Brain Gym recommended

[LemonRedwood]

In a report I've just received from a SpLD professional.

I'm speechless that this twaddle is still being peddled.

Snort - Bad science in the extreme!

Send the numpty this link:

www.badscience.net/2008/04/bbc-newsnight-mine-the-brain-gym-comedy-mountain/

How interesting!
In my school it became a NonThought. Not only was it suddenly not mentioned, but SLT seemed to have no memory of it ever been enthusiastically advocated in all its eccentric rainbowhippy glory.
And the braingym folder on the desktop of all our class computers suddenly vanished overnight.
I do still use some of the exercises, they are good to break up a longer session with a bit of bending and flexing and variety. But it's purely for the physical aspects.

Has learning styles yet gone the same way?

I've always seen a lot of teaching theory as a series of dietary fads and fashions.
You take the bits that work for you and yours and adapt them, rather than following each new trend and evangelising about how This Is The Way. The Only Path To Enlightenment.

Yes, futureme

I remember painfully sitting through "learning styles" inset after it had been debunked. It's still part of the induction at a local adult ed..... pleased to hear its actually gone from school though!!

The same report makes reference to having assessed the child for left- or right-brained-ness.

I was under the impression this had been proved to be bunkum too?

I feel a bit bad that the parents have clearly wasted their money on this "professional"

ArmchairTraveller

In my school it became a NonThought. Not only was it suddenly not mentioned, but SLT seemed to have no memory of it ever been enthusiastically advocated in all its eccentric rainbowhippy glory.

Now that sounds familiar - very similar to my last school too. I wish I had thought to look for the folder on the system though.

I've seen a couple of things starting to come out against growth mindset.

Oh really? DD's school is obsessed with growth mind set, and I must admit its always made sense to me.

The problem with all these fads is that education is hugely subject to the placebo effect. Almost any exciting new initiative will appear to work as long as it's not actually harmful. I'm thinking of setting up a company selling workbooks with different coloured pages to be allocated depending on the pupil's height. Bet you it would improve results.

Growth mindset - the idea that if you think you can get better at something by working hard at it, you will work hard at it and get better, does make sense. But you can be successful without a growth mindset, and some schools have tried growth mindset interventions and they haven't worked.

www.learningspy.co.uk/research/is-growth-mindset-pseudoscience/

To be fair I've done perfectly well in life by being born clever but lazy and busking it so I'm not sure why I'm so sold on the idea of growth mindset for DD.

Yeah - Lazy Success - not sure how keen schools will be to promote that.

I'm no scientist but I'm doing supply work at the moment and growth mindset is not working in most schools I visit (primary).

In most places, children are usually offered 5 levels of challenge. The children choose which level they want to do, resulting in the coasters choosing work that is too easy and some children choosing work that is far too hard.

Perhaps I don't have a growth mindset but I really don't think the average primary school has the maturity to make those decisions. Adults - yes maybe but not children.

That's not to mention the valuable loss of learning time whilst the children um and ah about which one they are going to do. Then, 'You've finished? Fab! Now do a challenge!' A great incentive to do your work as slowly as possibly.

I think it could be a great starting or finishing method for assessment but I think it's another fad that will fall to the wayside I hope.

It's ridiculous. The learning styles thing was dismissed about 8 years ago now I think!

Seems like yesterday...