Do you work with children in Early Intervention?
You may be interested in the success ImaginationGYM is having in early intervention projects in inner city schools and communities. ImaginationGYM is unusual in that it does not focus on the problems instead it focuses on the assumption that all children are born with talents, imagination and the ability to be creative. 
Talents being that there is something in all children that they can do which will benefit themselves and their society and that they will enjoy and love doing. Creativiity being that their ability to ‘create goods and serivces that are useful to society and themseleves and to be creative at problem solving’. (Definition of intelligence, Howard Gardner, Harvard University).
An early intervention project first focuses on centering, self regulated behaviour, boundaries, listening skills, attention skills, concentration and focusing skills. This part of the project helps children to get a sense of their ‘own self’ seperate from peers, adults, media, etc.
Then the methodology works on building the child’s self esteem and increasing their creative abilities. As the methodology uses imagination exercises, that exercises their whole brain, areas that affect critical thinking and emotional inteligence are also exercised.
The exercises also stimulate multiple intelligences and a trained practioner will be able to identify talent attributes and learning preferences in individual children which can be built on.
Early intervention projects can be run in schools (curriculum based) community, police liason, etc. They can be self administered, run directly by ImaginationGYM practioners are a hybrid of both. They are extremely cost effective on a per capita basis and will suit most budgets even with the stringent cut backs that are taking palce in many countries. In fact the positive beahaviour outcomes may compensate for the effects of some of these cut backs. 
For furthe information contact Peter or Rosaleen at 00 353 1 6753522 or info@imaginationgym.com
Here is an example of an inner city project run in a school in Dublin reported on by a National newspaper, The Irish Independent, in an aricle called The School that Rewrites the Rules
Tags: critical thinking, Early Intervention, emotional intelligence, Howard Gardner, imagination exercises, inner city schools, learning preferences, multiple intelligences
