sparkmygenius.com

• 16Aug

  Juggling: A Cognitive Powerhouse for Your Child

  ADHD, ADD, Brain Optimization, Cognitive Restructuring, Neuro-Education, Sparks of Genius, aspergers, learning disability, music, parenting, school, spatial intelligence, stress 1 Comment

  Dr. Rohn Kessler

  Parents are juggling so many things today that the metaphor of juggling can turn a bit negative. But juggling itself can be a cognitive powerhouse, especially for children. A cognitive powerhouse is an activity like learning to play a musical instrument, that, when practiced enthusiastically over a period of time, improves mental skills like attention, memory, information processing efficiency and spatial reasoning. This is important because in everyday life it can generalize to important skills like better goal setting, planning, map reading and reducing stress.

  Learning to juggle is a cool, fun-filled activity for children and can be a terrific aerobic exercise for improving attention, endurance, balance, rhythm, eye-hand coordination and confidence.

  Juggling is great for the brain. As little of 7 days of training leads to an increase in the density of the gray matter in the brain and boosts connections between different parts of the brain by tweaking the architecture of the brain’s white matter. The real significance of this finding is not only that juggling boosts brain connections but it suggests that learning a new skill is more important than exercising what you are already good at – the brain wants to be puzzled and learn something new.¹

  Children as young as five or six can begin to juggle with scarves. School programs which incorporate juggling into the curriculum report improvements in focus, eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, reading and behavior. ²

  These schools also report that learning to juggle increases both motivation and self-discipline and reduces impulsivity. Juggling can level the playing field because some students who don’t excel or even like athletics can juggle very well.  Students who learn to juggle can also build communication and teamwork skills.

  Some teachers even report that juggling helps students improve their ability to listen and follow directions. What parent wouldn’t like more of that at home!

  Juggling is one of many creative, brain-enhancing activities encouraged and practiced at the Sparks of Genius Neuroeducation Center in Boca Raton, Florida. www.SparksofGenius.com

  Children learn that physical fitness requires strength, speed, stamina, balance and flexibility. These five attributes can be taught with one ball. Whether juggling the 3-ball cascade, juggling 2, 3, and even 4 balls back and forth with another person, students learn that juggling optimizes their own brain by making dendrites bloom.”

  My mentor, the noted pediatrician William Grant Crook, taught me how important it is that every child receives a daily dose of “psychological vitamins.” Learning to juggle can do just that for many special needs children, including those with ADHD, Asperger’s, learning disabilities, sensory processing disorders etc.

  Groundbreaking research in neuroeducation connecting learning, arts and the brain confirms that when a student passionately engages in an art form for an extended period of time, attention, cognition and fluid intelligence increase. ³ Juggling could be the art form for your child.

  When a child uses the Sparks of Genius Method™ and learns to juggle 3 or even 4 balls back and forth with me and then teaches this skill to a parent, it brings joy to my heart. True, most of today’s parents are juggling too many things. But how many parents are too busy to appreciate a Sparks of Genius moment like this with their child?

  References

  1. Learning to Juggle Grows Brain Networks for Good. New Scientist. Oct. 14, 2009

  1. Delisio, E. (2002) Teachers Link Juggling to Improved Academic Skills. Education World.
  2. Posner, M. and Patoine (2010). How Arts Training Improves Attention and Cognition. In “Emerging Ideas in Brain Science:” Cerebrum 2010. Dana Press.

  Tags: ADHD, aspergers, Attention, Brain Optimization, cognitive powerhouse, Fluid Intelligence, juggling, Learning Disabilities, neuroeducation, Sensory Processing Disorders, Sparks of Genius, Sparks of Genius Method

• 24Oct

  Dreaming with Open Eyes

  Sparks of Genius, aspergers, intelligence, learning disability, parenting, social skills, special olympics No Comments

  On October 20, 2007 I was invited by the Florida Special Arts Center www.flsac.org. to address an audience of several hundred persons invited to view a new documentary called Bridging to Gap: A True Lesson in Humanity.

  Let me tell you the story of this documentary.

  The parents of three special needs young adults designed a “color guard” program for “developmentally disabled” young adults. Now if you are wondering what a color guard is, modern color guard is defined as “a combination of military drill, also called marching, and the use of flags, sabers, mock rifles, shields and other equipment, as well as dance and other interpretive movement.” It is typically seen in parades or halftime events. Until now it has never been part of the special needs world. Now, thanks to the vision of Jerry and Ellen Kleinert-Cohn, it is.

  Anyway, the color guard, now called the Special Needs Color Guard of America, got invited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the documentary tells the story of that trip.

  Ellen Kleinert-Cohn put together a program to train these adults to perform at many local events. She even got them a chance to perform at the Winter Guard International (WGI) Color Guard World Championships.

  I was invited to speak at the screening of Bridging the Gap. Here are some excerpts from my speech.

  “Martin Luther King had a dream of freedom. Ellen Kleinert-Cohn and Jerry Cohn have dream of inclusion, a dream that children and adults with special needs such as developmental disabilities will be fully included as belonging. They understood that we all have special needs.
  Lawrence of Arabia said “All men dream, but not all equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their mind, wake to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous, for they may act their dreams with open eyes and make things happen”.

  Dr. King dreamed with open eyes. So do Ellen and Jerry.

  I too dream with open eyes. I dream of taking the best of neuroscience research and combining it with great computer technology to ignite people’s sparks of genius. I dream of brain fitness centers where people of all ages “work out” to improve cognitive and executive function skills.

  Today people between the ages of six and eighty-three come to Boca Sparks of Genius. They exercise their minds playing computer “games” specifically designed to improve their mental strength, stamina, speed, flexibility and balance and, of course, to spark their genius. We use the term “brainworksbetter” exercises, and each member receives a customized set of exercises. They are assisted by friendly, highly-skilled personal trainers who are passionately dedicated to the success of each member of our fitness community. Many members of the fitness center also “work out” on home computer to maximize brain functioning and peak performance.

  I dream of hearing the sounds of success, joy, confidence and discovery as more people around Florida, the country and the world discover, ignite and express their unique sparks of genius in a fun-filled, challenging, supportive, gym-like environment.

  I see them all overcoming limitations, defying labels and breaking boundaries with their awesome accomplishments.”

  –Dr. Rohn Kessler, Ed. D.

• 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

• 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

• 14Aug

  Pulitzer Prize Winner with Aspergers

  aspergers, intelligence, learning disability, parenting, social skills No Comments

  My friend’s son has Aspergers and wants to be a singer. The problem is it’s hard not to cringe when he sings. It is very soulful and when I listen to him I wonder if he isn’t into some kind of more evolved singing and the rest of us just can’t get it. I’m reminded of an old Twilight Zone for those less aged than I am, it was a popular science fiction show in the fifties) In this episode a woman is horribly deformed and has plastic surgery after plastic surgery. We await the results of the most recent attempt. The camera cuts to the woman in bandages, then pans away and we hear the pitying voices of the doctors bemoaning the surgery as a failure. The camera focuses on the woman who is drop dead gorgeous – played by a popular model of the time. It is then that we realize that we haven’t seen the faces of anyone, and that the doctors all look like pigs. I wonder if this isn’t a lot like living with Aspergers.

  Tonight on NPR I heard an interview with Tim Page, a Pulitzer Prize winning music critic for the Washington Post with Aspergers. Robert Siegel was interviewing him because he had written a description of what it was like to grow up with Aspergers in the New Yorker Magazine. He called the article “Parallel Play”. He felt that the Aspergers led to a lifetime of “restless isolation” because he couldn’t connect with others in “normal” ways.

  He said Aspergers was “a different way of processing information.” He was “obsessed with detail, with music and with old photographs. Throughout his life he has possessed an extraordinary memory for facts and data. However, he was oblivious to most social things and had to read Emily Post to learn how other people related to each other. Although he was praised for thinking outside of the box, he admitted that he often couldn’t even find the box.

  “Aspergers is something that you never get over, but you learn to live with it.”

  Tim Page has lived well and is an inspiration to others.

  To hear a podcast of this story please go to:
  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12750745

  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

• 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

• 05Jul

  Adult ADHD

  ADHD, ADD, Sparks of Genius, aspergers 5 Comments

  I am back & this time writing about me. Yes, I am an adult with ADHD. My late husband had ADHD, my oldest son has ADHD, my younger son has ADHD and my daughter has ADD. So is it any wonder that the subject of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has special meaning to me? I can’t get away from it no matter how hard I try!!!

  I was not diagnosed until I was thirty-five years old. Wow! How did I survive all those years? When I was growing up I was the daughter of fabulously involved, loving parents. I was active in sports, never enjoyed reading, unless it was comic books, could not understand the “concept of math” and survived by way of calculator. But, back then they didn’t have the knowledge in reference to ADHD as they do today.

  I didn’t know from anything else. To this day I am unable to understand written instructions of more than two sentences. I need to read it at least five times to get any understanding or need to ask someone to explain it to me. In addition, I need to see visuals as I am a much better visual learner, then auditory learner.

  I can say that I am the most “organized-disorganized person in the world.” It is my drive for what I believe in that makes me successful. I work best under pressure as I never had any other choice, or never knew of any other way. If I have twenty things to do in one day, I may complete one job and the other nineteen remain unfinished. If a project is due in reference to my special needs color guard team I may have two weeks to complete is but finally finish the remaining ninety percent only because I started the evening before it is due and having no sleep, completing it wee hours of the morning.

  I still have become fairly successful and am very successful advocating for those with developmental disabilities. But, it is not without an amazing amount of anxiety.

  Help has come my way and the best part is that it is never too late! I, as well as my three children, are all students of The Sparks Of Genius Program. Wow!! Can it be? I am anti-medication and here is a program that is making a significant difference in all of our lives, minus meds. Computerized Cognitive Training works!!! YEAH!!!

  I have learned that when processes like attention, memory, listening, language and executive functioning are trained on a regular basis, new neural networks are strengthened and cognitive restructuring actually does occur! If someone told me this and I did not experience it myself I would have said, “Yeah, sure, that’s nice.”

  It is true! I have seen a significant difference in all of my children, especially my oldest son, Wes. Others are actually approaching me and asking me, “What is going on with Wes, he seems so much sharper and I am able to carry on a conversation with him.” Oh my G—D, this is nothing less than music to my ears!!! Beautiful music, to say the least.

  As for myself, I am absolutely drained when I finish training for the day. I can equate it to training at my fitness club. I am really “exercising my brain.” It is not easy. I really put lots of effort into it. As I continue to live my busy life, I feel myself more “sharper”, less anxious, and “putting things together” in a way I could never do before. I am accomplishing more. I am actually finishing one project before going to another. This is miraculous.

  So, here it the moral of this particular blog……be patient……it is never too late to be the best you can be. This goes for you, me and our children.

  Hang in there. We CAN survive in the face of adversity & become better people for it. Don’t give up…..your kids are depending on you!

  And, remember…to put it in perspective….no matter how tough you think things are, someone out there has it worse. And, things do get better…THINK POSITIVE!!!!

  All the best,

  ELLEN

• 27Jun

  How Can You Help A Socially Awkward Child?

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

  Even popular kids experience some feelings of exclusion and social clumsiness.  For a child with a Learning Disability (LD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD, ADHD) or Asperger’s Syndrome, the social aspects of growing up are painful, embarrassing and often full of loneliness.  With the growth (real or illusionary) of school shootings like Columbine and Virginia Tech, the need to adequately socialize kids who live on the fringes of social networks has also exploded.

  How can we help reach out to children who are lacking friends?   Here is some helpful information reported by our friends at LiveScience.com.

  When a person feels authentic pride, he or she was more likely to score high on extraversion, agreeableness, genuine self-esteem and conscientiousness. Hubristic pride was most often linked with narcissism and shame.

  Read the article here.

  We as teachers and parents can capitalize on this information in two ways.  First, we can help a child avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.  Socially awkward kids possess few and weak social skills.  When they are having a bad day, don’t shove them into difficult (for them) social situations or force them to participate in group activities or play dates.  Since this is a challenging area for them, we need to build a track record of success and set them up for success by controlling some of the circumstances under which they interact with peers.

  The second way we can use this information to help them make and keep friends is to build them up prior to an encounter.  On the way to the neighborhood birthday party, remind the child of their successes and accomplishments, and have them help you remember the things they are proud of.  The achievements can be social, or they can be academic, sports-related, or anything that helps them feel genuinely good.   Your child will feel better and perform better under social situations when they are feeling good–just like anyone else would!

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