Exercising the Brain
I received an interesting email about using music and physical
activity for exercising the brain. This teacher uses the technique
with students prior to tests. His email is below...
From Mark Pankau
I was reading one of your recent e-mails on raising IQ levels,
including the part on exercising the brain. In my teaching, student
reading research, and brain based learning presentations to teachers
I include additional information on exercising the body to improve
the brain.
Elevating the heart rate increases blood flow and oxygen to
the brain. Coupled with water to thin the blood to carry the
increased oxygen, and some natural sugar (fruit), it is said
to light up the brain like a July 4th celebration.
At my school we are becoming increasing well known as the
school that performs a 30-minute activity session before students
take their Virginia State Standards Of Learning Tests (SOL's).
I bring the entire grade level to the gym at 8 AM, and for twenty
minutes we perform non-stop physical activities with high beat
music. For the next ten minutes the music changes to a low beat
rhythm as we first perform select Brain Gym (R) exercises, then
relax and listen to the music, often Mozart as you suggest.
It is important to get three waves to flow in unison; heart
wave, brain wave and music wave. Afterwards students are released
to their classroom teacher for watering purposes. Teachers and
Principal report a more relaxed and focused student - even when
the test takes up to three hours. We have been featured in a
Washington Post Newspaper article, and I have presented and been
published through the state Physical Education association.
This is just a sampling of what I do for our teachers and
students on a daily basis to help insure they are better prepared
for learning, and having fun doing it. Emotional Quotient, for
me, is just as important as Intellectual Quotient.
Thanks for allowing me to share some of my brain activities.
As I tell the teachers who sit (and play!) in my workshops, the
Headbone is connected to the rest of the body - so get up and
move.
Mark Pankau
Physical Educator & 2011 Loudoun County Teacher of the Year
Guilford Elementary School - Loudoun County Virginia
Other pages on exercising the brain:
Brain Exercise
Quick Brain Exercises
Brain Exercises for Specific
Purposes
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