Fall 2005

To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: DOWNLOAD

The School with the Brain in Mind

A Process not an Event

by Glenda Waugh

Norquay Elementary is located in the center of the Inner City of Winnipeg. Our community is one of the poorest in Canada. Our families face poverty, a lack of past successful school experiences and often family violence. Yet the children have a deep love of learning and their parents are committed to each child having the best education possible.

When the children come to school, it is their safe place, their learning place and the place where they are free to make mistakes and know that someone will be there to pick them up and help them start again. We also have an extensive Special Education Program where students with multiple handicaps are integrated into all classrooms.

Five years ago, the staff at Norquay started on a journey. We looked at where we were successful with our students and where we were not meeting their needs. This was a job for everyone in the building, from the caretaker to the principal. We began with a question. Why were we having to re-teach so many skills year after year? There was nothing sacred. We examined our discipline policies, classroom practice, building maintenance, community support and school division resources that were available to us.

It was at this time that we became interested in the latest Brain Research. We decided to assess our school programs as it related to what scientists had discovered about the brain. We connected with a research project entitled “Learning for Success,” directed by Susan Close from New Westminster, BC. We explored the area of metacognition and teaching students about how they learn. We developed a Brain Unit that has been taught to every class at the school during the Fall Term each year. We sought out professional development for all staff that would build on our knowledge of the brain and learning. Explicit teaching of organizational strategies gave the students scaffolding for their learning. This has been very successful for all students.

We discovered Brain Gym® and facilitator Paul Ruta M.Ed. Teachers found the Brain Gym® exercises helpful for settling students and preparing them to learn, and explored ways to use Brain Gym®. Some set the exercises to music. Some included it as part of a larger movement program. Students enjoy Brain Gym®. They want to lead the exercises and are proud that they know how to help their brain prepare for learning. It gives them a sense of power over their own actions. Each teacher has a copy of the Brain Gym® Teachers Edition and Hands On.

We continued to build and became involved in the “Feedback for Learning” project with Ruth Sutton from England. This project was part of an overall strategy in the Inner City District focusing on how teachers can improve student learning by giving direct, concrete feedback to students and allowing them time to edit and make their work better. Students are also taught to assess their own products and show the teachers what they see as “good” and where they think they need work.

The use of criteria in every aspect of the school has provided the students with a wide set of expectations—from hallway behaviour, classroom projects, group work to the definition of an “accident.” Criteria building also helps students to become more involved in their work. They have to make decisions as to what the expectations should be. The use of criteria has also had an effect on the quality of student reflection. In every classroom, all students are asked to reflect daily on their work—focusing on meeting the criteria for specific projects, how their learning process is evolving, what strategies are helpful to them and how they will remember what they are learning.
Over the five years, workshops have been provided to the many teacher assistants who work in the school with the students who are handicapped. These students do Brain Gym® with their classes; reflect on the activities of their day; take part in Learning Basic Skills through Music, Music Therapy and swimming classes. It has been very important to keep our teacher assistants aware of how the programs and activities are designed to meet each student’s specific needs, learning modality and intelligence.

Many other areas have also changed in the school:

• Our Breakfast Program now serves protein daily.
• All Professional Development has had a common theme.
• Staff are studying Multiple Intelligences and creating Mathematics units that provide learning opportunities for all MI learners.
• Our Code of Conduct has been revised to include more positives and focus on expectations rather than punishment.
• A set of activities for recess times allows children to select activities such as computer, arts and crafts, board games and playing with the “Office” hamster.
• The school Family Room is open daily, providing caregivers with coffee, food, telephone, an adult library, a play area, computer access with e-mail, a clothing depot, activities for pre-schoolers, organized activities for adults and connections to other resources in the neighborhood.
• Aboriginal materials are integrated into classroom programs to create an atmosphere that will promote positive self-images for our Aboriginal students and their families.
• Kits have been created with Aboriginal literature, unit plans and artifacts to support the learning.

The positives:

• Students can talk about their learning. They have more confidence and take greater responsibility for their own learning.
• Student learning has improved as shown by standardized testing.
• The result of sharing common goals and similar methodologies has been greater camaraderie among staff. They have a common language around learning.
• Classroom practice is more thoughtful and more effective.
• There are many fewer suspensions. Student behaviour has improved dramatically.
• Graffiti is almost non-existent on school property.
• Our mobility rate (# of families that move during the year) has decreased from 85% to 61%. Families are choosing to remain with the neighbourhood.

There is a greater connection between caregivers and staff—more trust. An example is how we have worked together to fundraise for a play structure for our playground.

Have we answered our question? Partially. We have discovered that “teaching” and “learning” are journeys taken by staff, students and caregivers. When we work together with a common purpose and a willingness to be open-minded, we travel a smoother road. As time goes on, we will continue to celebrate our successes and analyze our failure. We will not stop working to improve the learning for each and every student at Norquay.

What is Brain Gym?

Brain Gym® offers a non-pharmaceutical means of anger, stress and trauma management through physical movement.

Forty years ago, Paul Dennison Ph.D., a teacher of Learning Disabled students, discovered that movement helped students overcome certain learning problems. Since then the Brain Gym process has been accepted and is practiced in over forty countries throughout the world. The movements are based on Kinesiology, which is the study and science of movement within the body. Based on this knowledge, Dr. Dennison named the exercises Brain Gym. The exercises create a readiness of mind and body through simple, energizing body movements.

The brain receives and interprets all communication from all senses, and responds based on past experiences. Stress can result when communication is interrupted. As a result of stress, children and adults may experience a variety of symptoms that stop them from achieving their desired goals. Some signs of stress may be irritability, anger, headaches, fatigue, decreasing productivity, decline in dependability, frequent tardiness, lack of enthusiasm and alcohol/drug abuse. Each of the 26 Brain Gym movements enhances neuronal connections within the mind/body system enabling the person to manage their own personal experiences.

Paul Ruta M.Ed. and Davada Carlson are licenced Brain Gym Instructor/Consultants certified by the Educational Kinesiology Foundation, Ventura California. Paul and Davada have traveled extensively presenting two hour/half day introductory, interactive sessions to educators, seniors, sports and wellness centers. Individual sessions for specific goals are available and have proven effective for all ages of clients.

Glenda Waugh was the principal of Norquay Elementary School in Winnipeg when she wrote this article. She now lives in Kelowna, BC.