STNR, ATNR, TLR Learning Activities

Physical Activities for Improving Children’s Learning and Behavior

Billye Ann Cheatum and Allison A. Hammond have coauthored a highly useful book for parents and teachers interested in helping their children be more successful in school. 99 physical activities are offered to help reduce the effects of sensory motor problems. Primitive reflexes are addressed with many fun activities designed to enhance the visual, auditory and kinesthetic systems called upon to read, write and relate well to others Read sections of Physical Activities for Improving Children’s Learning and Behavior. This book is one of my favorites!

Jeff Haebig

Engaging ‘Tweens and Teens

Brain-compatible Approach to Reaching Middle & H.S. Students

Raleigh Philp offers teachers and parents a helpful insight into the adolescent mind, applying brain research and common sense to deal with perplexing inconsistencies. Raleigh’s upbeat approach is welcomed by those of us living with teenagers. I will be promoting Raleigh’s T'ween and Teen book and celebrating his life during the first few minutes of my NCLB session today at the Learning Brain Expo. His buoyant spirit lives on.

Jeff Haebig