International Bal-A-Vis-X Training

This past June I attended an integrative movement-training course in Scotland. There were people from as many as 8 countries in attendance. All were there to learn a program called Bal-A-Vis-X and develop skills to work with children as well as adults who struggle with

learning/life for various reasons. These reasons could range from deficit in learning ability, to physical challenges, and includes those who experience anxiety from over achievement syndrome. Participants learned and practiced the proper technique of form & rhythm to ensure a consistent, synchronistic method for integrating the individual within him/her self and to his/her surroundings. The goal of practicing this technique in a setting like this is to develop uniformity for the group to work together harmoniously and to let participants experience this synchronization with guidance from trainers and practitioners so that when the attendee’s returned to work with students, clients, or family they would have the skills necessary to be successful and help those they work with succeed. Adaptations were learned for exercises in order that they could be carried out in what the founder, Bill Hubert, has coined “elastic time”. That would be adapting exercises to a level in which all participants would be successful while still working rhythmically and in a technically correct means. The goal being-start with what a client  ‘can’ do and work forward.

Also in attendance were other Practitioners and Trainers, such as myself. Trainers have been sanctioned by Mr. Hubert to conduct a 16-hour training. These trainings include, Level 1 & 2 with adaptations for special needs (also known as Session A & B). Trainers have participated in hundreds of hours of training under Mr. Hubert’s watchful eye to develop the skills necessary to properly train others to be successful in working with their own students/clients. The Trainers attending this training worked to further their skills of observation (noticing), mentoring, and instructing. I was able (as always) to pick up subtle nuances that further my skills as a Trainer and Practitioner. It was a fantastic experience to meet and work with this international group of learners, practitioners, and trainers!

Exciting Bal-A-Vis-X News!

I have been working with 28, 4^th grade students & teacher in their classroom doing Bal-A-Vis-X for 30 minutes one day a week since September. I teach the class a new exercise on Tuesday each week & review some of the exercises from previous weeks as well as correct technique and answer questions. The teacher works with the students several times between my visits. When I checked my email on Wednesday, this is the message I received from the teacher:

Hi,

After you left we finished up and I gave the class the DAZE test-A 3-minute comprehension test. Unbelievably high scores! I looked at the growth from mid year and even the low-low kids made huge gains! We will practice Bal a Vis X before every end of year test from now on! WOW!

I know classroom teachers have a great deal of work to get done and that class sizes are bigger than ever before. Many teachers feel that they can’t take extra time to include movement into student’s lessons. Bal-A-Vis-X is an integrative movement program that helps students focus and settle behaviors so that less time is spent on behavior management. Bal-A-Vis-X can also be integrated into many academic lessons. With more time on task behavior along with focused attention the teachers who incorporate Bal-A-Vis-X into the teaching/learning day find students accomplish more academically.

Just Add music!

Recently I decided to set up some stretching and core strengthening stations for my 1^st – 5^th grade PE classes. I combined some Yoga and Core Strength poly spots for this. One concern I had was that there would be a lot of whining and complaining due to holding a pose or feeling some muscles work that they weren’t accustomed to using. 

I decided to add a hurdle station in which they could race against a partner (this one addition would probably have been enough from the sounds of excitement when they saw the hurdles set up). I also decided to go with a couple of station standbys--jump rope, hula-hoop, and running through a cone course. I thought that seeing something familiar would help those who are a bit reluctant to try new things be more comfortable. I also added *music-a kids radio station on my IPad was perfect for this set up.

Day one - I introduced each station and demonstrated the rotation so that all would go smoothly. For the 1^st grade students I left out some of the more difficult stations. At the end of class they had had so much fun they wanted to do it again next time (which I had planned) so we decided to start where they left off for the next class meeting.

Things went very well! I saw excitement and determination on many faces and I was mildly surprised that some of the students as young as 1st grade knew the words to the songs and began to sing (with great enthusiasm) along as they exercised. It was fun for me to watch the creativity in which students combined some dance moves with the stations and seeing some of the more reserved students break into a dance move and sing along was refreshing.

*I often add music when we do stations and obstacle courses

Water is GOOD!

It has been a very good start for the 2013-14 school year! Students are great, staff is great, and the school lunch program well… that is another matter.

Our food service director, who had been overseeing the K-12 lunch program for the past 10 or so years retired over the summer. She worked tirelessly to improve the lunch program and build the breakfast program in our district. We went from “air” bread to whole wheat, high starch and fried foods to baked and low starch options. Yes, some of the changes were mandated from the State but the school health team and food service director worked to stay ahead of the mandates. Students adjusted to the changes and were known to ask for ‘new’ foods they experienced at school (much to the surprise of some parents). Water was made an option at lunch for those students who either did not like milk or had intolerances/allergies to the milk options.

Now that we have a new food director, most of the changes remain in place, predominantly because of the changes made in State and Federal requirements. The one glitch is, the new director refused to serve water at lunch. Parents weren't happy, students weren't happy, teachers were confused.  On the first day of school one Kindergardener, when told she could not have water but could have milk even 'new' strawberry milk, was not only very sad but was overheard to say (as only a Kindergardener can) "But I'm lactose intolerant". 

I kept out of this ruckus as long as possible. I heard from many people what they had been told the ‘reasons’ were as to why water was not offered. Finally, after week 3, I had heard so many different reasons I decided to ask the director myself, so that when I was questioned about this (being the ‘health teacher’ who teaches that water is GOOD and it is a good beverage to have with meals) I could respond with first hand information. 

The other day I decided to ask about ‘why no water was offered at lunch?’ I was told that:

1) There is no nutritional value in water

2) Water should never have been an option at lunch

3) It was not a reimbursable part of the meal

I have not received any information from the food service, so I decided to check out the School Lunch Program on our state.gov web site.

Here is what I found out:

1.During the Meal Service Section 203 of the HHFKA amends section 9(a) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C. (1758(a)) by requiring that schools participating in the NSLP make potable water available to children at no charge in the place where lunches are served during the meal service

2. There are a variety of ways that schools can choose to implement this requirement. For example, schools can offer water pitchers and cups on lunch tables, a water fountain, or a faucet that allows students to fill their own bottles or cups with drinking water. Whatever method is chosen, the water must be available without restriction in the location where meals are served.  While potable water is required to be made available to students, it is not considered part of the reimbursable meal, and students are not required to take water.

3. There is no separate funding available for this provision and reimbursement may not be claimed. However, reasonable costs associated with providing potable water would be an allowable cost to the non-profit school food service account. (My underline)

As far as I can tell number 3 was correct

Here is what I found out about the “nutritional value” of water

Water is an essential nutrient. While not a provider of calories, an adequate amount of water must be consumed on a daily basis for proper functioning of the body and overall good health. By regulating thirst and controlling urine output the body is able to keep a delicate water balance. When this balance is not maintained the body's ability to function is dramatically compromised.

http://nutrition.answers.com/nutrition/the-nutritional-value-of-water

If your child's school is not serving water as an alternative or in addition to milk-start asking questions and do some research.

So, in conclusion Water is GOOD! Drink water!  When ever & Where ever possible! Especially in place of sugary drinks-this includes soda as well as chocolate and strawberry flavored milk!

Keep Calm

Design and production

The poster was initially produced by the Ministry of Information,[1] at the beginning of the Second World War. It was intended to be distributed in order to strengthen morale in the event of a wartime disaster, such as mass bombing of major cities using high explosives and poison gas, which was widely expected within hours of an outbreak of war. Over 2,500,000 copies were printed, although the poster was distributed only in limited numbers, and never saw public display.[5]

The poster was third in a series of three. The previous two posters from the series, "Freedom Is In Peril. Defend It With All Your Might" and "Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory" were issued and used across Britain for motivational purposes, as the Ministry of Information assumed that the events of the first weeks

of the war would demoralise the population.[6] Planning for the posters started in April 1939; by June designs were prepared, and by August 1939, production had begun, and the posters were ready to be placed up within 24 hours of the outbreak of war. The posters were intended to be associated with the Ministry of Information, and to incorporate a unique and recognisable lettering and design, with a message from the King to his people. An icon of a "Tudor" crown (a widely used symbol of government authority) was chosen to head the poster, rather than a photograph. The slogans were created by civil servants, with a career civil servant named Waterfield coming up with "Your Courage" as "a rallying war-cry that will bring out the best in everyone of us and put us in an offensive mood at once". These particular posters were designed as "a statement of the duty of the individual citizen", un-pictorial, to be accompanied by more colloquial designs. The "Your Courage" poster was much more famous during the war, as it was the first of the Ministry of Information's posters.[2]

However, although the campaign was prompt, and although 800,000 of the "Freedom Is In Peril" and "Your Courage" posters were distributed, many people claimed not to have seen them; while those who did see them regarded them as patronising and divisive. Design historian Susannah Walker regards the campaign as "a resounding failure", and reflective of a misjudgement by upper-class civil servants of the mood of the people.[7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On

 Design

This parody of the Keep Calm was designed in response to the new mandates of evaluations for educators. So far as I can tell no one likes the process (administrators/teachers alike). Everyone is stressed out because of these evaluations and (most) teachers feel as though they are under attack. So, I thought I would come up with a slogan that expressed this frustration while at the same time cast a bit of humor on the situation, show support for teachers, and maybe…just maybe boost morale.

The meme 'keep calm' has been used in a wide range of sayings since its reintroduction in 2000 to include everything from simple silly sayings to more serious intentions

For more Keep calm suggestions this is just one of many sites you can visit 

http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/

If you are interested in purchasing a Tee-shirt to show support for teachers please contact me for details

 

People Do Play in the Snow!

My last post was about parents NOT letting their children play outside in the winter because they were afraid the children would fall and get hurt. Well, I must say I had the most pleasant surprise the other day when my husband and I were out for a walk along the shore of a local lake.

A Mom, A Dad, A Boy, & A Dog









As we parked our car we noticed what appeared to be two adults, a child, and a dog out on the ice with a wind surfing kite and snowboard. We could hear the adult encouraging the child to get the kite into the wind so he could be pulled on the snowboard. I thought “that is pretty cool” and we continued on our walk.

When we returned from our walk, they were still out on the ice, I thought to myself “what a great way to get some exercise and spend time as a family”.  We stopped to watch the snow surfing.

The dog came to shore to greet us, it seemed like a friendly dog, so I decided to wander out and check out this unusual sight. I met a mom, dad, and son (I'd already met the dog), we chatted for a few minutes. The parents shared that they often get outside to play during the winter and that they use the winter as a time for their son (a 5^th grader) to practice his Kite surfing skills. The parents shared that their son was very active and that he also played basketball.

Seeing this family out enjoying the winter weather has given me some hope that there are other families out there who get outside in the winter and play together --Thank you.

Go PLAY in the SNOW!

Hey wait a minute! What happened to February? I was shorted at least two days!

It has been an incredibly busy month and one of the snowiest in a long time. I think this school year may have seen a record number of snow days. The only other year I remember having had this many snow days was 1982, my senior year in high school-six weeks straight of Mondays off.

I read recently that 1 in 4 parents will not allow their children to play outside in the winter because they are afraid that their child(ren) will fall and get hurt. I was also told this same thing by several students when I suggested that they play outside more to build stronger bodies and build their aerobic capacity. With all of this snow we have gotten-that is a lot of children staying indoors! I have also read that children who spend a lot of time indoors especially in the winter, have a higher incidence of illness.  If children are ill they spend less time in school and learning potential suffers.

If these statements are true we are doing a great disservice to our children.

Go out and PLAY in the SNOW!

New Years Resolutions

I thought I’d give New Years Resolutions a few days to take hold (or not). If/when you find you are having trouble sticking to 2013 Resolutions consider the wording of your goal. If you have included the word “try”, leave it out. MRI imaging reveals that the brain does not recognize the word “try”. Instead use wording that includes “I am”, “I have”, “I do”…  Action words--those are what light up the brain and Action is what you want to happen. So, when you find your Resolution wavering revisit the wording. 

PS (You may have noticed, “I tried” to post in November/December and “I am” posting in January) ;)

Happy New Year!

Hopscotch--It’s just a Game…or is it?

Last summer I read an article called ‘Why Hopscotch Matters’ posted on http://movingsmartblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-hopscotch-matters.html, which I linked to from @movingsmart. This post did a fantastic job of breaking down why playing hopscotch is good for children. What first caught my attention was how this game helps midline development. In other words by hopping on one foot a child develops more concrete connections between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which in turn have a positive impact on learning, creativity, and social development. The rest of the article convinced me that this ‘game’ should be brought back to our school.

Last weekend, my husband and I painted two hopscotch courts on the playground for the students to use during recess and this week students are learning how to play hopscotch.  I wasn’t sure how well this ‘new’ game would be received especially by the boys, but so far everyone has been captivated.

As I supervise students practicing the hops and jumps, and watch the personal interactions between students, it’s as if I am watching the “wheels” turn as they preplan motor movements for themselves and anticipate what the other students are doing while completing the course.  One student reached the number 5 and the other children who were waiting their turn began clapping and congratulating that student for doing well. High fives all around!

The looks of concentration and even frustration turned to smiles of accomplishment and confidence as each student began to master the different skills necessary to be successful.  

Teaching Kids to Be Healthy

The following link will take you to 'Action for Healthy Kids' http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/ . There are many great articles, event listing for our State, and ways to get involved. There is also a link to Face Book so you can keep up to date with what's new with 'Action for Healthy Kids'

Taking Away Struggle Takes Away From Victory

About a year ago I purchased a kayak, one large enough and sturdy enough to use on larger lakes and rivers.  I have become accustom to its handling on the water and feel very comfortable and safe in the changeable weather conditions. I have not (as of yet) filled the kayak with excessive amounts of water nor tipped out in any depth of water.  With the weather and water being so warm of late I decided that it might be a good time to practice remounting the kayak from deep water. 

This past week, my husband and I were out on a nearby lake that had a sandbar about 200 yards off shore.  This sandbar also happened to be the gathering spot for other motorized boats and swimmers (people we knew). So, we decided to paddle out to visit with some of our friends.  We tied our kayaks off on one of the other boats and swam and visited.  When it was time to leave and since we were already in the water we decided to practice getting in our kayaks from the water (neck deep water-over our heads).

We told our friends we were going to do this and no (thank you) we didn’t want help.  As our friends watched our attempts to get in the kayaks from the water I could see their discomfort grow.  After the first couple of failed attempts they asked “do you want us to hold them for you?” I replied “no, that this was part of practicing getting back in”.  They continued to watch and I watched them.  Their discomfort with our failed attempts was growing with each attempt.  They began to offer suggestions and again offered to hold the kayaks for us. 

On several occasions I was so close to getting in and at the last moment I would over adjust and go over the top and into the water again.  I was actually having fun with this practice and was OK with my errors.  I was tweaking my technique and knew that I would get back in some how.  My husband was the first to get back in his kayak and I followed shortly after.  We got a standing ovation from our friends in the boat and it felt really good to be successful and to have their support.

As we paddled away I thought about how we as parents do this with our children.  We want them to be successful and not to have to struggle or experience possible embarrassment. What we need to remember is that the practice can be fun and if it is fun they will continue to practice until they get it right or at least to a level of performance that they are comfortable with.  If we take away the struggle, we also take away their victory. 

It would have been so easy to give in just to alleviate their discomfort of not being able to help.

Integrative Movement Camp - Summer 2012

Integrative Movement Camp - Summer 2012

Could your child benefit from:

*  Physical Activity?
*  Academic Readiness in Reading, Writing, Math, Test Taking?
*  Focused Attention?
*  Self-Challenge?
*  Developing positive relationships with peers?
*  A love for learning new things?
*  Self-Responsibility?
*  Organizational Skills?

Your child will be introduced to simple, effective ways to help them move forward in reaching their full potential by improving the sensory foundation for learning in hands-on, research-based activities

For Students going into 2nd - 5th grades

Register your child for 1, 2, or 3 two-week sessions to be held at Douglas Elementary School
269 Randolph St. Douglas, MI 49406

____Session 1     July        10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19
____Session 2     July        23, 24, 25, 30, 31, Aug. 1
____Session 3     August    7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16

Time:        9:00 am - 11:00 am           Cost:     $120.00 / per 2 week session

If you would like a registration form or have questions? please contact
MaryAnn Short mobbi.ma@gmail.com

Are We Missing A Key Element in the Learning Process?

For students who struggle in school academically we provide Reading RTI and Math RTI in an attempt to fill the gaps.  The key to improving learning may rest with Movement RTI.  Children who are behind physiologically are often the ones who struggle academically. There is no standardized test for movement so it is believed there is no reason to spend time with this aspect of child development.  In fact we cut out time for movement both structured and unstructured to make time for remediation.

Research has established a direct correlation between physical development and cognitive development. Most children must first go through the appropriate stages of growth and development physically before true learning can take place.  If we supersede this progression with unrealistic (though well meaning?) expectations we short circuit the process and we miss the opportunity to help children develop the critical thinking skills necessary to acquire a love for learning that will last a life time. 

Changing the Brains Wiring through Movement

I recently attended what I thought was going to be ‘just’ an introduction to neurofeedback. I knew that the company doing the presentation would be representing their business but I didn’t realize I would be a live participant in an infomercial!  The scientific basis of neurofeedback that was presented was/is intriguing and I very much enjoyed this information.  It was just enough to get me hooked on wanting to know more.  I stayed after the session to ask some questions and as I have continued to consider the responses during the conversation I didn’t quite getting the answers / information I was looking for.

I’m still mulling over this conversation, but have moved on to wondering how much physical movement, when done in a purposeful integrative way, can affect the brain wave patterns and if it can is there a lasting affect?  Through brain / body integration programs I have participated in and with those I teach I have found that the affects of integrative movement do indeed continue after the movement ends.  I have found that when under stress I am more aware that I am in a state of stress and can mentally and physically pull myself out more quickly.

I decided to search neurofeedback on the net and found many sites with similar presentations as the one I attended espousing the use of expensive technology and videos to change the brains wiring. While this may be a good thing I continued to wonder ‘What about using these types of programs in school and with students / adults who cannot afford these expensive programs yet want to make positive changes in their lives? 

Then I came across a neurofeedback site that actually supports the use of movement to help rewire the brain. I was relieved to know that there are neurofeedback organizations out there that support movement and use EEG’s to document the connection benefits of movement in changing the brain.  One of the programs that were mentioned was Bal-A-Vis-X (Balance, Auditory, Vision, eXercises).  I am glad to see that this program is beginning to be supported and used by practitioners who also use the ‘traditional’ methods.

Bal-A-Vis-X is an inexpensive brain / body integration program that uses bean bags, balls, and balance boards to develop full body coordination and focused attention with exercises that are deeply rooted in rhythm.  Bal-A-Vis-X costs very little and the results can have tremendous impact on the individual(s) using it.  The exercises are adaptable for any person whether able or disabled, young or old, and promote self-challenge while remaining fun.

For more information of Bal-A-Vis-X go to http://www.bal-a-vis-x.com

Catch '22'

Where the eyes go so goes attention.  For students who have difficulty  “paying attention” in class, eye tracking could be the culprit.  If a students eye muscles are not fully developed to track and focus on the teacher, shift from far vision tasks (white board) to near vision tasks (desk top work space) or track the steps of lengthy division problems the student will have difficulty staying focused for any length of time. 

Students with poor tracking skills are not aware that they cannot track they just shift attention to where their eyes go.  This may give the impression that the student does not care about his/her work when in fact they may.  The more negative the response toward this perceived behavior the more likely the student will be to develop low self-esteem, begin to act out, and not care. Here lies the "Catch"

A teacher in a local elementary school recently conveyed that she has a young 5’s student who was having an extremely difficult time following (tracking) from left to right.  The teacher shared that this student’s eyes would randomly ‘dart’ up into the air and back to the page multiple times and that he was never able to hold his gaze on anything. 

The teacher had some training in a program called Bal-A-Vis-X and began doing some modified tracking exercises with the child. Bal-A-Vis-X is a movement based brain integration, auditory / visual teaming program that uses sand bags and balls to help the eye muscles develop and strengthen, allowing the student to attend more readily to instructions and focus attention.

The student is now better able to track from left to right with fewer slips as well as hold his gaze on objects for a longer period of time. The teacher credits her training in Bal-A-Vis-X for noticing that the attention problem the child was having was related primarily to eye tracking.  She also commented that the modified tracking exercises have been very beneficial and the child is beginning to experience success and develope more confidence in his learning abilities.

Children Love to Move!

Most learning in childhood is done through movement so why not use a child’s natural learning style as a method when teaching?  Yes, there are auditory and visual learners also.  This seems to speak mostly to the intake of information and how that intake is preferred.  When it comes to processing (learning) the information the majority of children process that information through movement. Be it fine (small muscles involvement) motor movement or gross (large muscle involvement) motor movement.

Using movement in the classroom as a natural method in the practice of teaching has multiple benefits for the teacher as well as the students.  Allowing students, even requiring them, to actively participate in movement based learning can decrease behavior problems (a plus for the teacher) and allow students time to process information, increase blood flow to all parts of the body and brain, and give them the opportunity to re-focus (plus for the student).

When students have the opportunity to move and process information it helps them to decrease stress and anxiety levels, as well as promote self-awareness and social interaction. It also helps to build a sense of community within the classroom.  In turn teachers ‘notice’ a decrease in behavior management issues and find they have ‘more’ time to teach.

For teachers, start small. Add one movement based activity to the subject you love to teach the most. Experiment. Build on it and as you become more comfortable with students moving (with a purpose) in your classroom ‘notice’ if time management increases and behavior management decreases.

For parents, support the teachers as they experiment, expand, and experience this addition to their tool kit of lesson presentation.

Withholding Recess as Punishment

A New School Year is a GREAT time to try some NEW  Behavior Management Techniques.

With the increasing rate of obesity in the US why does withholding recess as a means of punishment continue? Why keep students from going outside and getting rid of some of that pent up energy?  The students who are unfocused / misbehaving the most are the students who need some physical activity. Movement not only helps with focus immediately following the activity time it also allows the brain some “down time” to process previously taught material. Students will come back to class more ready to learn.

With all of the research supporting physical activity as having a positive impact on cognitive development, social success, and stress relief one would think that more time for recess and activity would be promoted!  I came across some great ideas (about 60 as a matter of fact) on a site called Peaceful Playgrounds http://tinyurl.com/ybajj4g

Many of the ideas and suggestions I found on this site are a great beginning for new teachers developing classroom management programs as well as for veteran teachers faced with increased academic demands and who have experienced the effects of decrease recess time first hand. 

Where did the summer go?

As I sit here working on class schedules and syllabi I am wondering where the summer went and at the same time am truly excited for the new school year to begin. Fall is a great time for new beginnings, for teachers and students alike.  So, teachers please consider incorporating active learning into your classrooms. 

There are many sources from youtube videos to books such as Energizing Brain Breaks: Movement and Learning = Jean Blaydes Madigan Corwin:  and Kinesthetic Classroom-Teaching and Learning Through Movement=traci Lengel and Mike Kuczala to help get your year off to a GREAT start!

Why public Primary schools are desperate for specialised PE teachers

The following link http://tinyurl.com/3ugpj3y has some very good points.  I would like to add that when classroom teachers take the time to incorporate movement into classroom activities while using appropriate classroom management, discipline issues decrease and there is adequate time to teach.

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