[senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening

When I was a college in the 70s, training as a 'middle school' teacher -- we had wonderful training in 'music an movement' based on Laban dance techniques. I used this a great deal for short period stimulating and creative activity -- and during indoor PE periods. It had many of the benefits implied by Nrain Gym advocateds -- and SEN children found music and movement more accessible and enjoyable than traditional comptetive team games. But it was never positied as stimilating the?eletrical neuro-cognitive pathways or other nonsense so called scientifically proven cognitive developental outcomes.

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And I would have been horrifed if?Laban techniques?had been pushed in a psuedo - scientific way. It discredits the teachers who follow the programmes. And seeing obviously well rehearsed (coached ) chidren spoutiing the puedo - science nonsense -- in term of what was supposed to be happening when 'brain buttons' were pressed realy horrified me. As bad as 'Creationism' psuedo religious fundamentilist dogma. Someone's making loads-a-money in the US and eslwhere out of the hard pressed British tax payer. Paxo wasn't tough enough on that rambling charlatan. Brendan King?????

-----Original Message-----

From: Jean Dowding &lt;jeanld at fish.co.uk&gt;

To: Jamie Munro &lt;jmunro at djsn.co.uk&gt;

CC: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk

Sent: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 16:38

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  &gt; 
 road  &gt; we go down if we start to let "pseudoscience" through.  We already live in  &gt; a  &gt; world where we have just wasted millions of taxpayers money on an enquiry  &gt; into a farcical claim about a conspiracy to kill Princess Diana, where I  &gt; find that most people under 25 "know" the moon landings were faked and  &gt; I've  &gt; just listened to a "serious" discussion with a feng shui consultant on the  &gt; radio.  &gt;  &gt; Jamie  &gt;  &gt;  &gt;&gt; From: Judith Stansfield &lt;stass at onyxnet.co.uk&gt;  &gt;&gt; Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 13:50:57 +0100  &gt;&gt; To: 'MARY HART' &lt;mary.hart1 at btinternet.com&gt;,  &gt;&gt; &lt;senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk&gt;  &gt;&gt; Subject: Re: [senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt; I watched this and I think it was a great pity that the American founder  &gt;&gt; did not come out well under Paxman's grilling and supercilious treatment  &gt;&gt; of the programme - I have not been personally involved b
 ut I know that  &gt;&gt; lots of schools find it very helpful - if it works, even if it is  &gt;&gt; 'pseudo science', does it matter?  &gt;&gt; Cheers  &gt;&gt; Judith  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt; ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  &gt;&gt; Judith Stansfield  &gt;&gt; Farm Cottage, 24 East Road, Melsonby,Richmond DL10 5NF  &gt;&gt; http://stass.web.onyxnet.co.uk  &gt;&gt; 01325 718139   07990572365  &gt;&gt; ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt; -----Original Message-----  &gt;&gt; From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk  &gt;&gt; [mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of MARY HART  &gt;&gt; Sent: 02 April 2008 18:41  &gt;&gt; To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk  &gt;&gt; Subject: [senco-forum] On Newsnight this evening  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt; "BRAIN GYM"  &gt;&gt; You might not have heard of it, but your children could well be experts.  &gt;&gt; Brain Gym is a programme used in hundreds of schools across Britain -  &gt;&gt; 
 backed by the government. It's a series of daily physical exercises that  &gt;&gt; are supposed to aid learning - by stimulating the vital organs. Many  &gt;&gt; teachers - and many pupils - are convinced it works. But scientists are  &gt;&gt; worried - believing that it amounts to "pseudo-science" and is  &gt;&gt; misleading young children about the workings of the human body. The  &gt;&gt; American founder of Brain Gym will be on the programme.  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt; Mary Hart  &gt;&gt; Birmingham  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;&gt;  &gt;  &gt;  &gt;  &gt;  &gt;  &gt;  &gt; ______________________________________________  &gt; This email has been scanned by Netintelligence  &gt; http://www.netintelligence.com/email  &gt;  &gt;          

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