Thursday's child has far to go - the need for nurturing

“Thursday’s child has far to go” ~ Monday’s Child Nursery Rhyme

               Whenever I hear about children adopted from the Romanian orphanages, it makes me think of my wonderful Romanian cousins. Back in 1990 and 1991, four of my aunts and one of my uncles, as well as a cousin, went to Romania and adopted two or three children each, adding 13 children to my extended family. They are now all young adults in the United States. But that is another story.

               Around 2002, there was a TV show that had taken Romanian-adopted American kids whose parents were unaware of the reason why their children were unable to learn in school and why they had problems bonding with them. 

               The educators and doctors did tests on the children, who were by this time older, some in their early teens.  They even did MRI s and brain scans, etc.  On TV they showed the X-rays or scan pictures and the results were black spots on the children’s brain matter, caused by severe neglect and lack of affection and touch in the orphanages.  They explained that there was no way to reverse the effects of the damage. According to Dr. Michael Merzenich, this is not true.

               If the parents who adopted from Romania had been taught the things to do to help their children before age five, the children could have been helped. There would have been a chance that they could give them stimulation and rebuild brain cells to reverse the damage. But there is a window of time for brain neuron-mapping that should have been utilized. On the show, there were angry parents who complained that they were never told that there was something that they could have done to stimulate their children's brains and reverse the damage already done.

               My aunts and uncles seemed to naturally know how to nurture their Romanian children, who fared much better, overall, than the average Romanian adoptees. We all come from a heritage that cherishes children and strives to give them a solid foundation in a loving home. I am grateful for my grandparents and great-grandparents who knew that children need comforting and being held, and not to "self-soothe," which is a terrible practice. I consider myself lucky to be born into the family I was, whose great examples of love and parenting have been passed on to each successive generation. Most of my Romanian cousins are leading successful lives, thanks to the love and care of my aunts.

               Have you ever wondered when the brain's neural foundations are "set" or permanent? Well, according to Dr. Michael Merzenich, neurosurgeon and founder of Scientific Learning, they never are. Even adult brains have plasticity, and he has proven it. More on this discussion later.

http://thegodfreymethod.com

Ten O'Clock Scholar - How to reduce those power struggles over learning

     Reduce those power struggles over learning!

               Here are some suggestions for taking the wind out of an argument’s sail. Talk with children, not to them. Win cooperation – recognize a behavior’s purpose; feel NO rancor; discuss.

                Use sentences like:  

                                                                    

•“How do _?”                                                      •“I wonder why _?”

•“You may be right.”                                            •“What if _?”

•“We’ll think about it and see what happens.”        •“What else could _?”

•“Do you have any ideas _?”                                •“What can _?”

•“I would appreciate it if you would _.”

•“I don’t agree with you, but you have the right to think so, if you wish.”

               We can improve the way we think about things with a few simple suggestions. We can replace negative habits with positive ones, as suggested below. 

REPLACE:

• Resentment & Discontent with GRATITUDE
• Criticisms with COMPLIMENTS
• Anger with HUMOR, PATIENCE, WISDOM
• Selfishness with SERVICE
• Ridicule with RESPECT
• Error with REPENTANCE
• Cruelty with CHARITY
• Contention with PEACE
• Pride with HUMILITY
• Rudeness with COURTESY
• Worry with FAITH

     “Life is not the survival of the fittest, but the fitting of as many as possible for survival.”                                                                                                 ~ Thomas H. Huxley, ad-libbed.

Dr. Randy S. Chatelain, Chair of the Human Relations Department at Weber State University, developed the astute

Oppositional vs. Opportunity Systems:

Which kind of relationships do you develop? It is possible to discipline without anger, with love and logic. Better late than never.

               The Godfrey Method insists that parents de-fuse the control games by keeping the learning fun and stopping when young children are ready to take a break. Another way is to change your viewpoint of what it means to be the parent, the boss, the authority.

               Without the preventatives shown in this chapter, the cracks in your child may be dyslexia, speech problems, resource remediation classes, being teased, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, low self-esteem, insecurity, childhood depression, low self-confidence, lack of imagination, lower IQ, slower learning capacity, poor decision-making skills, lack of social skills, math incompetency, low-paying jobs, and/or caught in the downward educational trend. They all may be preventable or curable. You, mom and dad, are the key. It’s not rocket surgery!

http://thegodfreymethod.com

Ten O'Clock Scholar - the brain needs constant data input

Develop your child's brain (and yours, too!):

               Did you know that the brain needs constant data-input? An old proverb says that those with high intelligence talk about ideas, with middle intelligence talk about things, and with low intelligence talk about people. Those who can’t entertain themselves in wholesome ways, such as reading, creating art, designing or engineering something, writing, recreational activities, etc., still need data-input.

               Some tend to shop too much or redecorate their houses for the umpteenth time, gossip, pick fights, buy another pocket knife or tool, watch too much sports, primp in the mirror a lot, and so on. Their brains need new data-input all the time, but it tends to be on a very shallow level of immediate gratification without much thought. Quite often it’s just visual input of things to look at for no real reason, such as television, internet, video games, pinterest, or driving around. Moderation in all things is the key.

               Astute parents will gear their child’s data-input towards ideas and creativity. To ensure that a child develops higher-level thinking, first teach him/her to read early the right way and to love reading. Surround your child with books, artistic tools and building sets. Get the child a simple microscope set. Play board games and/or do puzzles together as a family. Encourage your child to find things to do that give quality data-input into the brain.

               It is useful for a person to know how to make small-talk in social situations, but for the most part s/he needs the ability to discuss ideas and be creative. Data-input for the brain should be uplifting, creative, and challenging. Parents who help their children learn how to motivate and entertain themselves – and think without the constant need of outside entertainment – will raise flourishing, high-level thinkers and problem-solvers.

               Being a geek is gaining not only acceptance but also popularity. I recently saw a t-shirt that said, “Geek is Chic.” I loved it! Remember, geeks and nerds run the world. So, I decided to Google that wonderful phrase and came up with so many positive resources. Check these out!

· The Chic Geek's Fashion, Grooming and Style Guide for Men, Marcus Jaye, Sterling Pub Co Inc, 2011.

·        Geek Wisdom, N.K. Jemisin, Random House Inc, 2011.

·        The Geek Dad Book for Aspiring Mad Scientists: The Coolest Experiments and Projects for Science Fairs and Family Fun, Ken Denmead, Penguin Group USA, 2011.

·        Suck It, Wonder Woman!: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek, Olivia Munn, St Martins Pr, 2010.

·        Theater Geek: The Real Life Drama of a Summer at Stagedoor Manor, the Famous Performing Arts Camp, Mickey Rapkin, Simon & Schuster, 2010.

·        Geek Charming, Robin Palmer, Puffin Books, 2009.

·        

There were so many more humorous and interesting titles and products!

               In summary, encourage your child to focus on ideas and creativity for his/her brain data-input. It is possible to be a geek and still have social skills without being materialistic.

http://thegodfreymethod.com

Ten O'Clock Scholar - The mind-body connection of reading

Did you know that all your senses can help you learn to read?

        We all have 5 senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Personally, I would call emotion a sixth sense because I often feel my emotions in my heart or chest area, as well as other parts of my body. Science calls it psycho-somatic, meaning that the mind affects the body (and vice versa). Some parents make the mistake of only focusing on one area of a child’s intelligence, either academic or sports. Children need exposure to many types of learning to be well-rounded. All areas affect the mind. Mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual healths are inter-related and we should encourage them in our children, for robust lives and futures.

        There is a mind-body connection that is important to understand. There are many examples of times when body movement optimizes mental ability. Since the goal of most parents is for their gifted children to be well-rounded people, the mind-body connection is important to consider.

        There is a proven connection between academics, infants and academics. Crawling affects language, reading, and math abilities. Children who crawled longer as babies often have an increased ability to learn during school years. In fact, children who are struggling in school show marked improvement when they do crawling exercises each day, even at ten years old or older. The eye-hand-leg coordination that is learned helps brain processing in all areas. It may be related to spatial relationships and timing patterns, which always improve math and reading. Young parents are often excited to have their babies walking early, but wise parents will encourage their infants to crawl longer.

        Playing an instrument such as piano improves mental functioning. Music definitely improves space and time understanding, which maximizes learning in all areas. Likewise, hearing classical music from Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart has been proven to increase intelligence in infants and children. There is something about the compositions from these four geniuses that increase the necessary neuron paths required for higher-level thinking. Wise parents incorporate music into their children’s lives, by both listening and playing instruments.

        Playing sports can sharpen logic and logistical intelligence. Grasping how several players coordinate together, and all the many possibilities of interaction and play, is an important part of problem-solving later in life.

        About age 5, it may be a good idea to start children in community t-ball, soccer, basketball or swimming. The recreation department at most city offices has information on all community sports. They also usually have a city pool that offers affordable swim lessons during the summer. Start children in sports early. The hand-eye-leg coordination required is akin to crawling in maximizing intelligence. Caution: do not neglect intellectual stimulation for physical prowess.

        Three of my sons loved the swim team. None of them became Olympic or professional material, but they learned valuable lessons and strengthened their bodies, which strengthened their minds, and learned the value of teamwork. The oldest went to the State Swim Competition. Smart children are often independent and stand alone in their intellectual abilities. They may begin to think that their way is the only way, or that because they are smart, they are always right. It is good for them to learn teamwork and compromise in a team sport. It is good for them to learn that others have good ideas, too.

        The steps to success are intention, attention, and then no tension. First, write down the goal that is intended to accomplish. Then give it attention and real effort for a sustained time. Finally, release the tension and do something else for a while. It is while doing something physical that the “Aha!” moments often come.

        Personally, I pace when I’m having a mind blank. Washing dishes, walking, exercising, creating something with your hands, or just doing something physical releases ideas from the mind at unexpected times. Sleep affects mental acuity, too. Some “Aha!” moments occur in the middle of the night, awakened from sleep, where the mind has had a chance to relax. Many geniuses relax with some sort of physical art like painting, sculpting, carpentry, or other creative activity unrelated to their area of expertise. Giving the conscious mind a break allows the subconscious to kick in ideas.

        Chiropractors such as Dr. Bradley Nelson (The Emotion Code) have shown that stress stored in the body relates to memories of traumatic moments. There is also a strong correlation between depression and physical ailments, where a negative mental attitude suppresses the immune system and allows illness in. The reverse is also true, that chronic illness can provoke depression. Keeping a positive mental attitude can keep the body healthier. By the same token, proper nutrition and exercise keep the mind and emotions healthier.

        Some parents make the mistake of only focusing on the gifted child’s academic intelligence, or vice-versa. All other areas affect the mind, too. Mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health are all inter-related and should be encouraged in gifted children for robust lives and futures.

        “Mom, there’s nothing to do!” Recognize that summer-time whine from your kids? Sometimes they need to put down the books, computer, and games and play outside. Children need the right side of their brains exercised as much as the left, so activities in the arts and humanities are refreshing and beneficial.

        Stimulate your child’s imagination and creative juices with family trips to local water parks, federal reserve banks, museums with activities, pioneer towns, skating, nature reserves and farmstead parks, puppetry institutes, children’s science institutes, cave exploring, library activities, fine arts centers, community theaters, zoos, petting zoos, bird refuges, festivals, renaissances, college-sponsored math competitions for kids, picnics, nature hikes, arts & crafts, amusement parks, camping, historical sites, old downtown shops, reunions, to name a few.

        Specialty museums, such as Native American museums and cultural centers, are a great way to expand your child’s social understanding. Local history is a splendid way to open your child’s mind to the past. Many historic buildings have tours and children’s activities. Check them out!

http://thegodfreymethod.com

Ten O'Clock Scholar - Is it a learning disability or just a learning style

a   Did you know that a learning style can be mistaken for a learning disability?

               John Holt’s book, Teach Your Own, first introduced me to the idea that dyslexia is misdiagnosed. The idea that children see letters as 3-dimensional objects came from him, as he proved that children are not seeing letters backward. Research from Dr. Samuel Blumenfeld and others has shown that sight-words are the culprit. When our educational system took true phonics out of the classroom, it was a step backward. Whole-language is the limiting hieroglyphic system, whereas phonics is the most progressive innovation of the centuries. It still is.

               Gifted children are not truly ADHD, just bored and full of ideas and energy. Dyslexia is neither visual nor genetic. It is induced. Tendencies are never set in stone and can be overcome by environment and free will. Late-bloomers are not “slow”, just flourishing at their own rate. In fact, they are often very bright.

               Help your son break the gender gap in reading so his gift can shine. Did you know that there is a worldwide gender gap in reading, especially with whole language or sight-reading methods? Science has shown that boys are very different from girls in fetal development, emotional response, brain differentiation, and such. The multi-focus teaching methods above favor girls in academic achievement. However, when the single-focus approach of systematic phonics is used, the sex differences are eliminated, with the boys even outperforming the girls sometimes.

               In my book, It's Not Rocket Surgery! Vol. 3, I discussed the Visual Attention Span (VAS) Theory. VAS is the number of letters that can be held in short-term memory and, as children mature, their VAS increases. The more letters a student can hold in his or her short-term memory, the better he or she will fare with whole language/balanced literacy methods (which involve a lot of memorization).

               As I shared in Vol. 5, out of the VAS clinical practice has come the results that since boys mature more slowly than girls, boys tend to have lower VAS scores and do worse at reading in whole language/balanced literacy classrooms. But in systematic phonics classrooms, where children are required to process sounds as opposed to memorizing letters, VAS is not a factor and there is no gender gap. The creators of VAS Theory use systematic phonics, succeeding in teaching 100% of their students to read, with data based on their study of more than 3000 children.

               So, knowing that children often fall behind with whole-language or sight-reading methods, a wise parent will make sure that her son (or daughter) has systematic, synthetic phonics taught as his method of reading! Since reading is the foundation of everything else, he will have a much better chance to be his brightest self. Geek is Chic! 

               On July 15, 2011, I was a guest on Vivienne McNeny’s internet radio show – The Sociable Homeschooler – http://toginet.com/shows/thesociablehomeschooler/articles/2070. Among our several topics of conversation, we discussed late bloomers. I have several family members who seemed to drift aimlessly as young adults, but who became successful later in life. Never give up!

               “It’s never too late to become the person you might have been” George Elliott

               Vivienne shared how one of her sons was a ball of energy who couldn’t settle down long enough to concentrate on his assignments. Did she put him on Ritalin? No, she wisely helped him by writing his stories as he dictated them to her, giving him oral spelling tests while he engaged in other activities, read books and textbooks with him, etc. To some her son may have had a learning disability, but he was just a late bloomer, who is fine now. He’s also very intelligent, which giftedness is often misdiagnosed as ADHD. Vivienne had the insight to help her son learn until he flourished at his own pace.

               Sometimes dealing with a child’s struggles can seem exhausting. The best way to beat mommy burn-out is to change the way we’re thinking about a situation. It also helps to find out that we’re not alone and others are coping with similar issues.

               The internet makes it easy to find social groups with similar interests and experiences. Sites like www.meetup.com have just about any kind of group you want to join. Google can find any subject. Support of friends goes a long way to helping us carry on with joy.

               I just love the poem, Don’t You Quit:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

               When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

               When the funds are low and the debts are high,

               And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

               When care is pressing you down a bit-

               Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

               As every one of us sometimes learns,

               And many a fellow turns about

               When he might have won, had he stuck it out.

               Don't give up though the pace seems slow -

               You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

               It seems to a faint and faltering man;

               Often the struggler has given up

               When he might have captured the victor's cup;

               And he learned too late when the night came down,

               How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -

               The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

               And you never can tell how close you are,

               It might be near when it seems afar;

               So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

               It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Author Unknown              http://www.thedontquitpoem.com/thePoem.htm

http://thegodfreymethod.com

12 ways to give your child dyslexia

http://thegodfreymethod.com/blog/open-world-12-ways-give-your-child-dyslexia

Ten O'Clock Scholar - Learning styles of girls vs. boys

In general, do girls and boys have different learning styles? Find out here!

                It seems that the different learning styles reflect, in general, the learning differences between girls and boys. Of course there are always exceptions, but girls tend to be more audio-sequential (left-brain), while boys tend to be more visual-spatial (right-brain). No wonder boys typically do better with 3-dimensional video games and girls generally enjoy writing more! (For more in-depth discussion of learning styles, see my previous blogs.)

                This is counter-intuitive to the original left-brain/right-brain theory of men vs. women, but explains why many boys don’t catch up academically to girls until middle school age. I was always taught that men were more logical and left-brained, and women were more right-brained. Dr. Silverman’s research shows, not necessarily. Perhaps the idea that men are more “logical” stems from the truth that it is more common for females to network both brain hemispheres simultaneously, whereas males tend to use one side at a time. Often men don’t to understand the leaps that women make in connecting multiple data streams, therefore think they are illogical. Quite the opposite is true, actually.

                Plus, socially it is more acceptable for women to express emotions, so they do. The emotions can still be based on intuitive logic, but misunderstood by men, who have learned to suppress most emotions in public (except anger). Both sexes feel the whole range of emotions, but their intensity and manifestation may differ. And what is important to males and females may be different, whether genetic, social, or both. Thus they can misinterpret each other’s motivating factors. This does not mean one is more logical or emotional than the other. They complement each other.

                Personally, I seem to have parts of both learning-styles: I learn better by seeing than hearing, but I am more sequential than spatial. Call me, visual-sequential, with a little of everything else thrown in.

        There is an intriguing article by Sharon Begley, Gray Matters, Newsweek (March 27, 1995), at http://www.newsweek.com/1995/03/26/gray-matters.html. Quoting several sections:

                “Of course men and women are different. Boy, are they different. In every sphere of life, it seems, the sexes act, react or perform differently. Toys? A little girl daintily sets up her dolls, plastic cups and saucers, while her brother assembles his Legos into a gun -- and ambushes the tea party. Navigating? The female tourist turns her map every which way but right, trying to find the way back to that charming bistro, while her boyfriend charges ahead, remembering every tricky turn without fail. Relationships? With spooky intuition, women's acute senses pick up subtle tones of voice and facial expressions; men are insensitive clods who can't tell a sad face until it drenches them in tears. Cognition? Females excel at language, like finding just the right words to make their husbands feel like worms; males can't verbalize even one good excuse for stumbling home at 2 a.m.

                “Stereotypes? Maybe -- but as generalizations they have a large enough kernel of truth that scientists, like everyone else, suspect there's something going on here. As Simon LeVay, a Salk Institute neuroscientist put it recently, "There are differences in the mental lives of men and women.''

And from a scientific study:

                “With new technologies like functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), researchers catch brains in the very act of cogitating, feeling or remembering. Already this year researchers have reported that men and women use different clumps of neurons when they take a first step toward reading and when their brains are "idling.'' And, coming soon to a research journal near you, provocative studies will report that women engage more of their brains than men when they think sad thoughts -- but, possibly, less of their brains when they solve SAT math problems.

                “Twenty-two male and 22 female students were PET-scanned while they solved SAT math problems. By detecting areas of the brain using the most blood, PET pinpoints active regions.

                “Male students with high SAT scores showed intense activity in the temporal lobes (red spots at top and sides), compared with men with average scores. In men, it seems, ability is related to how hard the brain works.

                “Brain activity in the mathematically gifted women was less intense than in the high-SAT men, even though their scores were comparable. These women expended no more neural effort than the average-SAT women.

                Summarized from the PET Scan Photo:

·         The region of the cerebral cortex that helps control hearing, memory and a person's sense of self and time, is stronger in men.

·         Women have more neurons in a tiny region of the temporal lobe behind the eye, which understands language as well as melodies and speech tones. In cognitively normal men, this region has about 10 percent fewer neurons than it does in women.

·         The bundle of neurons that is the main bridge between the left brain and the right, carrying messages between them is larger in men. (A bigger brain area matters only if it has more neurons, the cells that carry communications, in it. This is not yet proven.)

·         In women, the back part of the callosum is bigger than in men. This may explain why women use both sides of their brain for language. A man's corpus callosum takes up less volume in his brain than a woman's does, suggesting the two hemispheres communicate less.

·         In men, the commissure is smaller than it is in women, even though men's brains are, on average, larger than women's. The larger commissure in women may be another reason their two cerebral hemispheres seem to work in partnership on tasks from language to emotional responses.

                “Women tend to have better language skills -- perhaps because the emotional right brain enriches their left-brain vocabulary. And women have better intuition -- perhaps because they are in touch with the left brain's rationality and the right's emotions simultaneously.

                “Women can't understand why men find it so hard to be sensitive to emotions. According to the PET scans, women's brains didn't have to work as hard to excel at judging emotion. Women's limbic system, the part of the brain that controls emotion, was less active than the limbic system of men doing worse. That is, the men's brains were working overtime to figure out the faces. But the extra effort didn't do them much good.

                “Men and women were asked whether the expressions on actors' faces were sad or happy and were monitored by PET scans as they decided”

                “Men did as well as women -- 90 percent right -- in identifying happy male and female faces. But they were worse at sensing sad women. Overall, women were better able to judge facial expressions of both sexes. The PET scan showed their brains required less energy than the men's to decide.

                “But if the first tantalizing findings are any clue, the research will show that our identities as men and women are creations of both nature and nurture. And that no matter what nature deals us, it is we -- our choices, our sense of identity, our experiences in life -- who make ourselves what we are.”

                Great article, right?! But some people may try to use such scientific data to prove one sex is superior over the other. The truth is, society needs both types of brains, male and female, to function well. Our need for men’s single-minded focus and for women’s networking abilities became obvious to me in a wonderful book, Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey, by Lillian Schlissel, Schocken Books (1992).

                In her book the author gives the historical account of the United States’ westward movement through the eyes of the women. Historians typically write from the men’s journals and perspectives, but Schlissel’s work showed a different side to seeking land in Oregon, following the California gold rush, or the Mormon exodus to the Salt Lake Valley, to name a few of the prospects that pulled pioneers westward. The viewpoint of pioneer women gave a much richer flavor to the decisions and approaches to leave everything behind.

                Men sought the bigger picture, gold, land, religious freedom, with a one-track mind, and made sure the wagons, animals, tools, rifles, etc., were ready to go. Women saw the difficulties in the details of how to keep children safe, keep yeast-starter for bread dough alive, how to cook, how to find water, pack enough food, essentially take care of everyone’s everything. They had no desire to leave their established, comfortable homes in the East to head into the unknown. They must have been terrified to imagine giving birth without a midwife in the middle of nowhere. What if their children fell under the horses’ hooves or wagon wheels? What if they got sick? Most pioneer women would never have gone west if their husbands hadn’t insisted. Yet they were the glue that held the journey together.

                As I read these true stories, I realized that progress takes both men and women; men to fearlessly forge ahead, and women to make sure everyone is safe, nurtured and cared for. That does not mean that they are pigeon-holed in those roles; there is a lot of overlap as men and women help each other. But in general, men’s brains, using one brain hemisphere – or the other – at a time, give them the ability focus on the end goal. 

               Women’s brains, using both hemispheres simultaneously, give them the ability to keep track of the details of everyday life and families. Men may be more aggressive to confront problems, while women may be more willing to compromise. Both ways of thinking balance each other. Neither is superior. We should celebrate everyone’s gifts and appreciate each contribution to the community and family as a whole. I am equally proud of my eight daughters and my seven sons. All are encouraged to pursue whatever interests, talents, and vocations they enjoy.

                Some quote studies saying that our genes make us who we are. But that’s only part of the truth. Environment and our own free-will both play a big part in whom we choose to become. Our consciousness is more than just the genes in our DNA. In fact, we can choose to overcome our genetic tendencies.

Dr. Stanton E. Samenow’s book, “Before It’s Too Late – Why some kids get into trouble and what parents can do about it,” reports many cases of mind-over-matter in juvenile delinquents and their siblings. Nature plays a part in our tendencies; nurture plays a large part in galvanizing them; but our choices of how we respond to events play an equal part in whether we solidify those tendencies or not. Of course, good nurturing can help guide our choices towards the positive.  http://www.amazon.com/Before-Its-Late-Stanton-Samenow/dp/0812916468 

                Health Day News reports that “it's not nurture or nature that determine a predisposition toward delinquent behavior in adolescents, it's the combination of the two,” say researchers from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Genetics and social factors are tied to male delinquency: family, friends, and school all impact the expression of certain molecular variants.

                The American Sociological Review points to three genetic polymorphisms that, when paired with social factors, can predict future serious and violent delinquency:

                "While genetics appear to influence delinquency, social influences such as family, friends and school seem to impact the expression of certain genetic variants," said study author – Professor Guang Guo of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. "Positive social influences appear to reduce the delinquency-increasing effect of a genetic variant, whereas the effect of these genetic variants is amplified in the absence of social controls."

                "Our research confirms that genetic effects are not deterministic," Guo added. "Gene expression may depend heavily on the environment."

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2008/07/17/genetics-social-factors-tied-to-male-delinquency 

                As Begley said, “…no matter what nature deals us, it is we -- our choices, our sense of identity, our experiences in life -- who make ourselves what we are.”

                This is why dyslexia is not genetic but induced. Even if a child has hearing-processing difficulties or genetic tendencies for dyslexia (and related disorders), his exposures to parenting and/or teaching methods are the most significant factors. The physical problems and tendencies can be surmounted. Triggers for dyslexia (et al), such as noise pollution and sight-reading, can be avoided. Early reading the right way erases dyslexic tendencies.

Taken from my book, Vol. 8, It's Not Rocket Surgery! by Shannah B Godfrey

http://thegodfreymethod.com

DR. QUANTUM - DOUBLE SLIT EXPERIMENT

According to the Aspect Experiment, this proves Niels Bohr's Copenhagen Interpretation, which shows that there is a primary consciousness. Science has verified God. Dr. Edward R. Close developed the Calculus of Distinctions to include primary consciousness as the first step of physical creation in quantum physics. This was almost 30 years ago. We should have had a major paradigm shift in science to include primary consciousness. Instead, they ignored the data. Read Transcendental Physics for the mathematical proofs and logic.





http://thegodfreymethod.com

Science verifies the existence of God

"One test is worth a thousand theories." ~ Jim Sinclair

In the book, “Transcendental Physics”, by Dr. Edward R. Close, the amazing Aspect Experiment is detailed, which verifies the existence of God by science. He also traces the history of physics which led to this discovery. The Theory of Relativity (Einstein) explains the physical world on a cosmic, macro scale (light is waves). But it creates certain paradoxes with phenomena observed but not explained by it.

Then quantum physics (Planck and others) came along and explained the physical world on an atomic, micro scale (light is particles). Again, there were certain paradoxes that it couldn’t explain. And the theories did not agree with each other on several points. Relativity is deterministic (no free agency), while quantum theory is probabilistic (yes free agency).

So Niels Bohr came up with his Copenhagen Interpretation, which theorized that a photon (or other quanta – the basic building blocks of all physical things) did not really exist until it registered an effect that was observable by an observer. Until there was an observer and a measured effect, the photon was just in the "spectrum of all possible states" – could be a wave, could be a particle – until a distinction was made by an observer. The observer chose and caused the creation and nature of the registering photon.

What?! The photon doesn’t actually exist as a physical thing traveling between the source (like light) to the photographic plate until a consciousness registers its effects?

Wheeler and others came up with Bell’s Theorem, which is the mathematical proof of the Copenhagen Interpretation. But even the mathematical proof was still a logical theory until it was tested and proven. So in 1984 Alain Aspect in France created a lab experiment that was able to show light registering as wave patterns, then light registering as particles, depending on his conscious choice in the experiment. He did a double-slit experiment with a venetian blind of photographic plates in front of the final photographic plate.

But the kicker came when he did a delayed-time experiment with the light source, the slits, and the venetian blind. With enough distance between source and registering plate, he could calculate the time (based on the speed of light) a photon would need to pass through the slit, then wait until after that time to choose to close the venetian blind. What would happen?

Normally, with the blind open, light behaved one way, and with the blind closed, light behaved the other way. After the delayed-time of choosing to close the blind, the light should have behaved as if the blind were open, because it should have already passed. But the light behaved as if the blind were closed before it got there. The blind was closed after the point (time) of passage. This was a conundrum, but it scientifically proved the Copenhagen Interpretation and Bell’s Theorem mathematics. It was the choice of the observer that brought the photon out of the spectrum of possibilities and created its characteristics. The observer created the photon. And time must be three-dimensional!

Out of this has come Dr. Close's mathematical proof of the Calculus of Distinctions, proving that a Primary Consciousness (God) had to exist before the first photon was ever created, before the Big Bang, before everything. It proved that all physical structure was created by the Primary Consciousness first, and without whom nothing in the physical world can exist. Science has proven God. Primary Consciousness has to be the very first step in quantum mechanics.

Dr. Close continues with his logic that the Primary Consciousness has to have 2 functions: first to make a distinction (choice of creation), then to continuously uphold that order and structure in the universe. Otherwise, entropy causes it all to fall apart. Well, this sounds like God the Father is the first function of consciousness: the mind/will of God (or the word of His mouth) – a thought, a distinction – creates all things. And it sounds like God the Son (Jesus) is the second function, to create the order and structure of those distinctions and sustain it all throughout. The empty space of the universe has infinite energy in it, proven mathematically by someone else, and this reminds me of the Holy Ghost, in all and through all.

Relativity and quantum theory in the physical world view time as linear and always moving forward. However, transcendental physics and the Calculus of Distinctions, born out of Aspect’s experiment, have shown that time is 3-dimensional and can move forward or backward, as well as have different linear times cross each other up and down (backwards and forwards) in a whole matrix. This reminds me of Neal A. Maxwell’s quote of Joseph Smith who said that – for God – the past, present, and future constitute one, eternal NOW.

No atheist can cling to science as proof against God. Science has proven God exists and is the Creator. Anyone who clings to atheism ought to belong to the Flat Earth Society, or still believe that the sun orbits around earth. There is no more denying the Primary Consciousness! Why has science ignored Aspect's Experiment for over 30 years, now? Others repeated his experiment with the same results. There should have been a scientific paradigm shift, one in which the physical sciences and quantum mechanics starts with God first, in the mathematics and theorems. Yet they have ignored the data or swept it under the rug (don't tell the children)!

Many of the ideas and logic arising from Aspect’s experiment were revealed to Joseph Smith back in the 1830s. Science is just now starting to catch up. Dr. Close mentioned several famous spiritualists in history, including Jesus, but left out a very important one – Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith revealed that new heavens and earths are created as old heavens and earths pass away. Scientists mocked him back then. Now the Hubble Telescope has captured evidence of galaxies and stars dying, and galaxies and stars being born. Joseph Smith said that Jesus Christ lit the solar sun with the light of His glory. He did. Joseph revealed from God that He made everything and gives us our every breath and supports us from moment to moment. So does transcendental physics.

Joseph Smith revealed that tobacco and alcohol are harmful for our bodies over a century before science did. And so much more!

He also revealed that all things are created spiritually before they are created physically. This is also found in transcendental physics logic. Basically, the Primary Consciousness has the spectrum of all possibilities and chooses to collapse them out of that spiritual realm into the physical by an act of distinction.

Actually, Joseph Smith taught that we are eternal intelligences that always existed. Whether we were carved out of God’s intelligence or just with him in a state of "being", I don’t know. But first God created our spirit bodies for our intelligences out of spiritual matter which is of a finer substance than physical matter. Then he created our physical bodies to put our spirits in on this physical earth. Steps of distinctions. From here, death will separate our spirits and bodies for a time, but resurrection (thanks to Christ) will reunite them again eternally. Our bodies will then be immortal, incorruptible, never to part again.

What was the first distinction? I actually think that Jesus was the first distinction, therefore the First Born of the Father.

Transcendental physics says that all things are created with God first, which is correct, but some proponents still think He is only spiritual or of a spiritual substance. However, if He thought of physicality and thought it was important for us, then logically He has a physical body, too, albeit perfect, immortal, incorruptible, and in complete spirituality with control over all the desires, appetites, and passions of the body. After all, we were created in His image. Literally! Plus Jesus was resurrected with His physical body in perfection, and He still has it. So why not the Father, too?

We all have a spark of divinity in us, a piece of Primary Consciousness. We saw God’s physical body and wanted one, too. Somehow we had or were given our own consciousness and agency, and wanted to become more like Him. Eastern philosophies and religions denounce the physical body and think it holds us back. Perhaps, in this carnal world, it does hold us back from spirituality because of sin, ego, and temptation. But in the eternal scheme of things, an immortal, incorruptible body, over which we have learned control of our desires, appetites, and passions, would be a glorious thing! Would be much better than just a spirit body! To have all spirituality coupled with physical creation would be absolutely wonderful! And in 3-D time, no less! To travel anywhere in the blink of an eye!

Transcendental physics does not try to say exactly what the Primary Consciousness is, just that it definitely exists, and existed prior to everything physical. Dr. Close doesn't try to specify if God is Christian, Islam, Hindu, or other Eastern deity. He just is.

However, what if God Himself stepped into our physical world and told someone who He was exactly? Would people want to know? Well, I testify that He did just that. It is the First Vision of Joseph Smith, and it is glorious. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are two separate beings, each with physical, immortal bodies. The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit matter. The three work together with one purpose. It was time for the true gospel to be restored to the physical world. The Book of Mormon is a second witness of Christ, to go hand-in-hand with and support the Bible.

Prayer puts us in touch with Primary Consciousness, God our Father, lets us connect to the non-physical world in a very real way. Prayer is energy and power. It is a real substance.
Also, the Eastern idea of reincarnation is a counterfeit, fool’s gold to true resurrection. And the universe is the creation, not the Creator. We should send our hopes and dreams up to God in prayer, not to the universe in positive thoughts. People are worshipping the clay pot instead of the potter who made it, so to speak.

One more thing: by the Second Law of Thermodynamics - entropy - evolution does not work. It is a faulty theory and completely illogical. Aspect's Experiment upholds intelligent design. Evolution is a religion of faith, but it is a false religion. All so-called "proofs" have been found wanting; many have been disproven or discovered to be fraudulent. Hybrids and differences in species are a LOSS of DNA information, not a gain. They are whittling down from DNA which had all characteristics down to specific, selected characteristics, and the new hybrid or species has lost some original DNA.

Let's get this new, scientific paradigm, which is 30 years overdue, rolling!
http://thegodfreymethod.com

It is a child, not a choice - non-religious arguments

Children are precious!

I am anti-abortion and pro-life, which I post on social media often. Some of my atheist cousins and friends are pro-abortion (as pro-choice), and they don’t want to hear any religious reasons for debating against abortion. In fact, some have challenged me to show why abortion is wrong without bringing God into it. This morning as I showered to prepare for work, the Spirit gave me some thoughts about this subject.

Scientific studies have proven that fetuses feel pain. Science has also proven that a fetus is its own person, not part of the mother – it has its own unique DNA, its own heartbeat, its own circulatory system which is separate from the mother’s, and reacts to stimuli.

Atheists usually believe in something, even if not God, like Karma or energy in the universe or the Law of Attraction (or compassion for the defenseless innocent animals and trees, save the death-row inmates, etc.)

That being said, what is the Karma of torturing and murdering 60 million innocent babies, so far, in the United States? What is the Karma as a nation of so much violence and blood? Many of these babies are ripped to shreds while alive, or have their brains and body organs harvested while they are still alive, or are born alive then left to die on a cold, steel table. What is the Karma for the mother who does this to her own baby, another human being? What is the Karma for the doctors and nurses who perform such violent atrocities?

Many believe in putting positive energy to the universe (the Law of Attraction) in order to draw positive energy back to oneself. What kind of energy is sent out by ripping a living child to pieces to die? What kind of energy is attracted by so much murder and atrocities? What kind of energy is now coming back to the mother? To the doctors and nurses? To the nation?

Investigative reports have also shown that Planned Parenthood clinics have been used by child molesters to hide their sins (usually someone the girls know - fathers, brothers, step-fathers, uncles, family friends, neighbors).  They bring young teenagers, whom they raped and impregnated, to abortion clinics without their mothers’ knowledge. The law doesn’t require parents to be notified!

What is the Karma of raping a child then getting her an abortion? What is the Karma of that for the doctors and nurses? For the nation? Where is justice for the girls? The sins of the perpetrators are hidden. This black energy will also come back to us. This Karma will return. We are an evil nation for accepting this as pro-choice.

We know from physics that energies are real wavelengths that resonate at different frequencies. Lower-energy frequencies cannot resonate in the same spheres as higher-energy frequencies, therefore lower energies tend to gravitate to lower and higher to higher. The lower (dark or negative) energies cannot stay in the same plane as the higher (light or positive) energies.

So from the very laws of physics, creating negative energies of killing life will draw more negative energies. Who wants that in his/her life? Abortion brings lower-resonating energy to us all, which affects the overall health of our nation. Lower-frequency energies mess up the functioning of our body organs and systems and can cause chronic illnesses. Chiropractors know this truth.

I do not understand how the same people who want to save trees and baby whales and prison inmates feel no sorrow about torturing innocent baby humans. They are messing up their Karma. They are putting very negative, violent, dark energy out into the universe. They are bringing down our nation. Scientific studies also show that women who have abortions have much higher incidents of mental and emotional break-downs later.

Any woman who can murder her own child doesn’t deserve to be a mother. But that does not make abortion any less despicable or bloody. If one doesn’t believe in God, then believe that the universe is not happy with all this negative energy, and that we are reaping a dark Karma on ourselves.

The choice begins before the woman gets pregnant. Unfortunately, most abortions are NOT the result of rape or incest. They are a choice, which should have been made long before a pregnancy occurred. Once a human is formed, choice ends. Buck up and accept responsibility or choose adoption – the positive Karma!

But I know there is a God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the True and Living God, and his son Jehovah. We are reaping a terrible judgment down on our nation. You can call it Karma, you can call it the Law of Attraction, you can call it pro-choice, but the cruel, bloody murder will affect us all. Period. God is not happy, the universe is not happy, the energy is not happy, and Karma and judgment will have their day.

For the mother who regrets her abortion, there is hope. Give it to Jesus and repent. He will forgive. He will heal your heart. Turn to him and sin no more. For the young girls who were forced against their will, you are not condemned. Virtue can only be given, not taken. You did not lose your virtue.
Tuesday, 08 Sep 2015

http://thegodfreymethod.com

Ten-O'clock Scholar - what is your learning style

      Are you more left-brained or more right-brained? Are you more auditory or visual? How about your children? Check this out:

     Auditory-sequential learners:

     The left brain-hemisphere is sequential, analytical, and time-oriented. Imagine my shock to learn that many girls and women are using more of the left side of their brain. So much for the myth of being ‘illogical’. No wonder we like to analyze relationships with our girlfriends!

      Auditory-sequential males would likely focus on the left side of their brain most of the time. But A-S females may have the added benefit of networking with their right side often. Hence, decorating the house with crafts and such. No, I am not saying one gender is better than the other, just diverse in processing. Problem-solving abilities are equal in men and women, though solutions may be approached differently. I saw this in the corporate world often.

      Even auditory-sequential learners can benefit from hands-on learning. As discussed in Vol. 7 of my It's Not Rocket Surgery!, when I worked as a chemist on solid rocket motors (SRM), I volunteered every year to run several Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) workshops for middle school girls. To get them excited about math and science, my team taught the girls to make their own lotion with lab equipment. It was always one of the most popular workshops.

     

     There is nothing better for girls than to be mentored in math and science by successful women scientists and engineers. Plus I loved to show them my family picture with 15 children so they could see that they don’t have to give up motherhood to use their brains, or vice versa. Mrs. Barton, my algebra teacher and mother of four, mentored me, and I want to pass her good example on.

      

     Visual-spatial learners:

                 The right brain-hemisphere perceives the whole, synthesizes, and apprehends movement in space. More males tend to be visual-spatial learners. According to Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D., visual-spatial research has been “validated on 750 fourth, fifth and sixth graders.  In this research, one-third [33%] of the school population emerged as strongly visual-spatial. An additional 30% showed a slight preference for the visual-spatial learning style.  Only 23% were strongly auditory-sequential.  This suggests that a substantial percentage of the school population would learn better using visual-spatial methods. [With The Godfrey Method phonics!] 

[It also shows that about 53% of children learn fine from auditory-sequential learning. In fact, whole-language has caused many more problems than it has solved, if any.]

                “Visual-spatial learners are individuals who think in pictures rather than in words.  They have a different brain organization than auditory-sequential learners.  They learn better visually than auditorally.  They learn all-at-once, and when the light bulb goes on, the learning is permanent.  They do not learn from repetition and drill.  They are whole-part learners who need to see the big picture first before they learn the details. They are non-sequential, which means that they do not learn in the step-by-step manner in which most teachers teach. They arrive at correct solutions without taking steps, so ‘show your work’ may be impossible for them. 

                “They may have difficulty with easy tasks, but show amazing ability with difficult, complex tasks.  They are systems thinkers who can orchestrate large amounts of information from different domains, but they often miss the details.  They tend to be organizationally impaired and unconscious about time. 

                “They are often gifted creatively, technologically, mathematically or emotionally. You can tell you have one of these children by the endless amount of time they spend doing advanced puzzles, constructing with Legos, etc., completing mazes, counting everything, playing Tetris on the computer, playing chess, building with any materials at hand, designing scientific experiments, programming your computer, or taking everything in the house apart to see how it operates.  They also are very creative, dramatic, artistic and musical.

                “I’d like to share with you how the visual-spatial learner idea originated. Around 1980, I began to notice that some highly gifted children took the top off the IQ test with their phenomenal abilities to solve items presented to them visually or items requiring excellent abilities to visualize.  These children were also adept at spatial tasks, such as orientation problems.  Soon I discovered that not only were the highest scorers outperforming others on the visual-spatial tasks, but so were the lowest scorers. 

                “The main difference between the two groups was that highly gifted children also excelled at the auditory-sequential items, whereas children who were brighter than their IQ scores had marked auditory and sequential weaknesses.  It was from these clinical observations and my attempt to understand both the strengths and weaknesses that the concept of the ‘visual-spatial learner’ was born.”

                Most public school classrooms are very one-sided, catering to the auditory-sequential learners. Both types of learning are necessary for well-rounded children. Children only have two brain hemispheres, and we are doing an excellent job teaching one of them (left).  Visual-spatial children need a much different curriculum and probably even a different learning environment. When parents and teachers become more aware of how to teach the other (right) hemisphere, we will have happier students, learning more effectively. 

http://thegodfreymethod.com