Is the Shichida Method worth it?
What and how does the method work?
The " Whole Brain Learning" by Shichida Method concept is the training of the left side and right side hemispheres of the brain.
As you are aware, the Shichida Method classes take students from 6 months to 7 years old and older.
Previously Shichida takes in students as early as 3 months old. Why the changes? Perhaps I will cover that topic if there is a request from right-brain mothers.
How does the "Whole Brain Training" Method work?
When the child is from 0 to 3 years old, they are right-brain dominant.
As the child reaches 3+ years old, their left brain begins to develop.
And the right brain, by 3 years old, begins to be almost fully developed.
That's why it is very, very crucial that the first 3 years are the most important right brain development years for a child.
All early learning experts agree that 0, 1, and 3 years of age are the most important development years.
My understanding of the Shichida Method...
From my experience with Shichida, they will focus on the Right Brain Education methods in the first 3 years of the child.
This means, that mostly right brain activities like flashcards and other related right brain activities, puzzles are done. And there will be some left-brain exercises.
As the child moves on to 4 years old, there will be more left brain activities, puzzles and critical thinking exercises.
Are there any Right Brain Education activities for 4-year-olds and above?
The answer is definitely yes.
How do you teach Right Brain Education?
The right brain education is a method of teaching. Flashcards and Photographic Memory training in Shichida Method are the most important right brain activity.
To train or to activate the right brain capabilities (Photographic Memory, long-term memory, ability to gain a lot of knowledge and many more), the technique of showcasing flashcards and "right brain" training activities, is the most important.
Flashcards are important! It must be shown faster than 1 second per card. In Shichida, it should be at least 0.5 seconds or faster per card.
How do you teach Left Brain Education?
For the left brain development, Shichida includes singing, playing, drawing, puzzles, reading, counting, building or stacking blocks, phonics reading and many more. Which is very similar to those activities done in regular kindergartens.
I hope I have given a simplified explanation of the Shichida "Whole Brain Learning" concept.
To sum it up,
The Whole Brain Training = Right Brain + Left Brain Training
Extra Notes #1:
Shichida Method recommends parents to teach their kids at home after every Shichida class (classes are once a week only). Once a week classes is not enough to stimulate the right brain. From my experience, Shichida parents have to DIY or buy their right brain education materials.
Extra Notes #2
Please make sure you know which activities are right brain activities and left brain activities.
Extra Notes #3
Enrol your child to a reputable right brain school or an online right brain program.
From 0 to 3 years old, the focus is on Right Brain Education.
From 3+ and above both the Right Brain Education and Left Brain Education Methods are taught in class.
For further reading, I have written an article on how many Shichida flashcards parents use to teach their children. You can click the link to the article below,
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