The Science of Energy in Teaching: Pedagogical Energetics

Karl Preis, Austria

Karl Preis, who used to teach EFL to children and adults in Austria, eventually became involved in TT internationally and, as an animator/facilitator, has introduced many alternative ideas. (Co-) Author of several teaching materials. Lately, arranging and interpreting/translating educational songs and poems. E-mail: karl.preis@reflex.at

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Introduction
Forms of Energy
Mental and Emotional Energy Management
Playing an instrument
Case Study
‘Creative Behaviour’
Mental Relaxation
Getting mentally active
Kinaesthetic Balance
Kinaesthetic self-balancing
Dynamic Sitting
There is no right or wrong
Karl Preis: A song in favour of working on the floor (as an alternative)

Introduction

Ludwig Szaga-Doktor’s “Paedagogische Energetik” , by definition, a practical guide of how to deal with energy (in class) is full of practical hints, easy activities and exercises that are suitable for children; they can be done everywhere - individually or with a partner - and, if done responsibly, all of them are safe to use.

As I believe that such a guide is also of interest to readers outside German-speaking areas I set out to translate the book into English.

The international version – a preview of which is printed below – still needs a publisher.

From topics like

• Metabolism of humans – Human Energy
• Chrono-Biology – Rhythms of Nature
• Performance of the Brain and Chrono-Biology
• The ABC of Life
• How to Find your Centre – the Core of your Innermost Being
• Holistic Effects of Humour
• Activities and Ideas…

to name just a few, the following headings have been chosen as samples – to whet your appetite:

Contents

• Forms of Energy
• Mental and Emotional Energy Management
• Energy of Thoughts – How Thoughts can influence the Body
• The positive Impact of Music
• Fantasy and Creativity
• Stress Reduction
• Wellness and the ‘Feeling of Happiness’
• Concentration
• Playing an instrument
• Social Learning – Learning Social Skills
• Movement and Balancing
• Self-discovery
• Colours of your Mind (Colours are the Smile of Nature)
• Case Studies
• ‘Creative Behaviour’
• Mental Relaxation
• Getting mentally active
• Kinesthetic (Self-)Balance
• Dynamic Sitting
• Working on the Floor

Forms of Energy

Scientifically speaking the term energy (Greek: energeia= effectiveness) can be traced back to the 4th century B.C. In Aristotle’s times its meaning was something like ‘divine spirit’ or ‘soul’ as well as the power that can manage the transition from possibility to reality.
From the 19th century onwards energy took on its scientific meaning as we understand it today. In general it was the ‘skill to be able to work’. Till the end of the 19th century ‘the atom’ (Greek: atomos = indivisible) was considered the smallest elementary particle. However, man learnt that smaller particles existed (like nucleons, electrons, quarks). And, …on the way to find these particles something energetically outstanding materialized.

Physical Energy

◈ Rub both your palms onto each other.
      Feel the warmth that builds up due to friction?

This little experiment already reveals a lot about energy in physics. Lifting your hands and bringing them together you need energy of movement and energy of space (cf. classical mechanics). The rubbing together of your palms results in energy of warmth (thermo-dynamics).

Very likely you are sitting in front of a monitor, a PC, and/or TV which means you are struggling with typical electro-dynamics; both the electric and the magnetic fields carry energy. On top of this, these electro-magnetic waves (quants of light as well as photons) interfere with energy of radiation coming from your monitor and/or natural light.

Energy seems to be connected with power and ‘strength’, and with the ability to do things. This obviously is the case. However, to explain what energy comprises – we simply do not know - yet. Our senses do not react as you can neither feel energy nor can you see it. Fact is, there are all kinds of effects, concerning the ways energy acts and reactions, of the vehicle energy moves about.

Even the relativity theory and the theory of quants (quantum theory) – the two most favoured fields of research today - have not brought any light into this matter, and although the fascinating truths of macro- and micro cosmos are being revealed bit by bit, the abstract ‘energy’ still has its secrets. Just like the infinite universe, for example: for the time being quite a number of things stay inconceivable and incomprehensible for us. Where time and space relay in a multitude of dimensions we find black spots, dark energy and other cosmic forms of energy that still give us enough food for thought.

Mental and Emotional Energy Management

Easy-to-follow mental exercises (for school) show how to achieve holistic well-being and how to find your balance. In order to optimise mental and physical performance, we responsibly set out and look for ways to motivate, to balance and to relax.

We shall see that, in fact, it is via our thoughts that we can control our senses and thus improve our physical condition.

Thoughts are free, they say. And, they are hard to guess…

What exactly are thoughts? We cannot tell. Scientific research has no answer either. Yet, they are there. All the time. Coming, going. Sometimes deliberate, at other times without our being aware of it, they materialise from the depths of the brain, unexpectedly. Whatever, they definitely have an effect and influence the whole person (body and soul) and their entire behaviour.

[Listen to your thoughts. They turn into words and deeds eventually.]

Energy of thoughts

I can generate thoughts cognitively and put them into shape. Hence, I can influence my thoughts and can target them accordingly. Such knowledge has always been applied in everyday life.

We are quite familiar with terms like positive thinking, autogeneous training or meditation, hypnosis and trance. And, of course, we have heard about mental achievements of Shaolin monks, etc. etc. Can these methods and techniques be applied safely in our daily teaching routine? PEDAGOGICAL ENERGETICS and MEM just come in handy for guidance.

Mental training techniques - and/or any other methods along the mental track - call for careful and responsible management, because thoughts may have underlying psychic as well as physical implications and consequences. They can lead to major changes of personality (cf. psycho-therapy, esoteric manipulation, psychological/subliminal advertising) so that it can be dangerous in the hands of a layperson. PEDAGOGICAL ENERGETICS objects to such practices, for good reason.

Activities and exercises that are presented in this book have been used successfully over a period of 30 years, and you can be sure that they are absolutely harmless.

Mind rules Body: How thoughts can influence the body – An experiment

Read through this paragraph first - before doing anything. Then, and only then, follow the individual steps suggested.

(1) Make a fist with your left hand. (2) Use the tip of your right index finger and lightly stroke the [skin of the] back of your left hand (from the knuckles to the wrist) several times. (3) In your mind’s eye picture a smiling sun. How does your skin feel? Smooth and tender? Continue stroking. (4) Now quickly change your thoughts to “No, No, No!”

Any different sensations on the back of your hand? Did you notice the skin resistance getting stronger? A slowing down of your strokes? How come? A figment only? The answer is no, not at all. This is real.

Since the brain does not know what a ‘no’ is – there is no negation in nature (!) – the brain is under stress which results in a change of your skin’s electrical resistance. And, we notice the ‘slowing down’ while stroking. Wow, my ‘negative’ thoughts made my body react! (Physical performance.)

The positive impact of music

Everywhere in this wide world, in every culture, music is considered to be of value to our lives. Apart from enjoying a piece of art, music is a great tool in therapy for mental and physical illnesses (psycho-vegetative).

Music transports a variety of either motivating or relaxing vibes which - mentally and physically - affect many physiological and psychological operations, whether consciously or subsconsciously. Tight muscles, the heart, blood pressure, the consumption of oxygen, hormones, to mention but a few, they are all open to influences – as are feeling and learning processes (in the brain).

Listening to Music (Background music at school) - Fantasy and Creativity

Children love/live their music - whether in class or elsewhere. Music coming from any of the technical devices around establishes the necessary polarity and a creative change to ordinary classroom teaching.

Stress reduction

Singing, or music that sounds good to one’s ears, balances. It harmonises and synchronises the limbic system, the hypothalamus and the brain stem. Tightness, unrest and stress are influenced and thus, we are ready for change.

Wellness and the ‘Feeling of happiness’

Good music makes our ‘system of reward’ (dopamine) fly high and consequently, endorphins (‘hormones of happiness’) are let loose.

Concentration

Even when learning/doing exercises for school there is many a learner who wants to listen to music – to help them concentrate and to improve motivation and commitment. Let them! It does work – as experience shows. Whether it is classical (‘soft’) music (Mozart, Vivaldi,…) or modern – the background ‘noise’ while writing a test, during lessons or when rehearsing in the afternoon must not only be holistically appealing to the learners’ mind, for motivation and positive impact soul and body must also accept that music.
It goes without saying that it is vital to let children play their individual music rather than exert pressure on them. Earphones might be of great help so as not to disturb others.

Playing an instrument

Social learning – Learning social skills

For a cognitive improvement of performance making music - actively and creatively - is to be preferred to just passive listening.

Stringed instruments, as well as percussion, act as mental stimulants. And playing in a group trains children to interact with one another (social learning) while developing artistic talent.

Stress reduction

There are fewer stress hormones to be found (cortisol) but instead, there is a higher level of the hormone oxytocin, which is important for social bonding.

Movement and balancing

Many children like moving rhythmically to music which balances and harmonises their biological rhythm. For heaven’s sake let them.

Self-discovery

Many a child, inconspicuous and introvert in everyday life, blossoms when dancing and suddenly starts to express and develop their artistic talent.

Colours of your mind

Painted walls definitely have an impact on the overall mood of people: a warm, light yellow or orange in front or on the sides of a classroom has been found to be motivating and, especially for slow learners, it helps to improve performance.

Walls painted in a warm, light blue seemingly calms down the hyperactive child.

Pink, red or a cold white were of little success: With these colours the children acted as if being doped, which might lead to permanent stress and exhaustion.

[Colours are the smile of nature (J. Hunt)]

Case Study

◈ A teacher at primary level was worried about a sudden surge of hyperactivity and aggressiveness in her children that had been going on for weeks. Analysing possible reasons it soon became evident: According to the children’s ideas the walls had been painted red – their favourite colour – with white mice running about. Immediately after exchanging that rather ‘dynamic’ coat of paint with a yellowish green theme from nature, the kids calmed down and became sociable again.

◈ Colours (of pens, paper, overlays/transparancies) can make a lot of difference: A 13-year-old complained about the bright orange (plastic!) curtains in the classroom. A little experiment acted as an eye-opener: The girl - a good reader - leaning against the curtains, produced nothing but a stutter. When asked to choose a colour in the room which she liked, she held on to the green door handle and… read fluently!

But it is not only reading: Colours may improve your hand-writing, reduce the number of mistakes, help you to understand, to study and to retain (long-term memory).

If one’s notes are written in a favourite colour, it makes all the difference. (With young children it is often the complementary colour as opposed to the one they nominate!) A piece of coloured cloth (in most cases ‘red‘), casually lying on their desk quite often calms down the hyperactive child and, at the same time, acts as a stimulant for learning. So does a yellow Smiley.

◈ You may want to do an experiment: spread out a wide selection of fabric samples of different colours - the sort you might see in drapers' shops or large department stores. The more samples, the better. Now ask a child to choose two samples: their most favourite and their least favourite colours. Stress that they must not say which is which.

Having taken the two samples from the learner, place one of the two on a chair, without the pupil seeing which one it is. The child then sits down on the sample and is handed a piece of fairly difficult, prose text (e.g. a newspaper article). Ask them to read a couple of sentences.

Stop them (after about 20 seconds); the fabric samples are swopped - and again, without the pupil observing what's happening behind - a second piece of text is handed over to be read for the same length of time. You will find that, when sitting on their favourite colour, the standard of reading is (sometimes a lot!) higher than when sitting on the least favourite.

‘Creative Behaviour’

Any kind of behaviour mirrors current needs

Time and again certain children’s behaviour becomes a kind of nuisance to some; suddenly they are marked as negative and coined as ’creative’ (=disturbing behaviour). What such offensive ways of life really come down to is the child’s current wish to find a way to get energetically balanced. The child has to take this route!

Seen from an energetic point of view, there is no wrong behaviour - only behaviour that is misinterpreted. We simply ignore the fact that the child, in order to find their energy balance, does stick out.

Mental Relaxation

Day-dreaming, a relaxed look and a gaping jaw: Minute rotation of the eyes (saccades) clearly slows down. The eyes, focused in onto one point, recover from stress. A built-in mechanism induces a short relaxation phase of the human mind every 90 minutes (maximum) in any case.

Twirling or pulling hair

Discharging accumulated energy

Sudden fatique, frequent yawning

This could well point to a lack of energy in the brain (water, oxygen, sugar/protein), or, lack of sleep. Additionally, the muscles of the jaws and neck relax, tension is reduced.

Getting mentally active

Nervously tapping of finger tips

As the tips of your fingers have a reflexive connection with the cerebrum, drumming your fingers promotes concentration and additionally activates the respiratory tracts. However, it may be an indication that the speed (of your teaching) is too slow, or it simply is a sign of trying to find one’s own rhythm.

Moving some kind of object between your fingers

Same as before: due to a reflexive connection to the cerebrum, concentration is high, and circulation improves.

Touching one’s forehead

Diverting emotional stress (reflexively); relaxing of muscles; calming down of stomach.

Pulling at your earlobe

Reflexive stimulation of the brain

Kinaesthetic Balance

Restless Sitting

By stimulating the energy points of the ischium, accumulated kinetic energy is being diverted and/or balanced.

Rocking

Stimulating the equilibrium in the inner ear leads to a balancing of the respective muscles: this is why rocking has a relaxing effect and helps finding your centre. Furthermore, the discs of the lower spine get some relief as the body’s centre of gravity shifts.

Crossing of feet and legs

Touching yourself minimises stress and reassures.

Chewing

A proven fact is that chewing raises the blood-flow in the brain; lots of facial muscles (the jaws’ and the neck’s) loosen up: learning improves.

Kinaesthetic self-balancing

Children intuitively balance their energy. After sitting down in class for an extended period of time, they really need to rid themselves of the surplus of kinetic energy that has accumulated. To get balanced again, they change their position on the chair in order to activate the points of energy on the ischium every now and then and/or they take off their slippers, and sit on their feet/lower legs which helps to stretch muscles and tendons (and meridians, too!). Without thinking much about it, they are revitalising tired muscles and thus facilitate (local) metabolism.
(Restless sitting, stretching of shortened muscles)

Crossing one’s legs at the ankles as an exercise for balancing body energy has been known in India for some 5000 years.

Body-balance via feet and legs (Discharging energy through your feet)

Kids love to shed slippers/shoes when running/walking in school – the child is cooling down and unloading stress and discomfort via their feet.

Direct contact with the floor/ground – running along the (cooler) corridors or outside withdraws warmth und gets you grounded.

Actions involving the whole body

Playing around, teasing each other, dancing, etc., are forms of presenting themselves (cf. body language) and, in order to feel their bodies holistically, children look out for touch.

Dynamic Sitting

Children either take on a dynamic posture or they try to correct muscular imbalance by simply changing their position on the chair.

They really should be encouraged to sit the way they feel is right for them. Whichever variety they choose is OK.

There is no right or wrong

A teacher who reprimands the pupils for sitting in their favoured position (a position according to their needs) – whether casual or sloppy – and asks the child to sit ‘properly’ – whatever that is: sit properly; sit upright… can provoke postural stress.
As children know (intuitively) how to get their balance back, they may take up weird positions – often for quite some time.

Research done by Prof. Wilke, University Ulm, Germany, proves that the typical expectation of how to sit properly at school (with a straight back) produces about twice as much pressure on the respective discs (lumbar vertebrae) as sitting with a sloppy lumbar spine; although, to say a word of warning, it may strain the spine’s ligaments and joints – if done over a long period of time.

Karl Preis: A song in favour of working on the floor (as an alternative)

I am one of the many who likes doing things on the floor. And, thinking back, even when I was a pupil myself, I always had my things scattered on the floor. Listen to your learners and you will find that this is the case fairly often. Intuitively we sit on the floor to do some work, feeling that learning in general is easier, more efficient and retaining seems to be a lot better. (Even your handwriting improves!)

Let us for a moment go back to the age when a baby starts crawling on the floor: A phase when learning gains are highest in their whole lifetime. If we encourage our learners to work sitting on the floor we simulate the development level of those early days. Doing work on the floor does indeed make it easier to pick up, to understand, process, and retain stuff we need to learn.

So, why do we still use tables/desks and sit on chairs?

I got rid of both – to be honest, it was a long fight but I ended up with a classroom of my own (as in Britain, for example), where the children moved to for their English lesson. Rather than pupils staying in their class, waiting for the teacher.

Privileged? No. Working hard - arguing, believing, convincing, persuading, waiting, winning!

Every child had their mat (small carpet) – and, once in ‘the room’ our own rules applied. The kids were free in their choice as to whether they preferred sitting, lying, standing or walking (e.g. when reading aloud).

I think there is nothing wrong to break up the ‘sit still/ upright/properly’ routine (possibly on chairs that do not fit) for one teaching period within a school day.

Two circles of 12 were no problem and worked phenomenally well, whether with one or with two teachers in the class.

Obvious advantages:

• No dropping of things
• No danger of falling when rocking
• Switching off for some reason – lying down perhaps, following a fantasy to get balanced; join in again later (Mind you, you do not lose anything, because if the child is off balance / there is something on their mind, no learning is happening, anyway; whenever they are ready, they join in again. Trust me.
• The teachers setting an example moving round the circle, sitting next to someone else (no fixed places)
• Giving the kids the opportunity to sit side by side with their teacher
• Breaking up of pairs (e.g. friends, who would always stick together)

Learning a language hardly needs frontal teaching, apart from the fact that, whenever necessary, children can shift their mats/move their bodies (according to the respective task). Of course, they are free to stand, walk (while reading!), have a drink, or eat an apple. It would not worry me at all as long as they follow what is happening (TRUST!)

Because we were different – gradually… the children opted to be different themselves, they followed our rules minutely – no shouting, no fighting, no running etc.

They came to ‘their’ room during break-times to ‘get away from the loud crowd’, enjoyed
listening to Mozart, Vivaldi, or Bach playing in the background – the kids’ voices subdued,
hardly ever louder than the music and, they had fun leafing through all kinds of brochures, magazines, books (in the target language, of course).

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