This mental balance impacts critical thinking and normal decision making. By bringing in natural activities tailored to the individual we can create the conditions for 'synaptic neural connections' or bridges between the right and the left hemisphere. By doing so consistently... you develop these hemispheric and executive function skills bridges. This can mean faster processing speed for you or your child, if you are a parent.
Caveat: Rewiring your brain takes time. Be patient and focus on enjoying the experience, not some end result. The development of executive function skills needs for an adult individual or a child in a family needs to fun and practical to be effective over the long haul. This is why I promote the natural development of our executive function skills.
Here are three ideas to naturally develop executive function skills:
Dancing has been discussed by me in at least two posts and its power cannot be underestimated. Dancing with another is always great, but don't let being alone stop you or your child from dancing. The action step to take is to find 1-3 songs that may move you and dance a song or two in your house. Dance around the house, dance around the living room. If you have kids, be sure to dance with them. It will rock their world for a whole week!
Writing short essays, or short stories and posting them on a blog is a great idea for kids and adults. Expository writing involves dozens of executive function skills and right/ left hemispheric abilities. Children who can get started writing by kindergarten or first grade can start blogging by second grade. Is that farfetched? It is definitely unorthodox. I don't know many kids who do that. But why not? It is not impossible. They will need help interfacing with the computer, but if they can write words, they can hit the keys on a keyboard and type in a story or express something. Over the weeks, months and years their writing will develop as well their sense of self, and their ability to manage, orhestrate and direct their thoughts in a goal-directed manner.
Kids can be shown to pick images or create digital images to compliment their writing. They can use a blog to showcase some artistic work also. For example, maybe your son likes to write but your daughter likes to paint. Have her paint, but then have her take a picture of her painting and write some thoughts on it. Then help them post it online. Same applies for someone who likes to play music. Be they a child or adult they can record their work and post it with a short accompanying essay.
Play chess enough and you start thinking in chess-terms. Situational perspectives get transmuted through a lens of understanding that compliments other mental models a child or adult may have. Foresight is one major executive function skill that is mega-sharpened by the regular play of chess, as is short and long-term planning ahead. All three skills are pivotal in anyone's personal or professional life. Don't pay more than $15-20 for a standard, portable tournament set with pouch.
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Seeking Coach Bill MA SpEd? He operates 1:1 with children and adults in all of Connecticut, the New York City metro area, Providence, Rhode Island, Martha's Vineyard, Ma. and Puerto Rico on a monthly basis.
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Special Education graduate student interns wanted to assist Coach Bill with clients. Limited spaces.
Must be athletic, be able to dance, have physical flexibility, and lots of energy. Can lead to a job after.
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