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Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head
Neurophysiologist and educator Dr. Carla Hannaford brings the latest insights from scientific research to questions that affect learners of all ages. Examining the body's role in learning, from infancy through adulthood she presents the mounting scientific evidence that movement is crucial to learning. Dr. Hannaford offers clear alternatives and remedies that people can put into practice right away to make a real difference in their ability to learn. She advocates more enlightened educational practices for homes and schools including: a more holistic view of each learner; less emphasis on rote learning; more experiential, active instruction; less labeling of learning disabilities; more physical movement; more personal expression through arts, sports and music; less prescribing of Ritalin and other drugs whose long term effects are not even known.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
125 people are currently reading
1853 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 3, 2013
The author of Smart Moves, herself a once-struggling student and now a successful biologist, does a good job discussing the strong ties between physical movement and learning. Several things bother me about the book, however. The least offensive is the way the book is illustrated. A good half of the book discusses the intricate workings and physiology of the brain, which is accompanied by hand sketched drawings and very difficult to read, hand written labels. Clearer, more readable diagrams would be a huge plus. Another issue I have with the book was the author's distaste for any sort of learning by rote or memorization. For reasons that are too numerous for me to delve into here, memorization is an excellent skill that needs to be cultivated at a young age *along with* understanding of subject matter. A balance between the two must be struck, but the overwhelming trend in modern education is total avoidance of any memorization whatsoever and Ms. Hannaford seems to subscribe to that point of view. My final complaint is a general tone the author sets that seems to imply that we should only demand of children the things that come naturally and easily to them. Of course children will all have different strengths and talents, but in addition to accepting and celebrating these strengths- which Ms. Hannaford wholeheartedly encourages- we need to develop and fortify the areas in which they are weak. Yes, children should have time to move and shout and play, but they also need to be taught to sit quietly and attentively. Yes, some children are weak in math and strong in art (or vice versa), but that means we should not only foster their art education but also redouble our efforts to improve their math skills.
Many things in this book are done superbly, however. The descriptions of the biological functions behind learning are easily approached by the non-scientist yet are also not overly simplified. Remedies and exercises for various common learning disabilities are presented with easy-to-follow steps and photographs. The author is quite comprehensive, yet concise, in scope, covering movement of the eyes, vestibular system, digestive system, etc.
In summary, an interesting and highly informative but certainly not flawless read.
Many things in this book are done superbly, however. The descriptions of the biological functions behind learning are easily approached by the non-scientist yet are also not overly simplified. Remedies and exercises for various common learning disabilities are presented with easy-to-follow steps and photographs. The author is quite comprehensive, yet concise, in scope, covering movement of the eyes, vestibular system, digestive system, etc.
In summary, an interesting and highly informative but certainly not flawless read.
November 3, 2008
Children need to MOVE throughout the day, not mainly sit still, in order for optimal learning to be facilitated. The author explains why.
April 19, 2010
Carla Hannaford is extremely scientific as she explains the "whys" of the difficulties students have as learners. She has helped many students activate their capacity for learning by having students participate in "movements" that will assist brain growth. "Movement facilitates the development of increased blood vessels that carry learning-essential water, oxygen and nutrients to the brain."
There are multiple ways students can awaken and activate their mental capacities which Carla describes in detail in each chapter. " Drama/theater and music will allow students to express their emotions through play and learn via the entire sensory-motor system."
Stephanie Harvey's "toolkit" is a wonderful learning tool that supports Carla's learning research. "Words can only be understood when they provoke some kind of image in the mind of the learner." Stephanie Harvey and Lucy Calkins recommend that students "turn and talk" before they commit to paper. "Talking allows us to organize and elaborate our thoughts. When we talk about what we've learned, the physical movements internalize and solidify it in nerve networks."
Personally, I intend to do many more exercises with my first grade class next year. Carla recommends many simple "Brain Gym" exercises that have proven to enhance children's learning. "It is simply movement, free and easy." Rich sensory and hands-on learning is essential to a child's growth. As a teacher reads to a child, children are totally engaged and listening. "In their brains they are elaborating internal pictures and emotions connected to their already acquired understanding. They are actively forming new nerve networks."
Carla makes many references to the Denmark school system which honors a child's growth, both mentally and physically. "The Danish school system, respecting natural brain developmental patterns, does ot start children in school until six or seven years of age. They teach writing and reading from a holistic, gestalt processing format and then move to the details later, around age eight, when the logic hemisphere is ready to handle it. Reading is not taught until age eight - and Denmark boasts one hundred-percent literacy." Kindergarten children in the U.S. are learning to read now. It has become so much more academic, leading to stress that directly impacts student learning.
Sipping water throughout the day is essential to a child's well-being. Next year, I am also going to ask parents to pack at least two bottles of water for children to sip. When the water levels in the body are low..."a drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, low energy, grogginess, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page."
It is up to parents and teachers to see that their children need to move, (less TV and computer time), in order to think, create and learn. A healthy body plays an essential role in all learning. Carla Hannaford has given me a lot to think about as I continue to teach children and do what is right for them. This is not an easy read, but it is a must read for parents and teachers.
There are multiple ways students can awaken and activate their mental capacities which Carla describes in detail in each chapter. " Drama/theater and music will allow students to express their emotions through play and learn via the entire sensory-motor system."
Stephanie Harvey's "toolkit" is a wonderful learning tool that supports Carla's learning research. "Words can only be understood when they provoke some kind of image in the mind of the learner." Stephanie Harvey and Lucy Calkins recommend that students "turn and talk" before they commit to paper. "Talking allows us to organize and elaborate our thoughts. When we talk about what we've learned, the physical movements internalize and solidify it in nerve networks."
Personally, I intend to do many more exercises with my first grade class next year. Carla recommends many simple "Brain Gym" exercises that have proven to enhance children's learning. "It is simply movement, free and easy." Rich sensory and hands-on learning is essential to a child's growth. As a teacher reads to a child, children are totally engaged and listening. "In their brains they are elaborating internal pictures and emotions connected to their already acquired understanding. They are actively forming new nerve networks."
Carla makes many references to the Denmark school system which honors a child's growth, both mentally and physically. "The Danish school system, respecting natural brain developmental patterns, does ot start children in school until six or seven years of age. They teach writing and reading from a holistic, gestalt processing format and then move to the details later, around age eight, when the logic hemisphere is ready to handle it. Reading is not taught until age eight - and Denmark boasts one hundred-percent literacy." Kindergarten children in the U.S. are learning to read now. It has become so much more academic, leading to stress that directly impacts student learning.
Sipping water throughout the day is essential to a child's well-being. Next year, I am also going to ask parents to pack at least two bottles of water for children to sip. When the water levels in the body are low..."a drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, low energy, grogginess, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page."
It is up to parents and teachers to see that their children need to move, (less TV and computer time), in order to think, create and learn. A healthy body plays an essential role in all learning. Carla Hannaford has given me a lot to think about as I continue to teach children and do what is right for them. This is not an easy read, but it is a must read for parents and teachers.
May 24, 2017
If you lift the hood on what happens as a child develops, things get really complex, really fast. A baby/to/child's brain is crazily complex.
But we have all sorts of new learning from neuroscientists, and one thing that the new learning has done is absolutely validate what we've been hearing from a group of people for thirty years now: the occupational therapists and movement therapists.
It turns out that many of the pre-academic developmental stages have to do with movement. As Anat Baniel says "Movement is the baby's brain developing." And it turns out that letting your kid fall down, crash into things, learn to balance, and to tie shoes before school starts, is based on really good, if inadvertant, science.
There's a lot of information in this book. Truthfully, it's a bit overwhelming. But if your child has troubles in school, or if your child is going to an OT, pay close attention to the issues, and then look them up in this book to start.
Fascinating and well done.
But we have all sorts of new learning from neuroscientists, and one thing that the new learning has done is absolutely validate what we've been hearing from a group of people for thirty years now: the occupational therapists and movement therapists.
It turns out that many of the pre-academic developmental stages have to do with movement. As Anat Baniel says "Movement is the baby's brain developing." And it turns out that letting your kid fall down, crash into things, learn to balance, and to tie shoes before school starts, is based on really good, if inadvertant, science.
There's a lot of information in this book. Truthfully, it's a bit overwhelming. But if your child has troubles in school, or if your child is going to an OT, pay close attention to the issues, and then look them up in this book to start.
Fascinating and well done.
May 16, 2020
Hannaford is one of those ground-breaking writers who begins to make the mind/body reality understandable by connecting neuroscience to education. She explains the role of movement in learning and shows us how American school seriously miss the mark by excluding or minimizing physical education and the arts, supposedly in service of academic achievement.
Hannaford explains how he stresses of testing, competition and hyper focused education destroy the play and free time needed for young brains to develop optimally. She summarizes a dizzying array of research and then makes it all practical through simple exercises that connect the body and the mind. Brain Gym developed in this country by Dr. Paul Dennison in the 80's and 90's is a series of simple exercises which promote focus, memory and attention. The movements entailed directly address the stresses that block learning, too often ignored in American schools. Movement and the arts Hannaford tells us are not a kindly distractions from learning, they are key to it, and ignored at our cultural peril.
Hannaford explains how he stresses of testing, competition and hyper focused education destroy the play and free time needed for young brains to develop optimally. She summarizes a dizzying array of research and then makes it all practical through simple exercises that connect the body and the mind. Brain Gym developed in this country by Dr. Paul Dennison in the 80's and 90's is a series of simple exercises which promote focus, memory and attention. The movements entailed directly address the stresses that block learning, too often ignored in American schools. Movement and the arts Hannaford tells us are not a kindly distractions from learning, they are key to it, and ignored at our cultural peril.
February 8, 2016
The author proves with facts, research, and studies of schools world wide that traditional schools do not reach all learners, and why. She states, "It is time to see each child and every person as unique learners with their own specific time line and pace of learning."
From labeling children, problem behavior, care of infants and life long repercussions of stress on families, she tells what we must do to fix our schools. Important read!
From labeling children, problem behavior, care of infants and life long repercussions of stress on families, she tells what we must do to fix our schools. Important read!
October 2, 2011
I agree that (1) movement is important for learning, (2) different people learn and different ways, and (3) that our current educational system needs improvement to address these facts. As for this book, I found it a strange combination of basic neuroscience and brain gym advocacy with a bit too much speculation and reliance on case studies.
September 3, 2009
A fascinating look into brain development and function. I had to buy this book. I'm not quite sure what to do with the Brain Gym exercises. I'm not sure I buy into that part of the book, but I still think anyone with kids should read this book!
August 16, 2013
I Love this book! It show how movement is so importantly related to learning. I would recommend this book for teachers and anyone else who is interested in how people learn.
December 18, 2022
Started off well, but was far more long winded than it needed to be. Diagrams and notes were awful and barely legible
May 17, 2022
My daughter is autistic. She has a hard time vocalizing original language, coping with changes to her routine, and meeting age-appropriate self-care needs. She is also incredibly bright: At just barely seven years old she is picking up a non-romance language faster than I can teach it to her, can identify words beyond her grade level, and can identify over thirty birds by sight and/or sound. You see, autistic brains have more intra-lobe connections but less inter-lobe connections. This explains why an autistic individual may excel at complex algebra (a one-region brain function) but struggle with basic word problems (because that skill requires the language and math regions of the brain to coordinate). In searching for something to help my daughter strengthen her brain, I found this book.
I will say this book is full of technical language. Whole sections about dendrites and sodium-potassium pumps challenged my lay-person comprehension of the brain’s workings, and could be off-putting if you aren’t ready for the challenge they offer up.
That being said, it was a fascinating read about how the brain functions, develops, and learns. More than that though, this book gave me some concrete ideas on how I can play to my daughter’s unique learning strengths as well as overcome some of her learning challenges. Some examples: We are skipping ahead to cursive instead of learning print because its flow on the page matches the flow of her brain better, and eliminates the challenge of picking up the writing instrument between each letter. We are also incorporating a lot of cross-lateral movement (think, crawling, grabbing something with both hands, windmills) to help fire up both sides of her brain, strengthening her inter-lobe neural connections through movement.
This book is not just for children with special needs, though. The author stresses the point that learning is a lifelong activity, and that we are always capable of improving our brain function regardless of our age. If you wish to help your child through school or keep your own brain sharp, this book is worth the challenging read.
I will say this book is full of technical language. Whole sections about dendrites and sodium-potassium pumps challenged my lay-person comprehension of the brain’s workings, and could be off-putting if you aren’t ready for the challenge they offer up.
That being said, it was a fascinating read about how the brain functions, develops, and learns. More than that though, this book gave me some concrete ideas on how I can play to my daughter’s unique learning strengths as well as overcome some of her learning challenges. Some examples: We are skipping ahead to cursive instead of learning print because its flow on the page matches the flow of her brain better, and eliminates the challenge of picking up the writing instrument between each letter. We are also incorporating a lot of cross-lateral movement (think, crawling, grabbing something with both hands, windmills) to help fire up both sides of her brain, strengthening her inter-lobe neural connections through movement.
This book is not just for children with special needs, though. The author stresses the point that learning is a lifelong activity, and that we are always capable of improving our brain function regardless of our age. If you wish to help your child through school or keep your own brain sharp, this book is worth the challenging read.
September 27, 2023
There was definitely some good information in this book- primarily about integrating movement into lifelong learning and how that connects with brain function.
At times this book reads like a science textbook, at other times it reads like an informational promotional for Brain Gym. At times this comes off as dated.
I’m not going to be recommending this book but I did find parts of it to be interesting and informative.
At times this book reads like a science textbook, at other times it reads like an informational promotional for Brain Gym. At times this comes off as dated.
I’m not going to be recommending this book but I did find parts of it to be interesting and informative.
March 19, 2022
I think I’d like to give this a 3.5. It had interesting information but left me frustrated without practical application besides a brief overview of a few brain gym activities (I thought there would be more hands on application of brain gym since the entire book promoted these activities as the key to success). Maybe it was just an advertisement to buy the brain gym book?
June 4, 2022
I appreciated much of what the author had to share about the way movement, atmosphere and healthy habits (like drinking water) facilitate learning. Many things align with other books I’ve read… while other claims seem a bit out dated. I’m not the expert, though. I read this with an open mind and am excited to implement some ideas like her brain gym activities!
February 14, 2023
A 3.5. I understand laying the foundation for practical applications by explaining the science. I just felt like I didn’t need so much of that and was just really looking forward to the real world implications of how the current state of things affects our kids learning. I still learned a lot of valuable information though and feel like my eyes have been opened to how to better help my kids.
October 13, 2022
Starts off strong, with a nice background of the science, but descends into pseudoscience for the second half. Citing Deepak Chopra for a supposedly scientific fact was a red flag early on. Not all in this book is nonsense, and that's a pity, because so much of it is.
June 14, 2023
This is a very informative book. I will definitely use some of its suggestions. However, the illustrations and diagrams were very difficult to read. She used her hand drawn pictures that didn’t come across well on paper.
August 31, 2019
Although I had to skim over a lot of brain science, the most valuable chapter was the one detailing the “brain moves” exercises that activate learning in the brain.
October 18, 2019
Sounded promising, but after a bit it seemed to be just advertising a set of techniques as a panacea. I was disappointed the author seems to feel that autism is something a kid can easily get over.
October 25, 2021
Interesting ideas, but not the best writing.
January 2, 2022
Great Info!
March 2, 2022
Very heavy on the science and I'm not even sure I believe all of her science. Not really what I was expecting.
March 19, 2023
Great book! I learned a lot. Look into Brain Gyms. I ordered her other book about dominances.
May 17, 2023
Scientific with some practical activities, I liked it. It was a good reminder to keep kids moving as they are learning. It was just difficult to read sometimes with the technical explanations.
May 22, 2024
Just wanted the moves, skimmed the rest.
March 6, 2017
Great info. It's helpful to find many of the exercises outlined in the book on YouTube. While the photographs included in the book do help translate her explanations of the exercises a bit, videos are the best way to learn these exercises and make them an integral part of the school day.
October 9, 2024
I wish…
The insights presented in this book are essential for every educator to absorb. Hannaford's concepts emphasize the importance of recognizing that learning goes beyond simply acquiring factual information; it is a fully embodied experience. Implementing these principles into the restructuring of schools would amplify the transformative potential of education for all learners.
The insights presented in this book are essential for every educator to absorb. Hannaford's concepts emphasize the importance of recognizing that learning goes beyond simply acquiring factual information; it is a fully embodied experience. Implementing these principles into the restructuring of schools would amplify the transformative potential of education for all learners.
September 6, 2009
Amazing book! I learned something new and/or was amazed with almost every new page. I was so impressed I bought it for my own library. Great info on how physical activity can enhance learning for everyone. From making learning easier for kids & adults alike, to keeping the brain sharp & preventing memory loss/dementia in older adults. And much more. One of my favorite reads & I recommend it especially for teachers and parents.
May 19, 2009
I started getting really enthused, but then I looked up "Brain Gym" online and found an overwhelming number of articles reporting its failure to use actual science. So I feel kinda dumb for being so excited about the methods described in this book. But it did motivate me to empty the dishwasher. Yeah...
October 21, 2011
This was a good book on learning and how to view things from a child's perspective with reading aloud versus silent reading. I could go on and on about examples that were beneficial. It is a book I recommend to teachers, parents and advocates. It gives a treasury of information a must read for anyone interested in education.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews