PSN Issue
By: 
Seven Unexpected Ways to Increase
Your Child’s Learning
When most people hear words
such as “learning,” “smart,” or “memory,” they automatically think of the
brain. In school we teach “to the
head” only, asking students to sit in chairs for long periods of time,
listening and looking almost exclusively at abstract symbols, even when they
are very young.
Very few people think the
rest of the body has anything to do with academic success. But surprising
results from brain research indicate that learning cannot occur without
cooperation between the body and the brain.
Emotions and Stress
Because of the way the brain
is wired, emotional states run our lives. Every activity in which
your child engages is infused with his emotions. Emotions are constantly
changing, and are easily influenced.
Emotions such as joy encourage brain cell development
by releasing chemicals such as dopamine. When children are happy and calm, they
learn and remember more than when they are anxious, tense or irritated. Your child’s brain releases dopamine in
response to pleasurable circumstances such chocolate ice cream. But even
more importantly, the brain releases dopamine in response to security,
recognition, and success.
Dopamine travels to the front of the brain where it
influences skills essential for learning. The frontal lobes of your
child’s brain are largely in charge of critical skills such as paying
attention, recognizing and discriminating critical features, decision making
and judgment, all essential for intelligent behavior and school success.
Unfortunately, fear and threat greatly inhibit
intelligent behavior. Circumstances that your child finds unpleasant and
out of his control produce a stress state in the body. Chronic stress reactions release
chemicals that reduce blood flow to the brain, cause atrophy of nerve cells,
and impair memory.
Help your child succeed academically by encouraging
him to focus on his strengths, stay positive about his ability to learn, and
“dream big” about the future! And
most importantly, develop and maintain a strongly supportive relationship
between you and your child.
Motivation and Inspiration
Learners respond to
challenging tasks, not to tasks that are too hard or too easy. If the work your child brings home is
not “challenging,” you must work with her teacher to adjust the difficulty
level of the work. This is a key
to helping your child discover that she is a strong learner who can succeed in
academics.
Learners with special needs
have experienced much more failure and disappointment than other learners. They often suffer from learned
helplessness—a disempowering belief that they are “stupid” and “can’t
learn.” When your child repeatedly views her behavior as flawed, her future
success is stifled.
When your child thinks about
her failures, her inspiration is soured, her body releases less dopamine, and
her opportunity to be brilliant is reduced. Therefore, as hard as it may be,
direct your attention toward your child’s academic problem only long enough to
find a solution, then turn your undivided attention to
that solution. See your child as a successful and confident star.
One of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child in terms of an academic
mindset is to view her as a strong, successful student. Find every
opportunity to notice your child’s academic strengths.
Social Influences
The same areas of the brain
that deal with social situations—determining the moods and intentions of
others—frequently process learning tasks. These areas include the visual centers of the brain, the
frontal lobes, the areas of the brain that process other senses, and interpret
emotions. Because of this, the
social environment shapes your child’s brain in dramatic ways.
A brilliant researcher and
scientist, Lev Vygotsky coined the term “zone of proximal development” to
indicate that adults and more able peers profoundly influence a child’s
learning and mental development through their interaction while completing
tasks.
It is vital that these
interactions be positive and productive.
Working harmoniously with your child may be difficult, but it is a goal
worth working toward because of the tremendous boost to your child’s intellect
that comes from positive social interactions.
Parents must be careful not
to “do too much” of their child’s school work. As important as the social interaction
platform is, brain research is also clear that children must learn to rely on
their innate skills and develop the conviction, by conquering challenging
tasks, that they are competent learners who can handle any learning task.
Movement
Movement
stimulates the growth of brain cells which are
necessary for learning. It gives
children the opportunity to explore the world and gather information that
develops their intelligence. The
brain requires feedback in order to learn and grow, feedback that comes from
interaction with the environment.
Movement allows children to express their knowledge and begin to tackle
the next stage of their learning.
In particular, children who
have learning issues benefit from regular movement. Try these activities before beginning homework, and at
regular intervals while working.
Encourage your child to
engage in cross lateral physical activity for five minutes every hour. Cross lateral movements engage hand and
foot on opposite sides of the body.
Most of these movements are more effective when done standing. The addition of rhythmic music provides
a boost. Some cross lateral
movements students enjoy are:
o
Karate Cross
Crawl: Kick while punching or
chopping with alternate hand and foot (right hand chops while left foot kicks).
o
Double
Doodle. Draw a design with both
hands simultaneously. Be sure the
designs are mirror images of each other, rather than facing the same direction.
Most students remember new
information better when they talk, write or draw. For those students who remember information best by writing,
provide them with a white board and erasable markers or encourage them to write
on paper. Allow your child to act
out what has been read, build a model, draw a diagram or chart, sing or dance.
Encourage your child to “teach” new information to others in the
household.
Body’s Natural Rhythms and
Preferences
The human mind is made for
short bursts of focused attention.
Therefore, frequent changes of pace are crucial to learning. The mind needs to reorganize and
consolidate new information during non-learning periods.
The brain responds to novelty, so let your child change aspects of his study
environment when they no longer stimulate him. For example, use different colored paper or pens, put up a
poster or picture in the work area, and change it every month or so, or change
the screen saver on her computer.
A child’s storehouse of
background knowledge is the support system for new learning. Bolster your child’s supply of
knowledge by taking trips, answering the relentless “why” questions, and having
meaningful discussions about the nature of the world!
Nutrition
Unfortunately, most children
are improperly nourished! In our
busy, fast-paced culture, nutrition has taken a back seat, and children’s
brains are paying the price.
Brain-rich foods include complex carbohydrates such as whole-grains and
non-processed cereals. Leafy green
vegetables and fruits are essential, in addition to lean meats, nuts and
omega-three fatty acids found in fish.
If children’s diets do not include needed nutrients, research indicates
that supplementation is very helpful.
Water is a key nutrient for
the brain. Be sure your child’s
brain stays hydrated by teaching him to drink enough water at regular intervals
throughout the day, and not to substitute other fluids as his water
allotment! A general
recommendation is 8 to 12 glasses per day.
Physical environments
Factors such as seating,
lighting and ambient sound have a profound effect on children’s learning.
Your child’s chair should
allow your child’s shoulders to stay back and be at the correct height so that
his feet touch the floor comfortably.
Poorly supporting chairs restrict blood flow, cause fatigue and reduce
concentration. Poor posture
strains muscles and stresses the back.
Some children concentrate much better when they sit on the type of
inflatable balls that can be found through occupational therapy or sensory
integration catalogs.
Light has profound influences
on the body. For example,
ultraviolet light found only in natural sunshine, activates the production of
Vitamin D in the body and the manufacture of melatonin which regulates body
rhythms. Whenever possible, be
sure your child has access to natural lighting, both by playing outside and by
reducing artificial lighting in the home in favor of natural light. Study outside whenever possible.
Our brains can process an
astonishing 20,000 bits of auditory information every second! During learning periods, reduce
distracting noise such as that coming from artificial lighting, TV sets, or
washing machines. If outside noise
is a problem, hang drapes or wall hangings to absorb sound. Use “white noise” to
soothe and focus your child.
Good sources of masking noise are fish tanks; upbeat, instrumental
music; and desktop waterfalls.
Learning occurs because a
complex orchestration of bodily processes works cooperatively with the social
and physical environment to cause a change in the nervous system! Learning isn’t just “in the head.” Learning is a team effort that plays
out on a cellular level with all cells of the body playing their individual
roles, and on the larger social level as the learner interacts with people and
experiences that hold personal meaning.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is of a general nature and is furnished for knowledge and understanding only.