Brain-based learning strategies make school easier for your kids.
Make learning anything easier-even for you.
They're easy, quick, and effective.
But brain-based learning strategies don't work all the time--even for the smartest kid in the class! Won't always work for your kids.
Or for you.
Bottom line: You can't learn something if you aren't interested.
And you aren't interested unless there's an emotional connection to whatever you or your teachers think you must learn.
I'm really bad at math.
I don't get it.
Never have.
Now here's the emotional connection.
My Father hated math.
He talked about it.
Repeated stories about how he got out of freshman math in college.
I adored my father.
Wanted to be just like him.
So I hated math too.
Much as my Father had no use for math, he did try to help me.
As a 2nd grader, I would sit with him endlessly while he patiently held up arithmetic flashcards.
Then, dutifully, he would say "Good job, MaryJo" when I got the right answer.
It was fun.
Made me feel closer to him.
But down deep I knew that this man I loved didn't care about math.
Didn't think it was important.
And now, even though my Father died many years ago, I still can't balance my checkbook without a struggle.
This lack of positive emotional connection explains why some really smart kids don't do very well in school.
They don't care.
Or they're bored.
And why some not-so-smart kids end up doing really well.
Often against all odds and what teachers think they can't do.
For example, some severely dyslexic kids with huge challenges around reading really want to read.
This strong emotional motivation helps them become excellent readers, much to the surprise of their teachers and parents.
So discover what your kids love and connect it to learning.
She loves ice skating and hates reading? Get her books about ice skating.
He's a football fanatic? You're in luck.
You'll find lots of easy-read books about football at the library and in your local bookstore.
They both hate math but love to help with home building projects.
Get them involved in measuring, in planning the project, figuring out how it's going to fit together.
How much the project is going to cost.
Here's an easy tip to give the emotional part of your kids' brains a jumpstart.
(We call this part of the brain, the mid-brain or limbic system.
It's different than the front part of the brain that helps us think, reason, learn, read, do math.
)Try sitting or standingin Hook-ups.
It's an easy Brain Gym® movement.
(If you've got teens or even sophisticated younger kids, you'll need to find another word for this exercise.
Can't tell today's kids to "hook-up" without lots of smirking and giggling.
) Cross your left ankle over your right.
Extend your arms and cross your left wrist over your right.
Bring your palms together and interlace your fingers.
Now bring your hands up toward your chin.
Sit quietly for a couple minutes with your eyes closed while you breathe deeply Hook-ups calms kids down.
Calms stressed out parents and teachers.
Gets us back on track.
Helps with emotional stability.
Moves kids from negative to positive attitude.
Now if your kid really hates geometry, Hook-ups won't magically transform him into loving geometry.
But it will change his attitude enough to get through tonight's homework...
minus the struggle.
Make learning anything easier-even for you.
They're easy, quick, and effective.
But brain-based learning strategies don't work all the time--even for the smartest kid in the class! Won't always work for your kids.
Or for you.
Bottom line: You can't learn something if you aren't interested.
And you aren't interested unless there's an emotional connection to whatever you or your teachers think you must learn.
I'm really bad at math.
I don't get it.
Never have.
Now here's the emotional connection.
My Father hated math.
He talked about it.
Repeated stories about how he got out of freshman math in college.
I adored my father.
Wanted to be just like him.
So I hated math too.
Much as my Father had no use for math, he did try to help me.
As a 2nd grader, I would sit with him endlessly while he patiently held up arithmetic flashcards.
Then, dutifully, he would say "Good job, MaryJo" when I got the right answer.
It was fun.
Made me feel closer to him.
But down deep I knew that this man I loved didn't care about math.
Didn't think it was important.
And now, even though my Father died many years ago, I still can't balance my checkbook without a struggle.
This lack of positive emotional connection explains why some really smart kids don't do very well in school.
They don't care.
Or they're bored.
And why some not-so-smart kids end up doing really well.
Often against all odds and what teachers think they can't do.
For example, some severely dyslexic kids with huge challenges around reading really want to read.
This strong emotional motivation helps them become excellent readers, much to the surprise of their teachers and parents.
So discover what your kids love and connect it to learning.
She loves ice skating and hates reading? Get her books about ice skating.
He's a football fanatic? You're in luck.
You'll find lots of easy-read books about football at the library and in your local bookstore.
They both hate math but love to help with home building projects.
Get them involved in measuring, in planning the project, figuring out how it's going to fit together.
How much the project is going to cost.
Here's an easy tip to give the emotional part of your kids' brains a jumpstart.
(We call this part of the brain, the mid-brain or limbic system.
It's different than the front part of the brain that helps us think, reason, learn, read, do math.
)Try sitting or standingin Hook-ups.
It's an easy Brain Gym® movement.
(If you've got teens or even sophisticated younger kids, you'll need to find another word for this exercise.
Can't tell today's kids to "hook-up" without lots of smirking and giggling.
) Cross your left ankle over your right.
Extend your arms and cross your left wrist over your right.
Bring your palms together and interlace your fingers.
Now bring your hands up toward your chin.
Sit quietly for a couple minutes with your eyes closed while you breathe deeply Hook-ups calms kids down.
Calms stressed out parents and teachers.
Gets us back on track.
Helps with emotional stability.
Moves kids from negative to positive attitude.
Now if your kid really hates geometry, Hook-ups won't magically transform him into loving geometry.
But it will change his attitude enough to get through tonight's homework...
minus the struggle.