The Brain Fit advantage

Every dedicated and concerned parent keeps track of their child’s development in school. Some even go the extra mile by giving children supplementary aid through special classes or tutorial sessions to better enhance their little learner’s understanding and comprehension, particularly on subjects they have a little difficulty with.
 As each child is unique, so are their learning style and focus. Some ace their grades simply by listening in class, while some are more visual. Top performers in class pick up lessons faster and they remember them more. Outside of the class setting, top performers in arts or sports also have above average abilities on attention to detail, balance and coordination, speed, among other traits. There are also kids who seem to show less interest in academics as compared to skills training and extra curricular activities. Whatever their problems areas, these are only indicators, not of their inabilities but, instead, weaknesses and needs which can be improved if given the right attention. A child deemed to be inattentive or careless in class may actually just be displaying behaviors which affect his learning and focus.
 There are several studies which show that intelligence is partly hereditary. How to optimize your intellectual capacity depends also on your environment and support system. Sleep quality, proper diet and “screen time” (exposure to distractions such as tv, computer and gadgets) also affect one’s focus and comprehension. Intelligence, cognitive ability or cognitive performance is usually measured through a series of tests which aim to quantify skills such as memory and analytical ability. Results vary between people in how they perform on such tests, which can be related to to genetic and environment factors. In this modern day and age, cognitive performance scores are used primarily because of their predictive ability. Educational attainment, income, job performance and health are all correlated with cognitive performance.
 In a short seminar given by the instructors of BrainFit Studio, parents were given an overview of how important it is to keep the brain “fit” especially starting at a young age. BrainFit is a highly specialized educational program which offers the most up to date neuro-scientific-based brain fitness training in Asia, with branches existing in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
 Similar to physical fitness, which is our foundational body skills that influences our performance in sports, brain fitness is our foundational brain skills which influence learning and achievement in school, work and daily life. Understanding that each individual has a unique brain profile, the program gives emphasis to the 5 Brain Pillars which comprises they key cognitive abilities that form the foundations for all learning: Attention and Memory, Sensory Motor Coordination, Auditory and Language Processing, Visual and Spatial Processing, and Social-Emotional Self-Regulation.
 Smart Programs, as they call it in BrainFit, aim to impart scholastic excellence while providing a rock solid foundation for life long learning. It helps exercise the mind to improve its ability to acquire, retain and process knowledge. There are children who are already intellectually superior and not all need to undergo the focus programs. There are also those who are achievers in their own right but has some needs when it comes to interpersonal relationships or expressing emotions. This is also something which is covered in the Smart Programs which is offered to everyone, from a young child to an older individual. While results are more easily achieved with young minds, brain plasticity (changeability) is not limited to children.
 During a child’s first visit to the BrainFit studio, he undergoes a Cognitive Map assessment — a tool used to measure and analyze the brain fitness level or cognitive skill of a student. Through this, instructors will be able to identify the key opportunity or improvement areas that need to be addressed. It also indicates one’s strengths which can be taken advantage to achieve success and optimum performance. It also serves as a “before snapshot” for pre and post programs comparison and evaluation.
 Once these strengths and weaknesses are identified, the child is given a program designed and customized according to his needs. It’s personalized to suit his unique abilities, ensuring that the brain is engaged at optimal intensity. In all exercises, there is simultaneous development of skills. For example, in SMART VISION, one may be working on his visual attention, visual spatial sense and muscle coordination. A girl may be asked to jumped on the trampoline (muscle coordination training) and focus on the directional arrows on the wall at the same time (visual attention and visual spatial training) with the aim of getting the cells “wire” and “work” together. For SMART LISTENING, brain training and exercise are done in a computer lab where a child is given separate workstations, engaged in special programs to improve his comprehension and auditory skills. SMART MOVES focuses on a child’s sensory fitness.
 The end goal of the whole program is to increase mental capacity through a more enjoyable and easier learning experience. Parents whose children underwent BrainFit have reported improvements in their children within 10 weeks. Some results are evident in the penmanship and speed and ability to read, understand and memorize lines from a story. Most children not only perform better in school but also demonstrate higher self-esteem and greater interest in learning. Other development aspects observed include sentence structure and conversation skills, attentiveness, reading and spelling, interpersonal relationships, Math and theoretical concepts and academic progress.
 BrainFit Studio is opening a branch in Davao this March 17. Parents may inquire about their services through mobile number 0916 247 8765 or email them at brainfitphdavao@gmail.com.