[senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening

road

I waited to see where this discussion was going before replying, but
must agree with Jamie's comments. I use Brain Gym exercises with
students in years 7 and 8 and it does there self-esteem no end of good.
They find it hilarious when they can successfully complete an exercise a
lot more quickly and with better co-ordination than 'Miss'. It is a
useful lesson starter and helps to break up a lesson for those students
who find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time. I would say
that the most important question is 'What effect does it have on the
students with whom you work?' If it is successful then surely that is a
good thing.
I also do co-ordination programmes with dyspraxic students and those
work too.
Julie  

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Jean
Dowding
Sent: 03 April 2008 16:39
To: Jamie Munro
Cc: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening

I have also used Brain Gym exercises, in primary school.  I never really
bothered about what it was or was not supposed to do, but it did provide
an ideal means of getting children to do something physical as a
refreshing break during, before or after a lesson, especially when it
was raining too hard to run around outside to let off steam!

Added to which, great fun is to be had from realising that the teacher
also gets muddled up when trying to do certain movements very quickly -
and that most of the class could rub tummy and pat head and I couldn't!
We all settled back to work again quickly, even the children who seemed
incapable of sitting still for more than 30 seconds!

As Judith says, if it works, don't knock it - and don't get too intense
about claims that may or may not have any basis in fact.  Remember,
placebos are a valuable medical resouce!

Regards

Jean

 Personally I don't know that much about Brain Gym, but it's a dangerous
> road
> we go down if we start to let "pseudoscience" through.  We already 
> live in a world where we have just wasted millions of taxpayers money 
> on an enquiry into a farcical claim about a conspiracy to kill 
> Princess Diana, where I find that most people under 25 "know" the moon

> landings were faked and I've just listened to a "serious" discussion 
> with a feng shui consultant on the radio.
>
> Jamie
>
>
>> From: Judith Stansfield <stass at onyxnet.co.uk>
>> Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 13:50:57 +0100
>> To: 'MARY HART' <mary.hart1 at btinternet.com>, 
>> <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
>> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening
>>
>> I watched this and I think it was a great pity that the American 
>> founder did not come out well under Paxman's grilling and 
>> supercilious treatment of the programme - I have not been personally 
>> involved but I know that lots of schools find it very helpful - if it

>> works, even if it is 'pseudo science', does it matter?
>> Cheers
>> Judith
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Judith Stansfield
>> Farm Cottage, 24 East Road, Melsonby,Richmond DL10 5NF 
>> http://stass.web.onyxnet.co.uk
>> 01325 718139   07990572365
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
>> [mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of MARY 
>> HART
>> Sent: 02 April 2008 18:41
>> To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
>> Subject: [senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening
>>
>>
>> "BRAIN GYM"
>> You might not have heard of it, but your children could well be
experts.
>> Brain Gym is a programme used in hundreds of schools across Britain -

>> backed by the government. It's a series of daily physical exercises 
>> that are supposed to aid learning - by stimulating the vital organs. 
>> Many teachers - and many pupils - are convinced it works. But 
>> scientists are worried - believing that it amounts to 
>> "pseudo-science" and is misleading young children about the workings 
>> of the human body. The American founder of Brain Gym will be on the
programme.
>>
>> Mary Hart
>> Birmingham
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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