Unlocking Classroom Success with Reflex Integration with Dr. Tessa Grigg

In episode of All Things Sensory, we sit down with the incredible Dr. Tessa Grigg - PhD, Dip Tch (Primary) Dip Tch (ECE). She has a wide range of experience within the Early Childhood Education field. She has taught in a Primary School, supervised a preschool with specialist work in the sensory-motor area, worked as a Child and Family Therapist, taught adult students in teaching and child development, and owned and operated a GymbaROO centre for nine years. Tessa is the "Tessa" in Tessarose Productions, a business that has produced music for children for over 30 years. Currently, Tessa is a certified Rhythmic Movement Training Practitioner and runs a Kinesiology clinic for children and adults. Following the completion of a PhD focused on children's primitive reflexes, Tessa now works part-time as a lecturer at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and is the Research and Education Manager for GymbaROO-KindyROO in Australia. We chat about: How Tessa’s career path led her to primitive reflex research The surprising effects of natural disasters (like earthquakes) and the pandemic on reflex development in children Her fascinating classroom-based research showing how simple, rhythmic movement interventions can dramatically impact learning, emotional regulation, and behavior Why crawling and skipping might just be two of the most important activities your child can do daily How to bring reflex integration into schools and homes without overwhelm Whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator, this episode is filled with practical tips, lightbulb moments, and hopeful reminders that everything can change when we meet kids where they are. 📚 Table of Contents 📚 00:00 Introduction 03:28 Icebreakers 07:30 Tessa's Professional Background 09:02 The Importance of Movement in Learning 11:21 Primitive Reflexes and Their Impact 12:32 Research on Primitive Reflexes 14:11 The Earthquake Babies Study 17:26 Details of Tessa's Research 20:25 Consistency in Reflex Integration 21:42 Classroom Success Stories 24:14 Classroom vs. Home Exercises 27:22 Simple Yet Effective Exercises 30:09 Challenges in Therapy 34:16 Primitive Reflexes and ADHD 36:02 Holistic Approaches to Therapy 38:42 Advice for Parents and Professionals ============= 🔗 Links 🔗 Tessa's research articles: https://jneuroscience.com/jnen/articl... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29529... Visit Tessa’s website https://www.gymbaroo.com.au/ We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 ==== Get More Content From Us! 👩‍💻 Harkla https://harkla.co/ 📰 Hakla Blog https://harkla.co/blogs/special-needs 🎧 All Things Sensory Podcast by Harkla https://harkla.co/blogs/podcast 🤳 All Things Sensory Instagram   / allthingssensorypodcast   🤳 Harkla Instagram   / harkla_family   #primitivereflexes #earlyeducation #earlyintervention #childdevelopment