“Do not touch!”

So much to explore and so little time to do it. Why are there so many songs with the words "touch me"? Touch satisfies the human needs not only physiologically, extends to higher orders of safety, belonging and esteem. Physiologically touch has an amazing impact on our neural system. Whether young or old, touch activates the senses. Studies from the NIH suggest that tactile learning activities can reduce dementia in elderly patients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2039835/ Physiologically a tactile learner not only activates sensory neurons but also uses fine motor skills in sequences the brain can recall. It’s like kids playing a soccer game. They have don’t have to think about the skills they drilled for years. It remains in their brain and comes out naturally with a flow of adrenaline.

I would like this to happen in all my classes, but what I am I going to do when the learning target is to “introduce yourself in six sentences”?

I saw kids struggle at this for years and even native speakers have trouble introducing themselves. The kids froze even at the first question, “What is your name?” Even if they wrote down all the answers it is easier to pull teeth than to get a sixth grade Korean student to stand up and introduce himself in English. This is where the hand came in. Each student traced their own hand and then used the palm and five fingers to introduce 6 sentences about themselves. When they were done they were able to memorize the sentences because they used their own hands. Each student looked at their hand to remember what to say in their self-introduction. After finishing hands across the classroom each student was able to stand up and give a self-introduction.

First they practiced with their partners using their palm and five fingers and then in small groups.

A class of Overwatch addicts and BTS groupies became alive with learning. It was a miracle in the classroom. I believe it has to do with activating the tactile senses of the learners. Today especially in Asia students are usually visually stimulated. They are used to seeing a lot of graphics. I really cannot give them that much visual stimulation on a power point and I feel like visual stimulation is a type of opiate of education. It is important to portray the idea across a medium but if that idea is not acted upon and touched then it doesn’t remain. Most students have a hard time to repeat what they just saw or what they just heard but they can repeat what they just did and they need to repeat it. The classroom must be filled with as many learning opportunities available.

This is not just limited to the classroom but to our everyday life and interaction with family and friends.

Sending a text message is not going to do it. If we really want to communicate we need to visit them and sometimes touch and receive touch. Another interesting NIH article is about doctors who have high patient satisfaction ratings. All the doctors spent the same time with the patients. One group of doctors did not touch the patient. Another group of doctors gave a pat on the back or checked the blood pressure or some type of touch. Patients who visited the group of doctors who gave some physical content said that the doctor spent more time with them. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3061374/
I don’t recommend that public school teachers get all touchy feely but sometimes a pat on the back and giving students opportunities to touch a pencil, a paper, some crayons and touch things in the classroom is an ideal learning environment.

Original Poem @mineopoly

Tactile sensation

An elephant never forgets
Stage fright maybe
Frozen by possibility
Of losing confidence
In her forte.

A spotlight shines
For six lines
She cannot remember.

Her confidence is broken
She cannot open
Her ears to fly.

A gentle touch reassures her.
“Come’on. You can fly!!”

Then she remembers
An elephant never forgets.

She opened her ears
Flew above the rest.
The crowd was amazed
The elephant in the room moved.

At one gentle touch
Neurotransmitters dance
At ganglion synapses
A thousand memories
Come alive
At one gentle touch.

This is my 15th poem in the Steemitschool poetry competition @d-pend.(Steemitschool Discord)

Verse of the Day/ John 7:37b

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."

Mineopoly Quote:

Anyone for a game of chess?

My kids' quotes.

Me: Please raise your hand if you are ready to introduce yourself.
Yes, Jimmy?
Jimmy: Can I go to the bathroom please?

@mineopoly Posts on English and Education

First Day of School
Cleaning the English Classroom
ELS - I get where you're coming from
Creativity in the box
Is Nature the Best Teacher?
Dyslexia and Dyscalculia
Play
ESL I love you
Even Monkeys Fall From Trees
Groovy School
Distraction
Personality
K.I.S.S. Creativity
Proof of Brain
The Sounds of Silence
The Wall- Education
Shy
A Straight Line
Trains
Ryu Gwansun
Korean Independance Movement - Manse
Paint a Fish
Wisdom and Humility
Five Love Languages
Intermittent Media Fasting
COBOL Queen
The Greatest Teacher

@mineopoly Posts on Mining the heart

Steemit Tips
Will you be there?
Voices in a Blockchain
Avatar Falling Star
I am a Work in Progress
Songs of the Playground
Morning Miracle
Tasty Spam
Gold Dust
A happy Song
Collaboration
A Closer Walk 1
A Closter Walk 2
A Steemit Heart
Hearts joined together
Revival Korea
Feeling Groovy
As White as Snow
Unconditional Love
Strapped to a printing press- Batman
Choice Wine
The Sounds of Silence
I'm a Seoul man
It's not easy being Green
Reach Out and Touch
Who is Mineopoly?

Woodstock source. All other pictures are public domain at pixabay.com or a creation of @mineopoly.

QTTA: (QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT)

What is a good touch memory?

I love you all.

For amazing adventure in English please follow @mineopoly mining the heart.