Note: Kelso's Choices
Note: Walt: What am I learning Today/ What have I learnt today strategies
Note: Face Tapping
Note: Move to learn
Homolateral Flip Flops
Homolateral Commando Crawl
Cross pattern Flip Flops and Commando Crawl
Creeping
Cross Pattern Walking
Vestibular Activities - rolling, swinging, bouncing, skipping, scooter
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
The following handy hints for improving learning are available for schools to use in newsletters. They are extracted from Andrew Fuller’s book “ Help Your Child Succeed At School”
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 1 Most Learning Doesn’t Happen At School!
Children spend only 15% of their time at school. They spend more time asleep (33 %) than they do at school. Most of their time (52 %) is at home, awake, mucking around, playing, and learning about life and it’s what they do with that time that is important.
No. 1 Most Learning Doesn’t Happen At School!
Children spend only 15% of their time at school. They spend more time asleep (33 %) than they do at school. Most of their time (52 %) is at home, awake, mucking around, playing, and learning about life and it’s what they do with that time that is important.
Most of their future learning also won’t occur in school, It is estimated that 70% of the jobs that will exist in the year 2020 do not exist now. We know that knowledge is doubling every three years. It is estimated that 50 years ago a high school graduate left school knowing about 75% of what they would need to know in their working life – today’s high school graduate will leave knowing about 2%!
This series of handy hints to improve learning are designed to help us work together to ensure that we prepare your children for success.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No.2 Organising a Learning Space for Your Child
As your child grows and develops, there will need to be somewhere set up for them to study and do projects. Some kids just can’t get themselves organised and may need a parent to take care of the practical aspects of setting up a home study area. The parent may also need to be responsible for keeping it neat. It’s ok for parents to assist by thinking of ways to better organise notes as well.
As your child grows and develops, there will need to be somewhere set up for them to study and do projects. Some kids just can’t get themselves organised and may need a parent to take care of the practical aspects of setting up a home study area. The parent may also need to be responsible for keeping it neat. It’s ok for parents to assist by thinking of ways to better organise notes as well.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller
www.andrewfuller.com.au
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Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No.3 Organising a Learning Space for Your Child - Lighting
Natural or indirect lighting such as a desk lamp is best for learning. It is best for your child not to study under fluorescent lighting as it is related to raised cortisol levels in the blood stream (an indicator of anxiety and agitation). Cortisol also suppresses language functions. If you are purchasing a desk lamp try to avoid fluorescent lights.
No.3 Organising a Learning Space for Your Child - Lighting
Natural or indirect lighting such as a desk lamp is best for learning. It is best for your child not to study under fluorescent lighting as it is related to raised cortisol levels in the blood stream (an indicator of anxiety and agitation). Cortisol also suppresses language functions. If you are purchasing a desk lamp try to avoid fluorescent lights.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller
www.andrewfuller.com.au
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 4 How much Television viewing should I allow my child to watch if I want them to succeed at school?
There is growing evidence to suggest that any TV viewing for children under the age of two impairs their ability to concentrate, As children develop, a small amount of television viewing is positively associated with academic achievement. A nine year old shouldn’t watch more than one and a half hours per day. A thirteen year old shouldn’t watch more than one hour a day.
Bad news for those of you with older children! At 17 years of age the optimal amount of TV viewing is half an hour per day.
No. 4 How much Television viewing should I allow my child to watch if I want them to succeed at school?
There is growing evidence to suggest that any TV viewing for children under the age of two impairs their ability to concentrate, As children develop, a small amount of television viewing is positively associated with academic achievement. A nine year old shouldn’t watch more than one and a half hours per day. A thirteen year old shouldn’t watch more than one hour a day.
Bad news for those of you with older children! At 17 years of age the optimal amount of TV viewing is half an hour per day.
While there is no real evidence on the amount of time spent playing computer games, it is a good idea to keep televisions and computer out of children’s bedrooms.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller
www.andrewfuller.com.au
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Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 5 How much sleep does my child need to succeed at school?
A good nights sleep (at least 8 hours) is essential for optimal brain functioning at school. Memory consolidation occurs during sleep especially during dream (or REM) sleep. During the normal 8-9 hours of sleep, five dream (REM) cycles occur. Adolescents getting only 5-6 hours of sleep lose out on the last two REM cycles and thereby reduce the amount of time the brain has to consolidate information.
Teenagers need as much sleep as children, partly because their brains are doing so much development.
Always remember there is no such thing as a sleep bank. So just because you slept 10 hours one night doesn’t mean you can get away with only sleeping six hours the next night.
Students who don’t get enough sleep have to work much harder to do well at school.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller
www.andrewfuller.com.au
Handy Hints for Improving Learning No. 6 Know Your Child’s “Down” time
Everyone has a down time when they learn new information less well. As a rough guide, think of the time they go to sleep, then think of the time they usually wake up, calculate the midpoint of their sleep, add twelve hours and around that time is their “down time”.
For example, if your child sleeps from 9.30 pm to 7 am, the midpoint of their sleep is 2.00 am. Adding twelve hours takes us to 2.00 pm which is the time your child is likely to learn least well. It is important for teachers and parents to know students likely down times
so they can schedule in active, hand on learning at these times. From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
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Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 6 Eat a good breakfast
If your Mum ever said have fish or eggs for breakfast because it’s brain food, she was right! As long as it’s medically safe to do so, a breakfast that is high in protein (think cheese, milk, bacon, eggs) and lower in carbohydrates (think cereal, orange juice and toast) promotes concentration and learning. Also encourage your child to drink lots of water- the brain runs on it!
If your Mum ever said have fish or eggs for breakfast because it’s brain food, she was right! As long as it’s medically safe to do so, a breakfast that is high in protein (think cheese, milk, bacon, eggs) and lower in carbohydrates (think cereal, orange juice and toast) promotes concentration and learning. Also encourage your child to drink lots of water- the brain runs on it!
Students who don’t eat breakfast are not only more likely to gain weight; they will also have to work harder than others to do well at school.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 7 Use Music
There is a growing evidence to suggest that playing instrumental music softly in the background enhances learning. Pachabel’s Canon, Mozart and Baroque music seem to be particularly effective though you might like to use a range of music.
There is a growing evidence to suggest that playing instrumental music softly in the background enhances learning. Pachabel’s Canon, Mozart and Baroque music seem to be particularly effective though you might like to use a range of music.
It is always good to have students study for some time without music. Exam rooms don’t have music playing in them.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 8 Use aromas
Most people have had the experience of smelling a particular aroma and having a series of memories flood back. Partly this is because your olfactory nerve is directly linked to the hippocampus, which is the part of your brain where memories are integrated.
No. 8 Use aromas
Most people have had the experience of smelling a particular aroma and having a series of memories flood back. Partly this is because your olfactory nerve is directly linked to the hippocampus, which is the part of your brain where memories are integrated.
The aromas most often associated with improvements in concentration and memory are lemon, basil and rosemary.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller www.andrewfuller.com.au
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Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 9 Monitor their use of video and computer games
No. 9 Monitor their use of video and computer games
Video games are incredibly popular and give a sense of great mastery, challenge and involvement. Boys particularly use video games in a social way. It is important to realise that the use of video and computer games is not completely passive.
Too much playing of these games can be negative. These games can be so compelling they become addictive. While some games require quite intricate problem solving, the skills learned on these games do not appear to readily transfer into other arenas of life. Very few of the games require creative problem solving or an opportunity to be an active participant in determining a story line.
Some exposure to computer games is good. Too much, though, can be toxic. Sadly, there is no research that tells us what the right amount of time spent of computer games should be so you’ll need to think about the balance of your child’s life and their range of activities and interests.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller
www.andrewfuller.com.au
Handy Hints for Improving Learning
No. 10. Help them to build the essentials skills for success.
No. 10. Help them to build the essentials skills for success.
Three of the skills needed for success at school (and in most areas of life) are concentration, memory and sequencing or getting things in the right order. The games that parents play with their children such as Snap, Uno, Concentration, Battleships, Monopoly, Chess, Jigsaw puzzles all play an incredibly important role in developing these skills of success.
Computer versions of these games are not as effective in helping children develop these skills. To really help your child to succeed at school every so often switch off the TV, unplug the computer and pull out a game.
From “ Help Your Child Succeed at School” by Andrew Fuller
www.andrewfuller.com.au
Dolphin and Shark Thoughts
Next time your child is furrowing their brow and staring off into space, ask them if they're thinking dolphin or shark thoughts. That's the advice from psychologist and resilience specialist Andrew Fuller on helping your child to recognise the positive (dolphin) or negative (shark) approaches they may be taking on life issues.
"Dolphin thinking can help you out and shark thinking can eat you up. It doesn't matter how old your kids are, they can still understand it," Andrew says.
Dolphin thinking and shark thinking is just one in a series of simple tools you can use to help your child develop good resilience skills. Other tools include playing games and puzzles with your child to develop their problem-solving and concentration skills, teaching your child to read people's emotions to understand objective situations, and helping them to learn how to cheer themselves up after a hard day.
Learning to become successful is one of the most important aspects of building resilience.
"The things that are most important are teaching children what a good life is, how to live life well, how to extract pleasure out of things and how to turn things around when they're tough," Andrew says.
Benefits of resilience
Skills in resilience are promoted in NSW Public Schools because through them children fare well in life. Research shows children with good resilience perform better at school and are less likely to take part risky behaviour, particularly as they enter the teenage years.
The education department's principle psychologist, Ron Balderston, describes resilience as a shock absorber for the potholes of life.
"Resilient children know how to cope and have developed skills that enable them to flex so they can manage life's blows when they happen without them getting too down, stuck on ways that aren't helping or giving up," Ron says.
Andrew says learning to become successful is one of the most important aspects of building resilience.
"Success is contagious and if you have a feeling you can be successful in one avenue of your life then the likelihood of that ricocheting into other areas of your life is high."
Top tips on building resilience:
Teach your child to experience success by supporting them in something they like doing whether it's a sporting, academic or artistic endeavour.
Help them develop skills to be successful at school such as having a good concentration and memory by playing card games and puzzles.
Being able to read people's emotions is powerfully predictive of how well children can get on with people at school. Play games with your child by predicting what sort of day a person walking down the street may have had.
Be aware of the ‘yuk and yum' factor – some things will make your child feel good and other things will make them feel bad. The idea is for them to gather things around them that cheer them up if they've had a bad day.
Keep things in perspective – explain to a grumpy child their circumstances are not the worst possible, and that others have been through similar situations. Walk beside them as they handle the situation. This helps them to build hope and the belief they can handle problems when they come up.
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