‘Early Years’ to host teachers and parents seminar that will shed light on why children act out or learn in particular ways

Priscilla Joseph, host of the “Early Years” programme on Progressive FM, will be mounting another seminar – titled “Retained Primitive Reflexes” – this weekend.

Joseph, a teacher with over 30 years’ experience – 17 of those years at the St. John’s Catholic Primary – says many children act out in the classroom and are considered “rude.”

However, she says, this could be due to the many things going on in their brain, which, at times, also causes them not to learn in the way they should.

This, according to Joseph, has to do with primitive reflexes – which she says are natural and are experienced even before birth, when the baby is kicking in the womb.

She explains that these retained primitive reflexes occur during the birthing process.

Joseph says that the weekend seminar is targeting teachers. But parents are also welcome to attend to gain insight into what could be causing their children to act in a particular way.

Some of the areas the seminar will look at are: how primitive reflexes affect learning and behaviour and its relation to special-needs disorders, such as ADHD or autism.

Joseph, who has a passion for teaching and learning, says the information that will be shared at the seminar is needed, because the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of education tremendously. 

Therefore, teachers should be knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects and topics to better facilitate classroom learning and to better understand why some children learn and behave in the ways they do.

The seminar will be held on Saturday, September 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the American University of Antigua (AUA), and will be facilitated by Dr. Steve Glasser, a brain specialist at the AUA.

Dr. Glasser was a facilitator at the first seminar and has been teaching for over 50 years.

At the end of the seminar, participants will receive a certificate.

Joseph says the first seminar, which was well attended, was free of cost; however, this one will attract a small donation of $20.