sparkmygenius.com

• 31Dec

  Does Brain Training Help?

  ADHD, ADD, Alzheimer's, Brain Optimization, Cognitive Restructuring, Neuro-Education, cognitive decline, mTBI, memory, neuroplasticity No Comments
  

  Brains and Bodies work together!

  By Amy Price PhD

  Your brain care how your body lives. Maybe it is time to redecorate from the inside out!

  New research on cognition that shows transfer of training and increase in quality of life  can be very successful when individual differences are professionally assessed and programs targeted to individuals.  This is why one size fits all ‘brain training’ shows limited success. The brain requires novelty and positively graded accomplishment to reach full potential. [1-4].  

  Brain age related deficits are noticed primarily in the prefrontal and parietal cortical regions  which tend to shrink as individuals age with men exhibiting more extensive shrinkage than women [5]. These areas are crucial for planning and for connecting input from other brain areas. The areas of shrinkage initially demonstrate increased regional activation. This may be a time sensitive window where neuroplasticity growth factors can be leveraged to best advantage. Combining several strands of behavioral and neuro-imaging evidence, the argument can be made that functional plasticity has the capacity to alter the course of cognitive aging. Losses in regional brain integrity may drive functional reorganization through changes in processing strategies and domain specific cognitive training.

  These same deficits can be present in brain injured persons but the route to successful training would take a different though just as effective path.

  Factors such as cognitive training, regular exercise, nutrition enrichment and  positive relationships can increase Cortical thickness . These findings were first published on animal studies but are also noted in human studies [5-10].  A combination targeted personalized brain and physical training produces specific volume changes in white and grey matter [9]

  Physical exercise boosts the brain’s rate of neurogenesis throughout life, while mental exercise increases the rate at which those new brain cells survive and make functional connections into existing neural networks.[7-10] Both physical exercise and the challenge from mental exercise increase the secretion of nerve growth factor, which helps neurons grow and stay healthy.[8-10] This makes sense if we think of how exercise helps to clean out the sludge and provide oxygen so the body can make more effective use of tissues needed for regeneration and repair.  In fact scientists are now finding compounds that can increase our stem cells within the body and even then are finding that targeted solutions are needed for optimum stem cell growth health and production [14]

  Nyberg found that although older brains exhibit less plasticity than do young brains overall, the benefits of training—particularly domain-specific training—can be substantial and durable [13]. Studies are showing these gains to be of 5 years + More- over, the training benefits were found to be similar to the amount of decline anticipated over 7–14 years [3, 12, and 13].

  References

  1.            Posner, M., & Rothbart M. Educating the human brain. Washington, DC US: American Psychological Association.; 2007:189-208. doi:10.1037/11519-009

  2.            Jaeggi SM, Buschkuehl M, Jonides J, Perrig WJ. Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2008;105(19):6829-33. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18443283

  3.            Willis SL, Tennstedt SL, Marsiske M, et al. Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults. JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;296(23):2805-14. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17179457

  4.            Gordon E, Arns M, Paul RH. Research Report THE INTEGRATE MODEL OF EMOTION, THINKING AND SELF REGULATION: AN APPLICATION TO THE “PARADOX OF AGING”. Thinking. 2008;7(3):367-404.

  5.         Greenwood PM. Functional plasticity in cognitive aging: review and hypothesis. Neuropsychology. 2007;21(6):657-73. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17983277

  6.            Joseph J, Cole G, Head E, Ingram D. Mark P. Mattson, Sic L. Chan and Wenzhen Duan. Physiological Reviews. 2009:637-672.

  7.            Kramer AF, Bherer L, Colcombe SJ, Dong W, Greenough WT. Environmental influences on cognitive and brain plasticity during aging. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. 2004;59(9):M940-57.: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15472160.

  8.            Kramer, AF; Erickson KI, Colcombe SJ (2006). “Exercise, cognition, and the aging brain”. J Appl Physiol 101 (4): 1237–42. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00500.2006.

  9.             Valenzuela MJ, Sachdev P, Wen W, Chen X, Brodaty H. Lifespan mental activity predicts diminished rate of hippocampal atrophy. PloS one. 2008;3(7):e2598. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18612379.

  10.          Ernst C, Olson AK, Pinel JP, Lam RW, Christie BR. Antidepressant effects of exercise: evidence for an adult-neurogenesis hypothesis? Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN. 2006;31(2):84-92. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16575423

  11.          Ball K, Edwards JD, Ross La. The impact of speed of processing training on cognitive and everyday functions. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. 2007;62 Spec No(I):19-31.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17565162.

  12.          Willis, SL; SL Tennstedt, M Marsiske, et al. (2006). “Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults”. JAMA 296: 2805–14. doi:10.1001/jama.296.23.2805.

  13.          Nyberg, L. (2005). Cognitive training in healthy aging: A cognitive neuroscience perspective. In R. Cabeza, L. Nyberg, & D. Park (Eds.), Cognitive neuroscience of aging: Linking cognitive and cerebral aging. New York: Oxford University Press.

   14.         New Scientist http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16383-drugs-unlock-the-bodys-own-stem-cell-cabinet.html}

  Tags: Brain Art, Brain development, Brain Optimization, Dementia, Older Workers, Sparks of Genius

• 03Nov

  Arts Training Can Improve Student’s Attention, Cognition and a Lot More

  ADHD, ADD, Brain Optimization, Cognitive Restructuring, Neuro-Education, Sparks of Genius, The Ageing Brain, art, learning disability No Comments

  Dr. Rohn Kessler

   

  

  Children's Art and the Brain

  In 2009, the psychologist Mike Posner wrote:

  “If there were a surefire way to improve your brain, would you try it? Judging by the abundance of products, programs and pills that claim to offer “cognitive enhancement,” many people are lining up for just such quick brain fixes. Recent research offers a possibility with much better, science-based support: that focused training in any of the arts—such as music, dance or theater—strengthens the brain’s attention system, which in turn can improve cognition more generally.” http://dana.org/news/cerebrum/detail.aspx?id=23206

  In 1971 the psychologist Abraham Maslow wrote: “Another conclusion I seem to be impelled toward, even though I am not sure of my facts, is that creative art education, or better said, Education–Through-Art, may be especially important not so much for turning out art or art products, as for turning out better people.”

  In 38 years we have moved from intuitive speculation to a science-based vision for customizing and optimizing learning environments for children. What fascinates me is that Posner (neuroeducation) Maslow (humanistic) come from such different directions and perspectives but share a similar conclusion: exposure to an art form that fully engages a child’s attention can be highly rewarding.

  Maslow believed in a new kind of education that would encourage a new kind of human being — “the process person, the creative person, the improvising person, the self-trusting, creative person, the autonomous person.” Posner’s research is showing that when we encourage young students to find an art form they love, that if they to pursue it with passion and focused attention, that “training in the arts likely yields cognitive benefits that go beyond “art for art’s sake.”

  With parents and teachers complaining about the avalanche of ADHD children, the discovery of ways to train attention and strengthen attention networks is, I believe, of profound importance.

  Specifically, Dr. Mike Posner has shown that repeated activation of the brain’s attention networks increases their efficiency. His focus is on the “executive attention network” which helps students control their emotions and choose among conflicting thoughts in order to focus on long-term goals. These executive attention skills are essential for social and academic success throughout childhood. Furthermore, empathy toward others, impulse control and the tendency not to cheat or lie are scientifically linked to aspects of executive attention.

  Recall that Maslow, whose focus was on the creative process, believed that Education–Through-Art was important not for turning out art but for turning out what he called “better people.” Posner’s work shows that intensive training in music, art, dance and theatre not only improves the efficiency of the executive attention network and general cognition as measured by IQ but can also improve a child’s ability to empathize, control impulses and resist the temptation to lie or cheat — in other words, to become a better person.

  Posner in 2009 sounds like Maslow when he writes:

  “…exposure to the “right” art form can fully engage children’s attention and can be highly rewarding for them. They may get so involved in learning the art that they lose track of time or even “lose themselves” while practicing it. I believe that few other school subjects can produce such strong and sustained attention that is at once rewarding and motivating. That is why arts training is particularly appealing as a potential means for improving cognition. Other engaging subjects might be useful as well, but the arts may be unique in that so many children have a strong interest in them.”

  These findings give parents and educators one more reason to encourage young children to find an art form they love and to pursue it with passion. Training in the arts yields cognitive benefits that go beyond “art for art’s sake.” The art form that children love and pursue with enthusiasm can lead to improvements in many brain functions and make them grow up to be “better people.”  I’ll be writing more about this in future blogs.

  Of course, the challenge is the same today as it was in 1970s, 1950s and in decades and eras past: convincing policy makers, education wonks, politicians and parents about the huge potential value of arts education.

  The good news is that some individuals, including brain scientists, are proactively engaged and not waiting and hoping for this to happen. For example, Dr. Evian Gordon has set up the Brain Revolution Project and advocates for BrainArt as one example of how “… to empower children around the world with insight into how their brain works and the means to train their brains with fun and creative games and activities.” http://brainrevolution.org/.

  Dr. Rohn Kessler

  Tags: Attention, Brain Art, Brain development, Evian Gordon, Humanitarian art, Maslow, Mike Posner, Sparks of Genius

• 24Sep

  Teacher Missing in Action

  ADHD, ADD, aspergers, homework, learning disability, social skills, teacher No Comments

  Hello all!

  It’s been a while since you’ve seen an entry by yours truly and there’s a good reason: I’m now working full time as a teacher for students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and other Learning Disabilities.

  So far, it’s a blast! My class is very manageable, and the staff and parents have been very supportive. My wife has been teaching at a public High School for the last four years, so we are regularly comparing notes to see how our teaching experiences differ.

  First, I have the same fifteen students all day. She has 150 who are with her for about an hour per day.
  Second, my school has a process in place to handle students who have episodes that disrupt the classroom. They can easily be separated until they are classroom ready again. There are solid consequences that are not arbitrary punishments. At my wife’s school, there is little she can do about a student who is chronically disruptive.
  Third, the school’s focus is on input–learning–and the output expected of each child is customized to match their circumstances and ability.

  I could go on but it is gratifying to find a place where their philosophy matches my own. Look for more updates in the future, along with some humorous anecdotes.

  Good luck!
  Allen Dobkin

• 03Sep

  Be the Change You Want to See in your Child

  ADHD, ADD, art, auditory, parenting 1 Comment

  Is it really time for parents to get their kids back to school again? Let’s address the challenge head-on of how to optimize learning achievements and academic success.

  My experience shows that the most important thing parents can do to maximize their children’s love of learning is to expose them to wide variety of learning experiences. Notice and nurture the ones they love.

  To maximize their love of life and increase the probability that they will lead a successful and fulfilling life, teach your child to be a mensch—a really good person of noble character and deeds.

  Guy Kawasaki writes in Art of the Start that a mensch 1) helps lots of people, 2) does what’s right, and 3) pays back society. On a scale of 1-10, ten being the highest and one the lowest, where do you rate yourself in these three areas?

  Our in-house research shows that an increasing number of students are bored, frustrated, off-task and underachieving in school. Furthermore, most students with good and even great grades bored, frustrated and not optimizing their talents.

  Many parents today are “CrazyBusy” schlepping their kids all over the place (http://sparkmygenius.com/?p=176).

  Look at all this running around and then look at yourself from your child’s position. What does he see, hear, think, and feel? Most of us think we know; many of us do not.

  Is there enthusiasm, confidence and motivation to start school? My personal and professional experience says “Probably not much.”

  In fact, many students equate school with learning and believe when not in school they don’t have to learn anything. Worse, many children get turned off to learning completely.

  That’s where Sparks of Genius can help, for we identify, ignite and nurture the many ways students are smart—often very smart. Students learn to set and accomplish goals they thought were unattainable. We aim to take them “over the top.”

  It is my experience that by the age of eight (end second grade), most children with learning challenges know they are “different.” By the age of ten (end of forth grade), most have internalized the idea and the feeling that this difference is not good and they are to some degree slow, incompetent, bad or dumb.

  By middle school, well, you get the idea.

  Many parents ask “How can I be the change I want to see in my child?”

  Here’s an example, more and more students “hate” to write. When was the last time your child saw you writing? What were you writing?

  What do you say or do to encourage your child to write?

  Have you taught your child that it is polite to return a letter or message he received? Try this. Sit down and write your child a letter. Put it in an envelope and mail it. When it arrives in the mailbox, give it to him. Any response? Tell him nicely and unemotionally to write a response, put it an envelope and mail it to you. Anything happen?

  The goal is, of course, for your child to write anything, write a correct address on the envelope, and mail it you.

  Of course, in today’s world, it’s more likely your child will respond to an email or instant message. If your child “hates” to write so much, it’s OK to start with emails or instant messaging. “Writing” does not have to be handwriting in the beginning.

  Please let me know what works, what doesn’t work, and how you solved the problem.

  Lastly, in-house research shows that many parents wait at least 2-3 months into the new school year before taking action to help their child. Some wait a year or more hoping “the problem will go away.”

  Sparks of Genius is a computerized brain fitness center where students work to:
  • improve attention, memory, organization and attitude
  • ignite the many ways they are smart
  • take more responsibility for their own learning
  • use computer technology to reduce frustration and impulsivity

  Don’t wait 2-3 or six months into the new school year before taking action to help your child. See if “working out” in our “electronic playground” with a personal trainer can increase your child’s grades, motivation and self-esteem.

  If you live in South Florida call 561-859-4060 now to schedule a
  FREE 30 minute workout in the Electronic Playground.

  Curious and live outside the South Florida area? Take the free learning assessment at http://www.sparksofgenius.com/screens.html

  -Dr. Rohn Kessler

• 30Aug

  Adult Brain Training Software Makes the New York Times

  ADHD, ADD, neuroplasticity 1 Comment

  The New York Times noted that with companies making millions of dollars on brain-building digital toys like Baby Einstein, it was inevitable that “Grandpa Einstein” software was next.

  “Calisthenics for the Older Mind, on the Home Computer” goes on to explain several new brain fitness programs aimed at aging consumers.

  Article here.

  How effective are these programs? The Times quotes Timothy Salthouse, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia: “The scientific evidence for those commercial products is still very weak. Manufacturers and companies have jumped into this without doing the research to prove that their products enhance cognitive function or delay mental decline.”

  I agree that many companies are jumping on the brain training bandwagon before thoroughly researching the success of their programs, but there is scientific research on the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training (click here).

  Even Dr. Salthouse agrees that you can teach an old brain new tricks and that “recent research in neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change in response to information and new activities — shows that brain cells and neural pathways continue to develop throughout life.”

  At Sparks of Genius (www.sparksofgenius.com) adults work with a Personal Trainer and a combination of software programs to improve memory, processing speed, listening and executive function skills. In addition, we identify, ignite and nurture the many ways they are smart – their sparks of genius.

  Research shows that mentally stimulating activities – novel and complex stimuli- are health-promoting for the brain.
  Unfortunately, translating this research into specific mental workouts to postpone cognitive decline may be far from easy.”

  The article notes that Dr. Marc Agronin, a geriatric psychiatrist has started to use one of the new programs at the new “brain gym” at the Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged.
  He is offering the software “as an option to people like a couple who came to him last month, frustrated by memory problems that the wife had suffered since having surgery the previous year. A few months ago, Dr. Agronin said, he would have had nothing to offer them.

  “But now I could say to the husband, ‘Take this home, put it on the computer and get your wife started,’ ” he said. “Part of having hope is having tangible therapies you can bring to people…I do want to see more data, but I’m not waiting for that.”

  At Sparks of Genius we are using this new technology to help people now. It is not easy to optimize and individualize these computerized cognitive training programs, and it’s more challenging if you just buy the software and adopt a one size fits all approach. As the article states, “translating this research into specific mental workouts to postpone cognitive decline may be far from easy.”

  What makes Sparks of Genius special is that we customize a brain fitness progress for each client using a combination of software products rather than one particular product. And we don’t just send people out with software. Our personal trainers monitor and fine tune their program. They motivate them and devise strategies that work.

  We don’t just work on deficits. At Sparks of Genius we celebrate who our clients are, helping them to access and maximize their creative potential using the multiple intelligences.

  Optimistically, the new software will keep on improving and scientific research will show us under what conditions and with what populations it is effective. In the meantime, we are using the latest in technological advances to help people now.

  –Rohn Kessler, Ed. D.

• 28Aug

  A Parents’ Dilemma: Where to send my child to School?

  ADHD, ADD, aspergers, homework, learning disability, parenting, school, social skills, stress, teacher No Comments

  Is my child going to the right school?

  Deciding this seemingly simple question can be agonizing for parents. Not only are some schools “objectively” better (lower teacher student ratios, more enrichment programs, etc) but one kind of child could fail in the same school where a different child would thrive. It happened to Albert Einstein. He hated school in Munich because of its rote memorization and constant drills. He prospered at a Swiss school where they taught visual thinking. The things that he learned there enabled him to be……well, Albert Einstein. Visual thinking enabled him to create experiments in his head. Einstein was probably a visual learner and this school played to his strength, enabling him to develop his spark of genius.

  There are some things to look for when you are school shopping and these criteria can be helpful in assessing whether your child’s needs are being met in his present academic environment.

  First of all, what are the strengths of your child’s school? Do they foster independence or provide adequate structure? In an extreme example, a bright motivated student like Einstein might benefit from a Montessori type open classroom with resources for him to explore his own interests and to progress at his own pace.

  But this type of approach could leave an autistic child staring at the lights. For these children, one of the most successful approaches is called Applied Behavioral Analysis, with constant repetition, positive reinforcement and prompting. Additionally a child with attention issues can be overwhelmed if too much is happening in the classroom.

  It’s also important to assess how much individual instruction is available. An introverted, introspective child who could get lost in the shuffle or for a child with attention problems who needs more redirection can really benefit from customized attention.

  Then you need to know your child’s strengths. Is there a match? Does this school stimulate your child’s spark of genius? It can be helpful to ask the school who would be a successful learner there.

  Of course, your child’s teachers make a difference here too. Sometimes a child will do poorly one year and really come around the next because the teacher understands what the child needs to succeed. Parents and teachers are the most important part of any child’s learning team, and it’s important that they work together. Find out the best way to communicate with your child’s teacher and stay abreast of what’s happening in the classroom.

  Now I am thinking about this at the beginning of school here in Florida and I don’t want parents to second guess themselves and wonder if they made the right school decision. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that we can learn something from every experience. Remember that Einstein was at the “wrong” school in the beginning, but maybe memorizing equations gave him the building blocks he needed for revolutionizing physics.

  Remember that finding the right education for your child is a process. Any steps that you take to ensuring a better fit between your child, the teacher and the school will benefit your child’s sparks of genius.

  By Ninah Kessler, LCSW
  Life Coach

• 13Aug

  Adventures in Teaching A.D.D.

  ADHD, ADD, aspergers, social skills, teacher No Comments

  This morning I’m off for my first day as a teacher at an all-ADD private school. Students won’t be arriving until next Wednesday, but I am excited about the opportunity to work with them in a group as large as 15. That is 5-10 times more high-need students than I’m used to. I’m sure it will prove exciting. You can count on me to share my experiences and insights with you as the school year progresses.

  One way this school has impressed me is the way that they handle academic goals as opposed to developing social skills. In my experience, parents will happily spend tens of thousands of dollars (if they can afford it) in order to remodel their kid’s report card, but the moment you tell them that this will help their child build social skills and make friends, the pocketbook goes under lock and key.

  As students are processed for attendance at this school, the administration goes into detail with the parents about what the parents ultimately want for their child. Inevitably, the answer ends up revolving around independence, happiness and friends. This frees us up to work on those vital areas that ultimately decide the child’s fate.

  If you are working with a challenged population of children, remember that a child can flunk out of high school and still become the founder and CEO of a major company. But even with straight A’s, a child with inadequate social skills won’t even be able to work as a janitor. Make sure you teach appropriately.

  Good luck!
  Allen Dobkin

• 08Aug

  Taking the work out of Homework

  ADHD, ADD, aspergers, homework, learning disability, parenting, school No Comments

  The days are getting shorter. School is starting. Homework is coming. Arguments about homework generate anger and frustration for parents and children. It’s easy to understand the child’s perspective. They’re in school all day and then they are free – BUT WAIT – there is homework to do. As parents we know that homework not only gives the kids an opportunity to practice what they have learned in school but also teaches skills like organization and setting priorities that are essential in the “real” world. Not to mention the scholastic consequences of incomplete assignments

  So how can we make it a little easier this year?

  How much homework is too much?

  Your child, especially a young child, shouldn’t be spending his life on homework. There needs to be a balance. The experts agree that a kindergartener or second grader shouldn’t be spending more than about 20 minutes a day on homework, and even older elementary school kids benefit most from spending an hour at most. After 4th grade, it is important that your child practice math, because since math builds on itself, deficits here can mushroom. When your child is in middle school more homework is appropriate.

  If your young child is routinely spending hours completing his work, something needs to be done.

  Simple Steps can help

  There are some very basic things that we can do to make homework easier. You have probably thought of them but may not have gotten to implement them. Some simple steps from pediatrics.about.com include:

  • Provide your child with a quiet, well lit place to do homework with materials such as pens and a dictionary available.
  • Establish a set time for doing homework, not right before bedtime. Think about using a weekday morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially those that involve working with others.
  • Help your child figure out what is easy homework and what is hard homework. Encourage your child to do the hard homework first when he is most alert.

  How much should I help my child with homework?

  We all know that it is your child’s homework not yours. You want to give your child as much independence as you possibly can but if the child is floundering, you don’t want him to sink.

  Even if your child is doing ok, it’s good to acknowledge him when he is doing his work and to reward any accomplishments. “Johnny, I like the way that you’re concentrating on your math problems.” “Wow, Helen, you worked really hard on your science project. Let’s celebrate with a trip to the park.” As important as acknowledgment and rewards are when your child is doing well, they are ESSENTIAL when your child is struggling

  When your child is struggling.

  If you child is spending 3 hours on 6 math problems or can’t organize his thoughts to write and essay (see our blog on how to write an essay), then you know there is a problem, and you need to find ways to intervene without taking over.

  For example, if difficulty paying attention is the problem with the math, you can cut a whole in a piece of paper so your child only sees one math problem at a time. This is a very low tech solution, but some of the new technology can also be helpful. For example, there is a program called Inspiration (which Dr Rohn used to help teachers teach science) which maps out your thoughts. Once your child’s thoughts are mapped out, it’s much easier for him to write that essay. If writing itself is a problem, your child may benefit from typing his assignments on the computer.

  You want to be available for your child, especially when they are having a hard time, because you don’t want them to get so frustrated that they don’t do their homework and then they fall behind in school.

  When is the help you do too much? Remember that interference is when you do what the child could do by himself. Additional suggestions can be found at about.com or here.

  My child says he finished his homework

  Some children who are frustrated with homework will just tell their parents “I already did my homework” or “I don’t have any homework tonight.” In the old days the main way a parent could verify this statement was to work with the teacher to create a homework pad where the teachers would write down the child’s assignments. You could also call a friend.

  While there is nothing wrong with this approach, today many teachers will post homework on a web site or will email assignments to parents.

  When you need a professional

  If there is a problem the first person to go to is your child’s teacher. It is important that parents and teachers can work together on this. The teacher may be able to make accommodations for the child. For example, the teacher may allow you to cut assignments short when the child is having an especially difficult time. If the child does not complete assignments because he can’t write, the teacher may allow you to write down your child’s answers. That relationship with the teacher apprises you of what’s going on, so you don’t get a big surprise at report card time.

  The teacher might recommend a tutor, and there are many good ones out there. Sometimes the difficulty doing homework may reflect a deeper problem. For example, if your child just cannot focus or pay attention that could be the issue. Please take the free 39 point learning assessment at our website (SparksofGenius.com) to see if an attention or focusing issue is the problem.

  Make sure the homework is in the backpack

  My friend would sit down with her son night after night and go over his homework. Then he would forget to put it in his backpack and get an incomplete. She finally helped him organize his backpack and checked to make sure the assignment was there. It must have worked, because now he is going off to college to major in computers. He is a smart kid, just disorganized.

  I hope that this makes homework a little easier. If you are frustrated, remember that you are not alone. Another friend of mine thought that having a child was like having a very intense cat. Boy was she wrong. Every problem has a solution, but that doesn’t mean that finding the solution doesn’t require some work. Hang in there and have a great school year.

  By Ninah Kessler, LCSW
  Life Coach

• 06Aug

  What’s wrong with teachers?

  ADHD, ADD, homework, parenting, school, teacher 1 Comment

  In my opinion, there is a real problem when the need for teachers to feel like they are the master of their domain is more important than the mission of preparing students for academic and real life. Here is a perfect example.

  Mr. Lampros’s introduction to the high school’s academic standards proved a fitting preamble to a disastrous year. It reached its low point in late June, when Arts and Technology’s principal, Anne Geiger, overruled Mr. Lampros and passed a senior whom he had failed in a required math course.

  That student, Indira Fernandez, had missed dozens of class sessions and failed to turn in numerous homework assignments, according to Mr. Lampros’s meticulous records, which he provided to The New York Times. She had not even shown up to take the final exam. She did, however, attend the senior prom.

  Through the intercession of Ms. Geiger, Miss Fernandez was permitted to retake the final after receiving two days of personal tutoring from another math teacher. Even though her score of 66 still left her with a failing grade for the course as a whole by Mr. Lampros’s calculations, Ms. Geiger gave the student a passing mark, which allowed her to graduate.

  So here we have a student who missed many classes, didn’t do (hardly) any homework, and of course the teacher gave the student a failing grade. The teacher quit because the principal changed the grade to a passing grade, following all the correct procedures, allowing the student to graduate.

  There are three things that stand out to me as a problem:

  First, the student passed the final exam with a 66. Not an academic whiz-kid, certainly, but she demonstrated that she had mastered the material. Or was the final exam a poor measure of mastery? Or are grades less about mastering the material and more about following the rules: completing classwork and homework, obeying school and disciplinary rules? In my view, the grades should reflect the students’ mastery of the material.

  Second, I think the administrator’s priorities were spot-on correct. Protecting the teacher’s ego is nowhere near as important as seeing that the student is graded appropriately. It is a math class. Who cares if homework was completed or that her attendance record was swiss cheese? She demonstrated mastery of the skills required to pass. Failing her in spite of that mastery is unfair and probably reflects a disparity in the backgrounds of teacher (white) and student (latino). In this case, the student would not have graduated without this passing grade. So what is more important: making sure nobody hurts the teacher’s feelings or refusing to graduate a student despite her mastery of the material?

  Third, the attitude of entitlement (”I set the grading policy for this class”) that teachers have is, according to my anecdotal experience, pandemic. Many teachers, probably because of the bureaucratic nature of public schools, have become bureaucrats themselves, more concerned with protecting their work conditions, benefits, power over their classrooms than they are with helping students. I don’t think it is a matter of character: anyone under rotten circumstances will lose their sense of mission, eventually. The sad part is that the teacher in this case is so young (judging by his photo) that it wasn’t a slow ride down.

  I was horrified to hear the story of a student who earned college credit for a high school class that he failed.

  It is easy to forget that the decisions a teacher makes can easily throw a student’s life off course. I am reminded of a recent conversation with a talented, hard-working, intelligent and experienced teacher who happens to be a friend I respect. I was horrified to hear her story of a student in her Advanced Placement (AP) science class who earned an F every quarter because he would not study or complete homework but then scored a 4 on the AP exam. That is sufficient to earn him college credit, but not high school! Do you hear the flushing sound? That’s his scholarship opportunities going down the toilet due to an F on his record and the hit to his GPA. That is so wrong.

  The point here is that parents cannot simply trust teachers and administrators to do the right thing by your child. You have to be involved. You have to watch. You have to look for signs of trouble. And you have to speak loudly, so that you’ll be heard over the whining.

  Good luck!
  Allen Dobkin

• 24Jul

  Brain Training Video Games in the News

  ADHD, ADD, Alzheimer's, Sparks of Genius, aspergers, auditory, cognitive decline, learning disability, mTBI, memory, music, parenting, spatial intelligence, teacher 1 Comment

  There’s good news out there for folks who are looking to increase memory, stave off dementia, reduce the frequency of their “Senior Moments” and have fun doing it. What about training Attention (for Attention Deficit Disorder – ADD)?

  In recent weeks, three new brain training games have arrived on store shelves, each one promising to give us neural networks of steel. There’s “Hot Brain” and “Practical Intelligence Quotient 2,” both playable on Sony’s handheld PSP. And then there’s “Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree” for Nintendo’s new Wii console.

  Full article here.

  But do these games really work?

  Like most things in life, the answer is both yes and no. New and stimulating activities, including these video and puzzle games, can help you “use it” in lieu of “losing it.” So in that regard, yes they can help.

  But once you’ve played a particular game enough times so that the activity is no longer novel, it loses some of its potency. In part this is addressed by offering a variety of games and puzzles. Ultimately, though, these games are not much better than the typical fare you can play online, often for free, at least as far as brain-training is concerned.

  Don’t neglect your 9 IQs

  We all have those 9 IQs: spatial, verbal, math, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, kinesthetic, naturalist and spiritual. These types of games typically offer spatial, verbal and math style puzzles. That leaves two-thirds of your intelligence untapped.

  If you really want to help “train your brain”, learn to play a new instrument!

  Make new friends, write an article or life story, take up bird-watching, solve an old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle (or a new-fashioned 3D puzzle), play a sport, read something complicated. To train your brain, you sometimes have to STRAIN your brain. Just like a muscle, you’ve got to push your brain beyond its comfort zone and it will respond by making new connections and strengthening existing neural networks. That’s why most video games, television shows and pulp reading don’t help. Their too easy.

  To train your brain, you sometimes have to STRAIN your brain.

  Training executive function and attention, two vital higher-order skills, is a different story, and the Nintendo Wii doesn’t have anything to genuinely fit the bill. There are some games that we use here at Sparks of Genius in our Electronic Playground that you can use at home. You’ll find them on this page.

  So work your brain hard…and if you’re a teacher or parent, then work your kids’ brains hard, too. They’ll thank you for it later (if they don’t forget)!

  Good luck!
  Allen Dobkin

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