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DOLPHINS, IDEAL AND DILO
I have never yet met anyone who strongly dislikes dolphins. I’ve met plenty who were indifferent. When they discover how much I love dolphins they usually soften and reply, “Dolphins are OK, but they are just like any other fish aren’t they?”
This reflects some still widespread misconceptions about dolphins who are warm blooded, air breathing mammals that give birth to live young and suckle their young. They tend to congregate in groups that we call pods, or more appropriately from this book’s point of view, schools.
Most people however, have an instinctive love of dolphins but they can’t tell me precisely why.
“They make me smile,” is a common comment.
When I ask, “Why do they make you smile?” they are stumped.
I’ve been puzzling over this conundrum for close on three decades and at last I’ve come up with some answers .
Dolphins are basically shark shaped. They live in the sea, which in many ways is as alien an environment for us as outer space. We certainly can’t explore the freezing waters in which some dolphins live unless we get kitted up like astronauts. Dolphins are not cuddly or furry. Many dolphins are much bigger than humans. They can easily defend themselves against sharks by ramming them with their beaks or rostrums. They could kill us with even greater ease. Yet still we love them. So I come back to my original question. “Why?”
Part of the explanation goes back a long, long way. It involves accepting the existence of an older and possibly wiser intelligence on our planet. I am referring to that of dolphins whose brains are as large and more evolved than ours. Furthermore they have had their big brains for thirty million years longer than us. This gives us a unique relationship, a cerebral connection if you like, with dolphins which dates back thousands of years and probably accounts for such mythological stories as the god Dionysus turning sailors into dolphins. Respect for these delightful aquatic mammals was so profound in ancient Greece that to kill a dolphin was punishable by death.
It can be deduced from the life style of dolphins that in their past, long before humans appeared on the planet, their large brains and evolving intelligence enabled them quickly to overcome the obstacles to survival. Because they were superior to all of the other creatures in the sea they had no fear. At the same time they developed a conscious, harmonious relationship with everything around them which manifested in a great joy. A joy of being alive without fear. A joy of just being dolphins.*
Dolphins learn quickly. Furthermore, they transmit their joie de vivre to humans, and stimulate our mental processes. By interference then, the introduction of this dolphin induced brain activation into education should speed up learning, especially in children with learning difficulties, many of whom have a natural empathy with dolphins.
One of the characteristics of dolphins that most endears them to humans is that they give the impression that everything they do is fun. An essential part of their lives, which in human terms would be regarded as work and making a living, namely the serious business of catching their food, becomes a game for dolphins. Work and play are inseparable.
Turning work into play is pivotal in IDEAL (Integrated Dolphin Education And Learning) which is centred around stories of a fictional dolphin named Dilo who demonstrates the fun and value of learning.
I don’t want to convey the impression that this book is a teaching textbook. There are many excellent publications on this subject. IDEAL certainly does embody most of the tried and tested principles used by teachers and parents that are based on experience and common sense. IDEAL goes beyond this. It embraces the new lifestyles in which children are being brought up today. To accommodate these changes youngsters are having to develop their mental abilities in ways that are faster and in some respects different from the previous generation. IDEAL also applies to education our recently discovered knowledge and understanding of dolphins.
Dolphins are free spirits. They have no political, religious or racial affiliations. Dolphins do not suffer from the prejudices that plague human society. When told about the life style of dolphins children from all social backgrounds take them into their hearts. Dolphin stories appeal especially to disadvantaged youngsters in inner cities who, when they become enraptured, swim away into a brighter, imaginary dolphin world where everyone is equal.
Very importantly IDEAL brings hope to the despairing parents of children whose psychological and mental disorders give rise to disruptive and antisocial behaviour of such magnitude that medication becomes part of their school routine.
Most of those who have had close encounters with dolphins know how profoundly we are affected by these delightful marine mammals. But how does this positive influence on the human psyche come about?
Different people have different moments when they are moved by the beauty and excitement of life. Such moments lead to the release of neurostimulators called endorphins that have widespread benefits. It is known as the Endorphin Effect.* When endorphins flow there is a release of tension and long term memory is enhanced.
There is certainly a release of endorphins in most people when they meet a dolphin, especially if they are in the company of dolphin enthusiasts. Such magical moments remain in the memory long after other incidents surrounding them are forgotten.
The benefits of swimming with dolphins to help children with profound neurological problems has been widely reported.** In a procedure that has become known as dolphin assisted therapy, live dolphins are used as an incentive and a reward to encourage children to develop learning skills, including comprehension and speech. Clearly it is impossible to involve live dolphins in mass education. Fortunately however, the healing essence of dolphins can be encapsulated in several different ways. IDEAL is is one of them.
The introduction of dolphin stories into English lessons helps children to improve literacy and has been shown to be particularly successful for children with special educational needs (SEN).
IDEAL lessons are centred on Dilo, a mischievous fictional dolphin, not without his own problems, whose adventures and misadventures have been recorded in a series of books starting with Dilo and the Call of the Deep (see page 92), that work at many levels. They reveal in a very magical way why humans have such an irrational fondness for dolphins. Dilo is a catalyst. In school the mischievous dolphin becomes a classroom companion whose playful antics encourages children to read, write and draw.
All youngsters love being read to. Reading out loud creates a bond and gives them a sense that they are getting close personal attention-something they all need. Teachers, parents and grandparents enjoy Dilo books. Reading them to children is a very pleasant way of they themselves finding out more about dolphins and the undersea world. With his impish behaviour Dilo takes grown-ups back to the days when they were young and carefree and reminds them that children are naturally playful and want to learn.
One of Dilo’s roles, and one of the aims of IDEAL, is to convey, in a subtle manner, that English lessons are an extension of playtime. In this way IDEAL incorporates a large element of unconscious learning in which the student acquires knowledge as well as literacy. It is especially effective for students who are resistant to structured lessons. Combining reading with games and out of school activities brings its own rewards. Building a Dilo sandcastle on a visit to the seaside is a typical example. Such events creates bonds of love and friendship that in later years become part of the fond memories of childhood.
*Falling for a Dolphin by Heathcote Williams (Jonathan Cape 1990)
*The Endorphin Effect by William Bloom (Piatkus Books 2001)
**Dolphin Healing by Horace Dobbs (Piatkus Books 2000)
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