Building Brain Efficiency in Holistic Health

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey Mastroly, a Physical Education instructor at Collier High School, introduced the Holistic Health course inspired by his experience working with students with disabilities. He began integrating cognitive exercises he believed would benefit Collier students, and the program has since expanded to five full classes as an alternative to traditional Physical Education courses. 

This hands-on program practices fine and gross motor skills, strengthens neural connections, and enhances spatial awareness, coordination, focus, memory, and executive functioning. By incorporating these exercises into a busy classroom environment, students are challenged to improve their cognitive skills, supporting both their academic achievement and long-term personal growth. 

Sensory Motor Skills
In the Holistic Health course, students strengthen their mind body connection through Sensory Motor exercises. These activities help organize their thoughts and keep them in sync, improving balance, coordination, focus, and attention. By engaging the brain to receive, interpret, and respond to sensory information like touch, movement, and body position, students enhance their ability to perform coordinated actions, from simple movements to more complex tasks.

 Students engage in trampoline activities where they follow patterns displayed on the wall, synchronizing their movements with the rhythm of the trampoline. By vocalizing hand directions and thinking through each action before executing it, they strengthen their brain's processing efficiency. This activity helps improve coordination, focus, and cognitive function, providing a fun and active way to build both physical and mental skills. 

Visual Processing 

Visual Processing activities, like the one seen above, target issues like tracking, convergence, and eye movement, while also strengthening the neural connections between the eyes and brain. Using tools like Anaglyph glasses, balance boards, and letter charts, students work on enhancing hand-eye coordination and balance. The course incorporates sports into the exercises through catching and throwing. These exercises encourage the brain to integrate visual information from both eyes better, promoting overall cognitive wellbeing.

During class, students engage in exercises designed to improve eye control and coordination. Visual Processing refers to the ability to control eye movement and efficiently transfer information from the eyes to the brain. Through targeted exercises, students improve reading comprehension, balance, spatial awareness, and even future driving skills. Visual Processing helps the brain interpret shapes, colors, and patterns, which is essential for activities like reading, navigating environments, and recognizing objects. and physical development. 

Learning Strategies 

Collier students also practice a variety of “learning strategies” to enhance their memory and processing skills. These activities, such as reciting the alphabet forwards and backwards as a group, engage the brain in different ways. Retrieval practice, like memorizing the 45 U.S. presidents, helps strengthen long-term memory retention. Group activities like board games and word searches further encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and cognitive flexibility. These strategies not only boost academic performance by improving focus and recall in the classroom but also equip students with skills that benefit them in everyday life, such as problem-solving and working effectively in teams. 

Cognitive Training 

Collier students strengthen their cognitive abilities through a program called CogniFit. This brain-based learning platform allows students to practice 41 different cognitive skills through online training sessions, helping them improve focus and mental agility. The skills developed are then applied in exercises and classroom activities, enhancing problem-solving, memory, and attention across various subjects. 

Goal of Course 

The goal of the Holistic Health course is to equip students with the skills and confidence to improve their quality of life, both in and out of the classroom. By incorporating fitness, cognitive training, and visual processing techniques into their daily routines, students build resilience, and develop the emotional and physical strength needed for future success. Whether it's through learning strategies that boost academic performance or exercises that improve balance and spatial awareness, Collier students are preparing for a brighter, more confident future.