Brain Gym® Brain Gym® PresentationPresentationPam Webster Pam Webster

M.A. Special EducationM.A. Special Education

© © 20052005

Brain Gym® PhilosophyBrain Gym® Philosophy

““Movement is the Movement is the key to learning”key to learning”

How do you feel right How do you feel right now?now?

Gauge yourself-Gauge yourself- On a scale of 1-10 rate how you feelOn a scale of 1-10 rate how you feel Relaxed? Overwhelmed? Focused? Relaxed? Overwhelmed? Focused?

Tense? Calm? Stressed?Tense? Calm? Stressed?

1= totally relaxed1= totally relaxed 10= tight and stressed10= tight and stressed

Let Yourself Be PresentLet Yourself Be Present

Allow yourself to do 4 simple movementsAllow yourself to do 4 simple movements I will guide you with each one.I will guide you with each one.

WaterWater Brain ButtonsBrain Buttons Cross Crawl Hook UpsCross Crawl Hook Ups

1) Drink Some Water1) Drink Some Water

2) Do Brain Buttons2) Do Brain Buttons

3) Do the Cross Crawl3) Do the Cross Crawl

4) Get in Hook Ups4) Get in Hook Ups

How do you feel now?How do you feel now?

Gauge yourself-Gauge yourself- On a scale of 1-10 rate how you feelOn a scale of 1-10 rate how you feel Relaxed? Overwhelmed? Focused? Relaxed? Overwhelmed? Focused?

Tense? Calm? Stressed?Tense? Calm? Stressed?

1= totally relaxed1= totally relaxed 10= tight and stressed Gauge Yourself10= tight and stressed Gauge Yourself

Did your number change?Did your number change?

Do you feel any different?Do you feel any different? What did you notice after you did the What did you notice after you did the

movements?movements? You should feel more:You should feel more: - - relaxedrelaxed - - focusedfocused - - awakeawake --alertalert

Think about your Think about your StudentsStudents

Movements took 2 minutesMovements took 2 minutes Imagine the difference this can make for Imagine the difference this can make for

your students.your students.

Brain Gym®Brain Gym®

Brain Gym Brain Gym develops the develops the brain's neural brain's neural pathways the pathways the way nature way nature does – does – through through movement.movement.

Foundations of Brain Gym®Foundations of Brain Gym®

program of physical movements program of physical movements enhance learning and performance in enhance learning and performance in

ALL areas.ALL areas. includes 26 easy activitiesincludes 26 easy activities

Brain Gym® can Improve:Brain Gym® can Improve:

Reading, Spelling, Math, Reading, Spelling, Math, Comprehension, Handwriting, WritingComprehension, Handwriting, Writing

Self Confidence, self esteem, Self Confidence, self esteem, coordination, communicationcoordination, communication

Concentration and memoryConcentration and memory Overcoming hyperactivity and excessive Overcoming hyperactivity and excessive

daydreaming daydreaming

Improvements ContinuedImprovements Continued

Stress release and achievement of goalsStress release and achievement of goals Organizational skillsOrganizational skills Performance skillsPerformance skills

My BackgroundMy Background

13 years doing Brain 13 years doing Brain GymGym®®

30 year Special 30 year Special Education Resource Education Resource TeacherTeacher

My school starts My school starts every day with the 4 every day with the 4 simple Brain Gymsimple Brain Gym®® movementsmovements

4 Movements = PACE4 Movements = PACE

Drinking WaterDrinking Water Begin with water to Begin with water to

anchor as you goanchor as you go Activates the brain Activates the brain

for:for: Efficient action Efficient action

between the brain between the brain and nervous systemand nervous system

Efficient storage and Efficient storage and retrieval of retrieval of informationinformation

Brain ButtonsBrain Buttons

Improves academic skills Improves academic skills such as:such as:

Crossing the visual Crossing the visual midline for readingmidline for reading

The correction of letter The correction of letter and number reversalsand number reversals

Consonant blendingConsonant blending Keeping one’s place Keeping one’s place

while readingwhile reading

Cross CrawlCross Crawl

Improves academic Improves academic skills in:skills in:

SpellingSpelling WritingWriting ListeningListening Reading and Reading and

ComprehensionComprehension

Hook UpsHook Ups

Improves academic Improves academic skills in:skills in:

Clear listening and Clear listening and speakingspeaking

Test taking and Test taking and similar challengessimilar challenges

Work at the Work at the keyboard.keyboard.

Research with PACEResearch with PACE

Subjects were 27 first year nursing studentsSubjects were 27 first year nursing students Three separate groups as controls.Three separate groups as controls. Measured doing PACE on weekly assessments and anxietyMeasured doing PACE on weekly assessments and anxiety The PACE group had a 69.5% reduction in anxiety.The PACE group had a 69.5% reduction in anxiety. Irving, Jan. Irving, Jan. The effect of PACE on self-reported anxiety and performance in first year nursing The effect of PACE on self-reported anxiety and performance in first year nursing

students. students. Brain GymBrain Gym® Journal® Journal 1996, 1 1996, 1

Reduction inAnxiety

Anxiety stillpresent

Additional Brain Gym® Additional Brain Gym® MovementsMovements

The previous 4 movements were part of The previous 4 movements were part of a sequence called PACEa sequence called PACE

Next, you’ll see a few additional Brain Next, you’ll see a few additional Brain GymGym® movements to use for similar ® movements to use for similar benefitsbenefits

Thinking CapsThinking Caps

Activates the Brain Activates the Brain for:for:

Short term working Short term working memorymemory

Silent speech and Silent speech and thinking skillsthinking skills

Hearing with both Hearing with both ears togetherears together

The OwlThe Owl

Improves academic Improves academic skills in:skills in:

Listening Listening comprehensioncomprehension

Speech or oral Speech or oral reportsreports

Mathematical Mathematical computationcomputation

Lazy EightsLazy Eights

Lazy 8’sLazy 8’s

Improve academic Improve academic skills in:skills in:

Mechanics of readingMechanics of reading Decoding of written Decoding of written

languagelanguage Reading Reading

comprehensioncomprehension

For Additional For Additional InformationInformation

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