Trust uses brainwaves to teach kids

Brainwave Trust s Maria McKenzie talks with Airini Ross-Spooner (left), Syfexia Stokes, Rhyss Hawira and Britney Tawhara. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

"Love grows healthy brains."

That's the message from the Brainwaves Trust, which teaches secondary school students about the importance of providing a caring and nurturing environment for very young children.

Using educators who teach classes directly, the programme teaches students that it is vital for a child's healthy brain development to have loving relationships in the first few years of its life.

Educator Maria McKenzie said the aim of the programme was to help students make good choices around their relationships with children, whether that was their young siblings, cousins, other whanau members or, eventually, their own children.

Ms McKenzie said there were still many people who thought children had to be "toughened up" as young as possible, so they would grow up to be independent.

"In fact, children who are cuddled, loved, and have their needs met when they are very young, grow up to be independent and healthy people," she said.

The Wanganui Chronicle recently got the opportunity to sit in on a Brainwaves class being taught by Ms McKenzie at Wanganui High School. The class was a Year 10 health class of lively 14 and 15-year-olds.

The majority of the students remained engaged throughout the class as they watched a DVD of the case study of Tim, a 14-year-old boy who suffered from a range of physical and behavioural problems as a result of being neglected as a child.

Ms McKenzie led discussions about the case study and gave the students tasks to help them think about the issues.

After the session, several students thanked Ms McKenzie for the classes.

The Brainwaves Trust was formed by former broadcaster Judy Bailey in 1998, and is funded by the Duncan family to teach at schools across Wanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa.

In Wanganui, the programme runs at Wanganui High School, Cullinane College, Wanganui City College, Wanganui Girls' College, and the YMCA's alternative education course.

Mrs Bailey said the children pass on the information they have learned to their families.

"They say to their parents, 'Did you know it's bad for the baby, to argue in front of her?' - and a lot of people don't know that kind of information. They still don't know that it's dangerous to shake a baby, or why.

"A baby's environment can actually affect the architecture of its brain," Mrs Bailey said.

To find out more, visit www.brainwave.org.nz.