[senco-forum] whole body approach

Mggie, funny you should mention the whole body approach and it not being
used enough in schools... am just getting into a book on the very subject -
Smart Moves by Carla Hannaford ISBN 0-915556-37-5.  It is fascinating stuff
that pulls together a lot of familiar areas from days of psychology study
and  (some of it ties in with research cited in The Learning *Brain*:
Lessons for Education by *Sarah*-*Jayne Blakemore* and Uta *Frith)* and some
not so familiar.  One thing it threw light on was memories of our son not
being used to the amount of leg he had after a growth spurt - he had to
learn to readjust himself to his new body in space (kept banging his body on
things till he got used to his newly grown self) and this is, apparently,
due to proprioceptive development lagging behind muscle development.

Have been jotting down the good stuff kids need (got to p76 so far!)  - it's
not rocket science really but it is food for thought:

rich sensory environments in which children are safe, secure, cared for by
adults, valued.  Positive reinforcement.  Play, MOVEMENT, free choice.
Sensory stimulation: sounds (high frequency is energising to the brain),
smells, touch stimuli (koosh balls?), performing arts (drama, music),
delayed gratification...

What they don't need... lack of any of the above list...sitting still at
desks, separation of subjects (bring back topic based study!!), lots of TV,
PlayStations etc.

It is a good book for a summer reading list.

Philippa