Arrowsmith

MRS LYNDA DARBY arrowsmith coordinator

We have approximately 100 billion neurons in our brain. There are as many neurons in our brains as there are stars in the Milky Way. Each single brain neuron has from 1,000 to 10,000 connections with other neurons, making up to 10 trillion neuron connections possible.

Wow there is a whole lot going on in these brains of ours each day.

At TSS, we consider the cognitive development of our students to be so important that we are one of only a few schools in Queensland providing the Arrowsmith Program. This learning intervention program is based on the premise of neuroplasticity.

We know that the brain can change. The Arrowsmith program exercises target the weaker cognitive areas that contribute to learning difficulties. Research now tells us that our neural pathways and connections are strengthened through repetition, new experiences and specific cognitive exercises. When we strengthen our neural networks and increase our neural connections, and once the source of the learning difficulty is addressed, the learner’s ability to perform complex tasks can be improved.

Barbara Arrowsmith-Young is a pioneer of using the understanding of neuroplasticity in an educational environment. Barbara, having first hand experience herself with learning disabilities, is a woman on a mission. Having opened her own school in Toronto in 1980, she continues to work tirelessly worldwide, to share her story and her message. The Woman Who Changed Her Brain is Barbara’s story about her transformation from a young child with severe learning difficulties, and the daily challenges that she faced, to the inspirational ‘woman with a mission’ that she is today. It explains the process she went through and the exercises that she created and developed to train her own brain, inspired by research that she came across by Aleksander Luria, a Russian neuropsychologist and American research psychologist, Mark Rosenzweig.

Every man can, if he so desires, become the sculptor of his own brain - Santiago Ramon y Cajal (1852-1934) Neuroscientist and Nobel Laureate

It is not surprising then, that the students who attend the Arrowsmith program at TSS literally drag their weary brains and bodies home at 4:30 each afternoon. They do so, however, knowing that they have (because of their own desire) been the sculptors of their brains that day.

While the Arrowsmith program has been readily available to students in Canada for over 30 years, 2018 marks the third full year since its inception at TSS. The last three years have proven to be most effective and extremely positive for our students.

More excitedly, 2018 marks the transition year for our early intervention students, who joined us as little boys in Year 2. These students have spent three years, working full time on their Arrowsmith exercises and are now ready and enthusiastic about joining their academic cohort again next year.

The gradual transition of our students back into the full time academic environment has been an important focus for us this year. Some of our students have already gained access to class literacy lessons. We are excited to watch their journey back into the classroom, where their teachers are already observing their focus and engagement, their motivation and determination.

BRAIN CAKE While the adults are extremely impressed with their development, the boys themselves now understand the feeling of success and accomplishment. It goes without saying therefore, that we should hear their voices, and so, as they embark on their new learning experiences with renewed confidence and empowerment, I would like to share their words with you all.

MATTHEW DUNCAN – 2015-2018 I remember my first day in Arrowsmith. I felt mixed emotions. I was excited and nervous. When I met the other boys, I used them as role models. When I was in class, I kept feeling like I was being left behind in my learning. I had no idea what the teacher meant or needed me to do. I struggled with my work. When I started Arrowsmith, I learned a lot about the brain. I was amazed by it, and by my neurons. My neurons and I are in training and I am continuing to change my brain. This is neuroplasticity. I am developing my neural pathways and making them stronger. Tim and I were the youngest students to start Arrowsmith at TSS. I am proud of that. It was fun to do my exercises. I started on four cognitives. Arrowsmith has helped me extraordinarily in class. Now I am a better and more fluent reader. My spelling has improved hugely. I have worked hard at making my symbols more accurate when I write. Doing the L Think exercise has helped so much in my literacy class. This is my last year full time in the program, and I think it has been an amazing Arrowsmith journey.

TIMOTHY FABER – 2015-2018 Arrowsmith has taught me many things. When I started the program in Year 2 I felt like I was getting behind everyone else in class. Arrowsmith has changed the way that my brain learns. Now I feel like I can do more things that I would not have been able to do if I hadn’t come to Arrowmsith to strengthen my neural pathways and make more neural connections. When I first started I felt nervous because I did not know if I was going to fit in, but when I met the boys I felt like we were all the same. I understood that we all had the same struggle with learning in class. In Arrowsmith I did many different cognitive exercises. These exercises helped to strengthen my brain. This is called neuroplasticity. It is exciting because it has made me better in many different ways. I have developed better motor plans for words that I would always spell wrong. I am a better reader and a much better speller. I have learned to spell a lot more words. Arrowsmith has taught me how to be focussed and not get distracted. I have learned determination too. I can now understand my teacher, especially when she is giving a lot of information. I am grateful that my mum made me come to Arrowsmith because it has changed the way that I learn.

Ongoing research highlights continually just how much we don’t know about the brain yet. How exciting it is for our students that they have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to access a program which provides intervention at this level.

What a brilliant 2018 it has been for TSS Arrowsmith. We look forward to the challenges and successes of 2019.

ARROWSMITH

SEATED ROW: L. ASHE, C. SNELLING, T. FABER, A. WALKER, M. DUNCAN SECOND ROW: J. RIGAS, F. LEWIS, L. HUGHES