My Curre

Remember when you were in grade school? Think back a moment. What did the physical classroom look like? How did you feel?

The difference between "teaching" and "learning" is highly dependent on physical considerations. This point was the key to many of the presentations at The Learning Brain Expo 2000. Read on, and you'll see how it relates to you now, no matter what you're doing.

When I was invited by the founder of this conference, Eric Jensen, I had just presented a workshop last January at the International Alliance for Learning convention (see the archives for my column). At that time, I was virtually the only speaker speaking out publicly on the pseudo-science masquerading as "the Mozart Effect," supposedly the panacea to accelerated learning.

What a difference a year makes! At The Learning Brain Expo, virtually every major presenter included the latest debunking research. And what was the secret that they shared? That there is no secret that works for everybody! There are such enormous individual differences that the universal principles must be attuned to the individual. "Learner, know Thyself" if you want to achieve your full potential.

What This Means for You

Although there is no simplistic formula, there are some general principles that are the foundation of Brain-Compatible Learning. And guess what? It relates to how we function in "the real world" and not just in school.

1. Nutrition. In order for your brain to function well, it needs constant and sufficient nutrition. This includes an adequate supply of blood bringing oxygen and potential nutrients, including B-vitamins and neurotransmitters.

2. Relaxation. Stress robs the brain of blood by tightening and shrinking arteries. That's why relaxation is so important in honoring and optimizing brain function.

3. Exercise. Every ten minutes or so, many instructors at the Expo had us stand up or tap our feet.

Contrast this to our time in elementary school. We were chastised for moving (squirming) in our seats. How did they know we were only trying to do the right thing? For that matter, sitting in those hard, wooden or metal seats and desks is exactly opposite to the ergonomic insights that chief executives understand to help them work more efficiently.

What kind of a chair do you sit in? How is your posture?

As I discussed several months ago in my comments after speaking at the American Worksite Health Promotion conference, this issue is a major concern to industry and businesses. And if you have a home office, it should be a concern to you. Not just for Repetitive Stress injury, but for the quality of your work and health in general.

4. Light. Natural light is important. As John Ott, legendary time-lapse photographer and author of the classic Health and Light, told us, "Light is a nutrient." Current research confirms that we are energized by full-spectrum light of the sun.

When I was a teacher in the public school system in California, I recall being called on the carpet at the principal's office because I kept opening the curtains and turning off the fluorescent lights. Not only was the buzzing of the lights annoying to me, but long before I knew to test their weakening effect via applied kinesiology and muscle testing, I could feel the effect in my whole being.

5. Nutrition. Several speakers included up-to-date research [to ascertain] which vitamins, minerals and other nutrients contribute to optimizing brain function. It should be no surprise that the sugar content of soft drinks, as well as the effect of "diet" colas, etc., were not conducive to a balanced mental state. In my office, in addition to the coffee supply, I have always stocked a variety of "smart drinks" and effervescent Vitamin C snack packs, provided free by the record company. Some business owners reported that they require staff to include these in their daily diet. I haven't found compliance for that position to be universal, however. One of the speakers I interviewed suggested that some individuals don't want to work at their peak performance level. That comment really caught me off guard. Based on my own personality and history, that was an alien concept. But apparently it's pretty widespread.

Caffeine, on the other hand, is well known to improve performance - up to a point.

6. Air quality. Years ago, asbestos was indentified in many older schoolrooms. But the problems also relate to mold and dirty ducts of the forced air circulation system. In some rooms, like the hotel ballroom that recently hosted an all-day marketing seminar, there was so little fresh air in the room that almost half of the 300 people almost - or actually did - nod off during one of the most dynamic speakers.

This is similar to what happens when you find yourself nodding out shortly after you get on an airplane. It's a well-known fact that airlines save money by cutting back on the oxygen to about the 10,000 feet level. (Perhaps they do this to keep us in our seats and out of the way of the flight attendants?)

Sound Suggestions

If you'd like more information on Brain Compatible Learning, you might want to check out The Brain Store - 800 325 4769 (www.thebrainstore.com.) or the best-selling book The Learning Revolution by Jeannette Vos, Ph.D.

Steven Halpern is an award-winning sound healer, composer and recording artist of over 60 albums. For over 25 years, he has been an impassioned advocate of the healing powers of music for health, healing and spiritual growth. One of Steven's latest releases, MUSIC FOR ACCELERATED LEARNING, is used by leading educators and a growing number of students with extraordinary success. He has just established the Steven Halpern Foundation to help bring SOUND HEALING to a much wider audience in hospices, hospitals and schools. Steven invites you to join the outreach at www.stevenhalpernfoundtn.com. For more information on his music, visit him at his website at www.stevenhalpern.com or call 800 909 0707 for a free newsletter and catalog.