I thoroughly enjoyed attending the SOI National Workshop in Lubbock in January 2016. Whenever or wherever I hear Diane Hochstein speak, I always hear little sayings or quotes that are amazing and sometimes life-changing. I used to attend workshops and listen intently without writing down these “gems.” I finally learned at this workshop to write these quotes down so I could remember them forever. This year we also had the privilege of learning from the experience of Dylan Fitzpatrick.
First, I want to share with you Dylan’s beliefs: there are no bad children; work with children because they are gifts; no act is wasted with a child because you made a connection, an ounce of action is worth a ton of theory; and a person has to be ready for success.
SOI gives an individual three things:
- Autonomy: solve problems on our own without reward.
- Mastery: fulfillment of “I did it!”
- Purpose in our life: we have goals, and there is a realization that there is something bigger than ourselves.
To empower means to have the resources to draw on from their own personal experiences. There is no greater gift than to empower someone.
And here are the gems of wisdom from Diane:
- The art of memory is the developed art of paying attention. The lowest scores on the SOI test across the board are in memory.
- Ask for precision, not perfection. Precision is cognition. In order to be “precise,” the mind and body have to put forth more effort.
- Having no belief is a belief.
- Critical thinking is the furnace of the brain.
- IPP exercises connect the body, perception, and the brain. Exercises on the balance board or walking the line (“chocolate bridge”) chemically reorganize the brain (reset the brain). When you walk the line “heel-to-toe,” you are in control. Exercises on the rebounder reorganize the body and posture. They help the body get back into control. Empowers you to be in control of your body no matter where you are in space.
- Motivation is born from the love of doing the thing. Participation is the motivation.
- Vision is the door to the brain. Eighty-five percent of input into the brain is from the visual system. If the brain does not receive accurate visual information (input) from the eyes, the brain can become agitated.
- Learning math facts (becoming fluent in math facts) reduces math anxiety because it increases speed of production.
This last one especially hit home with me. Being a former math teacher (elementary to college level), I have always tried to help people with math anxiety. If you think about it, math anxiety begins around 3rd or 4th grade. No one fails 1st – 2nd grade math because it is taught the way we initially learn math/arithmetic—with manipulatives. Learning math facts is not emphasized after 4th grade. If you didn’t learn them, too bad; the class moves on! Math anxiety kicks in and you’re are crippled mathematically throughout school and, sometimes, forever.
If my clients are not fluent in math facts, they learn them. I don’t care if the client is in elementary school or an adult. It increases speed of production substantially. Most of all, the math anxiety is gone! How simple is that?
Some of these quotes are suitable for embroidery on small pillows!
written by: Patricia Stafford, SOI Practitioner
