Brain gym

1. Brain Gym® Brain Gym®
PresentationPresentation
Pam Webster Pam Webster
M.A. Special EducationM.A. Special Education
© © 20052005

2. Brain Gym® PhilosophyBrain Gym® Philosophy
““Movement is the Movement is the
key to learning”key to learning”

3. 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

4. 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

5. 1) Drink Some Water1) Drink Some Water

6. 2) Do Brain Buttons2) Do Brain Buttons

7. 3) Do the Cross Crawl3) Do the Cross Crawl

8. 4) Get in Hook Ups4) Get in Hook Ups

9. 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

10. 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

11. Think about your StudentsThink about your Students
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.

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. Improvements ContinuedImprovements Continued
Stress release and achievement of goalsStress release and achievement of goals
Organizational skillsOrganizational skills
Performance skillsPerformance skills

16. 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

17. 4 Movements = PACE4 Movements = PACE

18. 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

19. 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

20. Cross CrawlCross Crawl
Improves academic Improves academic
skills in:skills in:
SpellingSpelling
WritingWriting
ListeningListening
Reading and Reading and
ComprehensionComprehension

21. 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.

22. 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 Measured doing PACE on weekly assessments
and anxietyand anxiety
The PACE group had a 69.5% reduction in The PACE group had a 69.5% reduction in
anxiety.anxiety.
Irving, Jan. Irving, Jan. The effect of PACE on self-reported anxiety and performance The effect of PACE on self-reported anxiety and performance
in first year nursing students. in first year nursing students. Brain GymBrain Gym® Journal® Journal 1996, 1 1996, 1
Reduction in
Anxiety
Anxiety still
present

23. 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

24. 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

25. The OwlThe Owl
Improves academic Improves academic
skills in:skills in:
Listening Listening
comprehensioncomprehension
Speech or oral Speech or oral
reportsreports
Mathematical Mathematical
computationcomputation

26. Lazy EightsLazy Eights

27. 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

28. For Additional InformationFor Additional Information
Log on to Log on to http://www.braingym.org/http://www.braingym.org/