|
All Children Do Not Learn The Same Way
After years of extensive international research
it has become general knowledge that people each
have their own unique brain preference profile.
This preference profile is like an individual
fingerprint. And, it is neither good, bad, right
nor wrong. Our brain profile determines how we
prefer to be in this world.
With a brain profile we can identify a person's
preferred learning styles and study methods. By
identifying and knowing how each individual child
learns, parents and teachers can be better equipped
to help their children to learn more effectively.
98% of all children from 3 to 5 years old reveal
a superior level of creative behaviour. Recent
research has found that at the age of 10 years
only 32% of these children are still at this level,
and at the age of 15 the figure drops to 10%.
Of adults above the age of 25, only 2% are still
superior in their creative behaviour! - What is
the reason for such a decline?
Many children lose interest in school because
parents and teachers do not know how their children
prefer to learn. There is no reason why this should
continue any more. - Parents and learners can
now, by means of a simple computerized assessment,
determine how they prefer to think and learn.
"Remember, our brain authenticates us. It stimulates,
directs and filters through to every part of our
human existence. Without a functioning brain,
life, as we know it, ceases."
Knowing our own and our child's brain preference
profile can give us indications of how we prefer
to communicate, act towards other people, do business,
learn and teach. It can tell us how comfortable
and content we would be in a certain career, how
we solve problems and how we make decisions. Insight
into our brain profile can also give us an understanding
of our personal creativity style and how we will
organize our own lifestyle and eating patterns.
Much research is constantly under way regarding
all the different functions of the brain. For
years scientists have divided the functions of
the brain into right and left functions, later
it was the four quadrants of the brain. Now we
have already an understanding of at least eight
dimensions! We also know that every person has
an individual brain quadrant preference. This
can be likened to the fact that most people also
have a right or left-handed preference. It is
important to note that our brain preferences do
not determine how skilful we are, but rather which
particular quadrants in the brain we prefer to
function from.
Parents ought to be aware of their child's brain
preference and adapt their teaching and parenting
style accordingly. Not only parents and children,
but also academic institutions can obtain valuable
information by identifying the brain preferences
of both their teachers and students. 'It solves
so many problems in school, and children benefit
all round, when a teacher and the parents understand
how their child likes to internalize and learn."
Remember, certain study methods and learning
environments are more suitable for specific profile
types. Furthermore, the profiling of students
for the purpose of choosing the correct subjects
is invaluable.
Anna Dos Santos, who was a teacher and has been
a counsellor for more than twenty-two years, says
it is difficult to stifle a small child's spontaneous
creativity. But unfortunately the opposite is
true when we grow up and go to school. - It seems
that it is far easier to block and stifle creativity
in older children than to make it flourish.
When working with her clients, Anna uses the
NBI whole brain preference profiles. These are
some of the most dynamic diagnostic instruments
on the market today. Her client base is referrals
from doctors, clinics and schools, but many parents
make appointments on their own. An assessment
to determine how your child prefers to learn is
easy and not expensive. Many parents have their
children assessed because they want to determine
how they should organize and assist their children
when they study. Some clients even have the assessments
done to plan their children's bedrooms for optimum
learning efficiency.
Once we know our brain's "comfort zone", so to
speak, we can use the functions of that quadrant
to move to the other clusters and learn how to
use your whole brain in the learning process.
This can be likened to kicking a soccer ball:
"If we are comfortable with the 'start-off' kick,
we will engage and play the whole game with much
enjoyment. "
Here are a few interesting facts about the key
thinking processes associated with each of
the four quadrants of the brain:
The top left quadrant is associated with
critical, logic, clinical and analytical thinking.
This part of the brain also does our mathematical
processing. In this quadrant we function in
a rational, realistic and objective
manner. People with this preference seem to
be less emotional than others, and is also more
performance driven. These people don't like mental
clutter and love to set clear and defined goals.
We use the bottom left quadrant of the
brain to organize and plan. This is important
when we need to use safe keeping methods.
Our top right quadrant in the brain is
like a Chamber of Dreams. Here we seek
the big picture. We look for alternatives,
dream dreams, explore, fantasize, visualize,
and integrate ideas. Curious
people, who prefer to take risks, speculate
and love looking for alternatives and think in
metaphors, use this brain quadrant often. Artists
prefer to linger in this quadrant of their brain.
Children who prefer this quadrant are not fazed
with chaos and love the "Aha-moments" of
life.
The bottom right brain quadrant is associated
with non-verbal cues. Children with this
brain preference profile are people-focused. They
participate in groups, are talkative and receptive
to atmosphere, touch and ambience. These children
are normally easy to talk to, but they are likely
to also be the sensitive ones in the family and
in the classroom.
It is good to remember that our personal brain
profile may change, but only if there are strong
reasons for this to occur. These changes may occur
over a long period or time, because of changing
interests, hobbies, environments and mentors.
In rare cases changes occur over a short period
of time because of traumatic events or drastic
life changes. Sometimes these changes might be
temporary.
When we have a strong desire to enlarge ourselves,
certain quadrants can be developed through creative
whole brain exercises. Once we understand our
own preferred profile, it becomes easier to also
recognize the other quadrants and dimension clusters,
and to function in those quadrants when we decide
to do so. It also becomes easier to make room
for other people and their particular preferences.
Brain Preference Profile assessments are available
for all children and adults, 4 years and older.
If you want more information, please contact us.
Appointments can be made by e-mail and contacting
us here: dossantos@shaw.ca,
or at the Studio, 20967 - 93rd Ave, Langley. Telephone:
604 8885499.
|
