Train your brain to stay sharp

I was not at all surprised to read that the latest research into brain functions advocates exercising your brain in order to retain its aptitude. Whether you dress it up in fancy terminology or rely on the old “if you don’t use it, you lose it” joke, the message is clear: practice makes better.

What did surprise me, however, was the fact that just 18 hours of training still benefited the brain 5 years later. While it is good to exercise your brain every day, for a couch potato like me who shivers at the very word “exercise”, it’s comforting to know that a single training effort could have such a vast impact on the brain.

So, while making those New Year resolutions, let’s put Brain Training on top of the list. (If you don’t use lists, let’s put Brain Training as a 2007 goal.)

But what Brain Training is best for you? Is it crossword puzzles, making up rhymes, solving jigsaw puzzles or learning a new language? Doing your Learning Style Analysis (LSA) can help you decide what works best for you and your brain.

Please visit us on http://www.creativelearningcentre.com/products.asp and give yourself a gift of learning this Holiday Season: your very own Learning Style Analysis.

On behalf of everybody at Creative Learning, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for reading our blog this year and to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.

When English is not your home language

I started learning English when I was 12 years old. It was such a struggle I must have blocked out the memory of my learning journey, because it was only this week that I was reminded of it all.
There I was, on a tour of an ice cream factory (yum!), with a group of emigrants who have barely started to learn English. The tour guide insisted that they all introduce themselves, using full sentences. As I watched their tortured faces, I wished there was a way that would make the whole process of acquiring a new language as quick and as painless as possible.
Fortunately, there is. Knowing your own Learning Style is the first step towards learning another language. That way, you know whether you should stay at home reading the dictionary or go on a tour of an ice cream factory, where not only do you hear a lot of spoken English describing what you see, but you also get to eat a delicious ice cream while listening.
For those of you who know about Learning Styles, you of course understand that - if you’re lucky! - licking an ice cream may be an important part of your learning methodology.
For those of you who are not so familiar with the almost 50 elements of a Learning Style, please have a look at our website:
http://www.creativelearningcentre.com/learningstyles.asp?page=learningstyles.
But wait, there’s more! Because we understand how difficult it might be to undergo a Learning Style Analysis assessment for somebody who has only begun speaking English, we’ve translated the instrument into several languages, including:
· German
· Swedish
· Finnish
· Spanish
· Norwegian.
Please contact us for more details on info@clc.co.nz.
If we don’t have the language you require, you can always complete the LSA Junior MINI, which offers simplified language and fewer questions, but a full report at the end of the assessment process.
Please visit us on http://www.creativelearningcentre.com.

Coping With Stress And Boredom At Work

by Sharon D'Penha

Are you stressed... or bored... in your job?

Working Styles differ from person to person. Mary, an Office Manager has just started a new job. But will she cope? Mary is the type of person who enjoys routine: change, even a happy positive change like a new job, makes her nervous. Office management is a multi-tasking job that requires the person to be well-organized and meeting deadlines. We can all multi-task and meet deadlines when we need to, but if it’s not our natural style, we will find the experience stressful. Mary likes working with people, but the new job offers little people-interaction (they have a Personnel Manager for that), which may lead to boredom and dissatisfaction.

When you do the Working Style Analysis (WSA) assessment, you learn what type of work environment suits you best and how to organize yourself in that environment. Do you like the environment quiet or noisy while you work? What seating arrangement suits you? How can you most effectively cope with pressure and meet your deadlines, given your unique Working Style?

The WSA assessment shows you how to think positively and what changes to make in your work environment to work more efficiently and effectively. Understanding your own Working Style and that of your colleagues will also improve your relations and communications at work.

Working Style Analysis is the best way to analyze how you can work best. It brings out the real “YOU”. All you need to do is DO THE ASSESSMENT!

So go ahead and learn what works best for you in a challenging world of change at www.creativelearningcentre.com. We are here to assist you.

It’s never too late (go on, it’s not a test)
Find out today what works for you best!