Customer Reviews

Brain Gym: Simple Activities for Whole Brain Learning

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

BRAIN GYM
BRAIN GYM TEACHER'S EDITION
By Paul Dennison

I have bought these two books in the late eighties with the objective of fnding out how they work & how I can make use of them in my own life. Don't worry, I am not brain-injuired or learning-disabled as the technologies in the two books have been formulated originally by the author to help those unfortunate people.

Although there are more than twenty of the Brain Gym exercises introduced, I only use a handful for my own purpose, especially when I read. The exercises I have specifically selected are:

- The Owl exercise;
- The Neck Roll exercise;
- Brain Buttons;
- Cross-Crawl;
- Diaphragmatic Breathing;

I find them very useful in maintaining an active physiological frame of mind & sharp mental focus when I read.

I have been using these Brain Gym exercises on my own for more than fifteen years. I have also taught them to professional adults as well as to students in the schools. The feedback from them has always been positive.

The first book, with the orange cover, is just a summary of the exercises. You need the second book, which is the Teacher Edition, to get a foundational understanding of the exercises.

My only adverse comment about these two books is that the text printing & visual design are comparatively of poor quality, especially after so many years in print.

[For readers who are keen to explore further the significance of physical movements in learning processes, I would recommend strongly 'Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head' by Dr Carla Hannaford, a neurophysiologist by training. In her book, she reinforces the practical usefulness of Brain Gym exercises, among other innovatve insights about learning & the brain.]

This book is useless without the Brain Gym Teacher's Edition. The teacher's edition explains how to do all the different exercises and what skills they work on. The orange Brain Gym book is just a summary of all the moves. I haven't used the orange book since I bought it a year ago...it was a waste of money. I use the Teacher's Edition frequently. If you want to incorporate Brain Gym into your classroom/clinic, buy the Teacher's Edition.

This book is oversimplified and short because it is an instructional reference written for children who may, or may not have learning disabilities. In short, it's perfect for the intended audience. As someone who has coped with severe learning disabilities all of his life, I wish this book was around when I was in elementary school. If you need a book on Brain Gym that is written for adults please try "Brain Gym For Business" or "Brain Gym (Teachers Edition)". You can also visit braingym.com for information on other books and classes taught by certified instructors. Be advised, most alternative books tend to be poorly printed, poorly illustrated, and pricey until the subject becomes popular and picked up by bigger publishing houses.

As an educator I have searched for techniques to help children extend their attention and stay focused. The exercises in this little orange book really work. I have recommended it to other teachers who agree wholeheartedly. Give it a try (and get a copy of the book for parents and educators that explains why it works so well!)

Recently I have had the opportunity to become familiar with Brain Gym. I was looking for answers to why it was difficult for a normal intelligent child to have such a difficult time in school. This was one of the answers to prayer. It showed how simple exercises can enhance a student's learning potential WITHOUT DRUGS, EXPENSE and a HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME. I believe that it has made a difference in the life of my child and it can do the same for you. There is a listing in the book of what exercises to use for specific needs. The only possible draw-back might be that the drawings could be more "polished". For the little amount of money you invest, you receive a large return and can bring hope to a child's learning potential.

This book (pamplet really) is written from the viewpoint of a 6 year old. This approach gets really old, really quickly. And as the book spends so much time on 'mommy says space buttons help her....' it leaves out many details on how to actually perform these exercises. The premise of the book is excellent, and I would bet that the exercises are useful, but please, treat me like an adult!

Good, easy tool for helping improve cognition in kids, and adults...

The information in this product could be given in a much more concise means, in a pamphlet for example. I was disappointed to receive so little for so much money. I was also purchasing the teacher's edition, and had read a review that to understand the teacher's book, one needed this book (the student book). Not true. Turns out that the teacher's book has the corresponding pages from this book on each page. All together I was very disappointed--another one of those self-published, self-illustrated (poorly), over-priced books. Shouldn't cost more than $4 or $5, but it does...

This book is based on a good concept. Movements to improve brain power. but...

1. This book is Extremely short considering the cost.
2. This book is very poorly written, inadequate detail or directions!
3. This book is horribly illustrated. About 2nd grade drawings,
4. This book is book is an embarrassment to the publishing industry!
You'll be sorry if you purchase this book. Keep Searching!

I've read this book and many and used many of the exercises. The figure 8's I used before tests. This should be used daily in PE classes.