TBI Math Help Online

By Amy Price PhD

If you are having a tough time with math after an injury or just never understood it. This is a great link. The material is free online and you can download explanations and practice questions. If you learn best by hearing and seeing there are I-Phone apps by Math tutor that you can down load.  There are also math  apps for othe 3g phones  although the I-Pod selection is better. Most people have trouble with math because it is sequential so if you missed steps or the brain injury knocked them out you need to relearn them. Simple things like what to do with brackets and in which order to do the equations help a lot. There is also a free class for basic math at open university and one on visualizing maths. This is an important step for really getting it as if when you can see it in your mind it is easier to work the equations. Remember if you are using a scientificor graphing  calculator the vendor will generally have tutorials on the web site.  Be patient with yourself and give it time. You can do this!

What I find so interesting is the extreme nature of the comments about these programs. Holy cow! People are angry about providing breakfast!

Here’s a sample (from here).

“And this is yet ANOTHER reason why I, as a teacher, have just moved to another county!”

“I, as a taxpayer am fed up with the PBC school board and their reckless squandering of my tax $$. If people want to have kids THEY should be forced to provide for them.” (Ed: There is definitely squandering…but not on this program!)

“Stop all FREE food programs (maybe we should teach the kids that there is no such thing as a FREE lunch, or anything else)”

“How scary is is that we allow the same people that bring us the IRS, DMV, and Social Security to TEACH OUR KIDS?!?!?!?” (Ed: Good point…it is scary!)

“Why should I as a taxpayer subsidize free breakfast for all?”

“The qualification for free breakfast/lunch is $26k for a family of four. Really, consider living on that w/2 children, or as a single parent w/3 children, and I would assume we have a parent who possibly leaves home before the children have breakfast. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Be grateful these children are being fed a nutritious breakfast, for they are probably in need.”

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

-Allen Dobkin

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

Research shows that students do better in school when they are told they can get smarter by training their brains to get stronger— like a muscle.

Article here.

Does your child see intelligence as something fixed or something expandable?

Students who think intelligence is fixed become preoccupied with whether they look smart or dumb. They also tend to avoid difficult tasks. |Not good!

But students who believe they can develop and expand intelligence usually like being challenged. They try harder, are more persistent and worry about making mistakes and looking dumb. This is good.

In one experiment of 12 year old students with similar math achievement scores, those with a fixed mindset did worse in math than those who were taught that the brain is a muscle. And, the gap between the two groups widened over the years.

Carol Dweck, a psychologist and researcher at Stanford University said:

“We taught them that the brain forms new connections every time they applied themselves and learned,” she explained. “It gave them a new model of how their minds worked, and how they had control of their brains and could make it work better. The idea is to free them from the tyranny of fear of looking dumb. The name of the game is learning.”

Students need to understand that their intellectual potential is not fixed. So do parents and educators.

Some games that exercise the brain to get stronger can be found here.

Moreover, there are many ways to be smart that are undervalued in school and at home—so-called multiple intelligences.

Students at Sparks of Genius learn that their brain forms new connections when they work hard to learn and learn. They also learn how to take full responsibility for learning buy controlling their mind and their brain to work better.

Sparks of Genius personal trainers use a high tech (software) high touch (character development) formula to help students train their brain for success

We identify, ignite and nurture many intelligences. It’s a great way to increase student achievement.

To learn more about your child’s learning potential

fill out the FREE 39-Point Learning Assessment now. http://sparksofgenius.com/screens.html.

Dr. Rohn Kessler

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

All wrong.

In a new biography, “Einstein: His Life and Universe,” Walter Isaacson explains how good a student Einstein actually was. He was a good student, did not fail math and in fact had mastered differential and integral calculus before he was fifteen.

But he did not like the mechanical regimentation and mechanical learning of the German schools, comparing elementary school teachers to “drill sergeants” and high school teachers to “lieutenants.”

When he moved from Germany to Switzerland at the age of sixteen, Einstein spent a year at a school that emphasized independent thought, free action and personal responsibility. He thrived in a learning environment without rote drills, memorization and force-fed facts.

Based on the philosophy of a Swiss educator named Pestalozzi, the school helped students move through a series of steps from hands-on observations to intuition, conceptualization, imagination and visual imagery.

“Visual understanding is the essential and only true means of teaching how to judge things correctly,” wrote Pestaslozzi, and “the learning of numbers and language must be definitely subordinated.”

Spatial intelligence has been defined as “the ability to think in pictures and to perceive the visual world.” Dr. Branton Shearer, a member of the Sparks of Genius Community, explains it as using the imagination to think in three-dimensions, transform one’s perceptions and re-create aspects of one’s visual experience.
One with high spatial awareness can solve problems of spatial orientation and moving objects through space.

http://miresearch.org/mitheory.php

Remind you of anyone? It was at this school that Einstein, age sixteen, started picturing what it would be like to ride along a beam of light.

To learn more about the 9 intelligences in our 5-4-9 formula, visit http://sparksofgenius.com/sparks.html

-Dr. Rohn Kessler

From the NY Times:

Trying to build popularity, many public libraries across the country have been looking more like big chain bookstores, offering comfortable easy chairs, coffee bars and displays of the latest best sellers.

But the new library in this growing Phoenix suburb has gone a step further. It is one of the first in the nation to have abandoned the Dewey Decimal System of classifying books, in favor of an approach similar to that at Barnes & Noble, say, where books are shelved in “neighborhoods” based on subject matter.

So the librarians are learning something new! That’s great and speaks well. Why would bookstores be better at appealing to the public than libraries? A library that fails to appeal wins less work by way of fewer visitors, but a bookstore that fails to appeal goes out of business.

The Dewey Decimal System served us well as a means of organizing tomes, but is no longer needed thanks to computer search-power. Plus, it’s boring, old-fashioned and doesn’t mesh with the needs and desires of library patrons.

But the attraction is hardly universal. On Web sites where librarians frequently post, the abandonment of Dewey has not been welcome. One blogger titled her entry “Heresy!” Another called the Perry Branch’s approach “idiotic.”

So of course set-in-their-ways bureaucrats, who are probably loaded with book-smarts, but a little short on street-smarts, aren’t happy. They’ve spent a good chunk of their lives mastering the Dewey system, and don’t want to lose their advantage. That’s kind of like mastering an abacus…you can do it, but why bother?

To me, the irony here is that many of these librarians started out as bright, innovative, ambitious and energetic. But stick someone into a hierarchical bureaucracy long enough and even the most individualistic, talented and innovative person can have the soul sucked out of them just as if they’d set the world record for French kissing a Dementor.

Good luck!
Allen Dobkin

This episode focuses on what happens when educational decisions are made, not by teachers, but by government bureaucrats like the lovely pink Delores Umbridge whose installment at Hogwarts is a detriment to learning.

The story of Harry Potter has always centered around Hogwarts, that fantastical training grounds for wizards and witches and safe haven against a harsh family life and of course the evil Lord Voldemort. This episode focuses on what happens when educational decisions are made, not by teachers, but by government bureaucrats like the lovely pink Delores Umbridge whose installment at Hogwarts is a detriment to learning.

The first thing the new bureaucrat does is establish her legitimate authority.

The first thing the new bureaucrat does is establish her legitimate authority. Then, under the guise of “law and order” or “following the rules” she begins implementing changes that in reality merely further her power in the school. Her rise to power is aptly displayed in the film by a wall covered in educational edicts each individually hammered into place by the eager Mr. Filch.

Some students thrive under this new authority…students like Draco Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle. Of course the Weasley’s–in particular Fred and George–don’t take to the new addition to the staff. The results of their inevitable rebellion are visually impressive and hilarious.

The heart of the conflict (besides Voldy vs. Harry) lies in the Ministry of Magic’s refusal to accept or acknowledge, and prepare against, Voldemort’s return. This polarizes wizarding society with Dumbledore and Harry with their supporters on one side, and the Ministry (government) with The Daily Prophet (media) opposing. The conflict spills out into Hogwarts as the ministry tries to undermine and eliminate Dumbledore as Headmaster.

Is it possible for the government to be involved in education without turning it into a political tool to further their own agenda?

Does any of this sound familiar? The U.S. Federal government laid down the law (literally) on education a few years ago with No Child Left Behind, and the resulting increase in bureaucratic involvement in education has led to controversy after controversy. Is it possible for the government to be involved in education without turning it into a political tool to further their own agenda? Harry Potter says “no” but you’ll have to decide for yourself.

For pure entertainment value, HP5 delivers a thrilling package that won’t disappoint. Cutting the lengthy book into a lengthy film requires eliminating a great deal of material, but it was masterfully handled and only hardcore sticklers (of which there are many) will be unhappy. Those new to HP or less than enamored with him should find plenty to like in this movie.

From a Cognitive Training perspective, the movie is no better than Transformers, Live Free or Die Hard or any other eye-candy flick. No thought is required to enjoy the ride. On the Brain Training Food Pyramid, this is a High-Fat, High-Sugar treat to be enjoyed only occasionally.

Good luck!
Allen Dobkin

Don’t just count the time required to actually take the exams, include the time to prepare students for the logistics, endless faculty meetings, time to take practice exams. SAT and ACT testing takes place on Saturdays…so why not FCAT (Florida’s Big Test) testing, too?

2. The Tests do not provide the intended measure.

What each test measures is how well a student took that particular test. Period. Claims that the exams measure reading ability, math mastery or science proficiency are all disputed.

Here in Florida, we have a huge immigrant population who speak English as a second language. Since the government must acronymically label everyone, these students are referred to as ESOL – English Speakers of Other Languages.

What’s the problem? These students must take their exams in English, not in their native language. Thus, their exam grades reflect a combination of their English Mastery and the subject matter. Imagine having to take a Science test in French. They can’t win. If I had to take a reading test but in Spanish, they’d say I was illiterate, too!

3. Exams are skewed by culture.

The standards, questions and priorities are all set by primarily middle-class white people. They assume a certain set of background knowledge that is common among middle-class white folk, and since the impoverished, minorities and immigrants have a different background, they are penalized.

4. High-performing schools are penalized.

An ‘A’ rated school will have a tough time showing any progress or improvement. They may have the ‘A’ but the law of diminishing returns increases the difficulty and expense in terms of resources to push scores even higher.

5. Poor schools are penalized.

If we are going to make an apples-to-apples comparison, we can’t ignore the impact of having the right, and enough, tools for the job. If there are not enough teachers, text books, classrooms, or computers at a particular school, learning achievements will naturally falter when stood side-by-side with an affluent school that has their own T.V. studio. That problem is doubly compounded when you consider that students at those poor schools are poor themselves and thus face the socioeconomic disadvantages that come with that dilemma.

6. “Improvements” are baloney!

How can you tell if a school improved? Compare this year’s score with last year’s, right?

WRONG!

The students who took the exam last year are not the same students who take it this year. They are different people. It’s an entirely new student body! Think how this might apply to real life. At work your boss sends group 1 to a leadership seminar, then he sends group 2 to the seminar. Everyone then takes a quiz on the material covered. Group 2 scores higher…the seminar must have improved!

There is–maybe–a way around this: the growth model. Under the growth model, reported by the NY Times, schools are evaluated at least in part by how individual students progress on exams. So little Susie is no longer compared to Johnnie, who is a year behind her. Instead Susie as a fourth grader is compared to Susie as a 7th grader. This makes more sense, but still won’t save us.

7. Exams ignore student effort.

This won’t be popular, but let me be honest for a moment: some kids fail because they don’t make (enough of) an effort. You can’t teach the unwilling. Why they are unwilling is important yes, but is a completely separate issue from school/teacher efficacy. Again, poor students are prone to find school useless.

There are students with Christmas tree attendance, who drop out to sell fruit and run cock-fights, who have to miss two weeks to watch their siblings while their parent is gone, who live with a distant cousin because mom and dad are stuck back in Haiti. They can’t make enough of an effort. They’re just trying to live. But standardized tests insist on cramming them into the middle-class white mold in which they so obviously do not fit.

8. Testing decisions are made by unqualified bureaucrats.

We’re talking about government agencies from the White House, Department of Education, State Government, School Districts, Administrations and advisory boards and committees. The government is the body which cannot deliver your mail on time and buys $800 hammers, remember? Why would we trust that they can deliver high-quality education?

Elected officials and appointed officials have their own agendas. Academics have their own agendas. Teachers have their own agendas. Yet the more contact, training and experience with students one has, the less influence one has on the big decisions. This guarantees that education is used for political gain, with education taking a back seat.

These people decide when, how, who, what, and where testing takes place. They decide what is on and off the test. They call the shots, and most have little or no experience actually teaching.

9. Testing ignores parental involvement.

Along with hundreds of additional factors that impact student performance, parental involvement is completely ignored. On one end of the spectrum are the parents who are in regular contact with teachers, who hire private tutors, who help with homework and maintain a great learning environment at home. At the other end is an unrelated guardian who demands that the student drop out and get a job so they can help pay the bills. That has a real impact, as do all the intermediary positions, yet are totally ignored.

Why Standardized Testing Is So Desperately Needed!

Good luck!
Allen Dobkin

My granddaughter Isabel is my stepdaughter’s child, so I never experienced living with a two-year-old, especially in a situation where I was doing some of the parenting. When I teach parenting classes, I always feel a little sheepish, because it is much easier to teach the principles of good parenting than to live them. I have a great respect for parents hanging in there and doing what needs to be done for their kids. But when Isabel and her mother lived with me for two weeks, I got to walk the walk. And even though Isabel is younger than our clients, the principles of good parenting remain true, whatever the age of the child.

It is much easier to teach the principles of good parenting than to live them.

It was quite humbling to find myself doing things that I would caution a parent against. For example, I advise parents to acknowledge the child when they are doing behavior that you want to reinforce and to just give consequences with as little emotion as possible for behavior that you don’t want. And because I knew these principles, I was able to acknowledge Isabel when she did what I wanted. “You’re doing such a good job of sitting in your chair and eating your cereal.” Simple acknowledgment, making sure that she knew the specific behavior that I liked. With an older child it would go like this: “Johnny, I really like the way you are sitting at your desk and completing your arithmetic homework. Doing your homework will help you keep up with things at school.”

But when Isabel did something I didn’t like, things became much more “interesting,” especially when she was taking my vintage vinyl records off the shelves and playing with the knobs of my turntable. Here I also learned another valuable lesson. Kids, even toddlers, have radar for when you are tired or wanting to attend to something else, and this is the time they pick to act up, just to make sure that you’re still with them. You are their laboratory for learning about how the game of human relationships are played, and if you give them a big emotional response for behavior that you don’t want, even though you are telling them “no”, you are reinforcing that behavior.

All healthy children test the limits. With a seven year old, it could be doing things in slow motion when they are late for school. For a seventeen year old, it could be bringing home the car after curfew.

For a two year old, I tried to distract her with something else or tell her the behavior that I wanted her to do. “The turntable is Nana’s and it’s just for looking. Why don’t we play with your blocks over here?” For a seven year old it could be putting them on a point system and giving them extra points for getting ready on time or laying out their clothes the night before and reviewing what the morning routine will be like. For a seventeen year old it could be going over the responsibilities of using the car before they go out and giving them consequences for violating the rules. But going ballistic will either terrify the child so that they don’t feel safe exploring their environment, or, with a braver child, make the behavior that you don’t want more likely.

Another lesson that I learned is that when a child is tired, hungry or bored, those are the times that they are most likely to get into mischief.

It’s important to tell a child what you want them to do rather than what you don’t want them to do, but it’s so much easier to say “don’t” or “no.” When you say “don’t do this”, you are giving them the subtle suggestion to do it. And they respond to you. This is why when you say “don’t put your cereal on the floor” rather than “I need you to keep your cereal in your bowl or in your mouth” you get more cereal all over the floor. For an older child it would be the difference between saying, “Johnny, stop slapping your brother,” instead of “Johnny, please keep your hands to yourself.” And of course if you had noticed Johnny and his brother when they were playing nicely and commented on that , it would have been all the better.

I also noticed how many times I ended my sentences with “OK?” as in “You can have a cookie when you finish your supper, OK?” When you do this, you are actually making the child the parent, because the child gets to decide whether things are ok or not.

But even as I watched myself making mistakes, I was grateful that I knew the principles of positive parenting, because at least I could correct myself and get the behavior that was not only good for me, but good for my granddaughter.

When Isabel stayed with me I realized how wonderful it is to be with a child and to get to look at the world through their eyes. But I also learned what an awesome responsibility and opportunity it is to teach them how to interact in the world. This is the struggle and the gift of every parent. And the job never ends.

One night when I told Isabel what a good job she was doing of sitting quietly on my bed and playing with her toy and how much I appreciated that behavior, I got rewarded. Isabel told me she loved me! These are the moments that make all the work, the aggravation and the yogurt rubbed into your glass table worthwhile.

By Ninah Kessler, LCSW
Life Coach