In the 1960’s, Roger Sperry and other scientists began research that confirmed that your brain has two hemispheres, left and right, with each one performing a different function. Their investigation led to a Nobel Prize and a better understanding of the different styles of learning, perceiving and functioning.

The Left Brain hemisphere controls the right side of your body and processes information logically, analytically and sequentially (one step at a time.)

A child with left brain hemisphere dominance likes to be in a more structured environment with rules and systems in place and prefers to work alone in a quiet environment. The focus is on details.

The Right Brain hemisphere controls the left side of your body and sees the big picture without breaking it down into parts.

A child with right brain hemisphere dominance is creative, intuitive, imaginative, flexible, a “free spirit” and often “flies by the seat of their pants.”

Despite the fact that we all have a dominant brain hemisphere, learning is much easier when you can function from a whole brain approach – when the brain is “switched on.”

For example: when you read, the left or logical brain hemisphere processes the individual words while the right brain hemisphere puts all of the ideas together.

Stress influences your learning ability and clear communication between the right and left brain hemispheres can become blocked. It becomes a mental tug-of-war with each side wanting to be in control. Reading, reading comprehension, math, spelling, focusing and even physical coordination become difficult and challenging.

Brain hemisphere integration exercises make learning so much easier, more fun and less stressful. When you are able to access both hemispheres, you are more productive and clear.

A simple exercise to make learning easier and to reduce stress is called Cross-Patterning or Cross Crawl. This gets the brain humming, your energy is revitalized and learning becomes easier because thinking is clearer.

1. March in place while bringing your opposite hand to your opposite knee – right hand to left knee and left hand to right knee. Do this 3 or 4 times. (Crossing the midline allows both brain hemispheres to cooperate.)
2. March in place while bringing your same hand to your same knee on the right side and then the left side. Repeat 3 or 4 times.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, always ending with step 1.

Want to cross-pattern naturally? Take a walk, run or jog, play tennis or perform any activity that allows you to cross your midline. With children, the hand clapping game of Miss Mary Mac is a perfect way to cross the midline and initiate whole brain learning.

To take Cross-Patterning to the next level:

• While bringing opposite hand to opposite knee, move your eyes slowly around an imaginary clock, first in one direction and then in the other. Start with a small circle and gradually make it bigger.
• Does your child need to learn multiplication facts? Have her recite the tables while cross-patterning.
• Another integration exercise is Crossing the Midline. Hold a pen in the right hand and draw an Infinity Symbol on a piece of paper several times while following the tracing with your eyes. Repeat with the pen in the left hand. Repeat with both hands on the pen.

Your eyes are an extension of the brain and extremely important for learning and processing information. The simple act of reading can weaken eye muscles. Add fatigue, stress, fear, poor lighting, etc. and vision can be inhibited.

Moms, for years have been telling their children that they have eyes in back of their heads. Well Moms, you are right! We actually “see” in an area in the back of the head called the Primary Visual Area.

To reduce stress in the eyes, locate the bump, called the mastoid process, in the back of the head – about 2 inches right and left of the midline and about 2 inches above the base of the skull. Above the bump is an indentation which is the Primary Visual Area – PVA.

1. Massage the PVA, also called eye points, gently, while:
2. Slowly bringing the eyes around a giant imaginary clock, both clockwise and counter-clockwise.
3. Do this exercise any time your eyes are tired, before or during reading, studying or taking an exam.

These are only a few examples of tools to help with learning and reducing stress. I love that these techniques are simple, yet effective. Within a matter of seconds or minutes, the brain hemispheres begin to work together, cobwebs are cleared out of the brain and learning can be a lot more fun!