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Nadiyah, Calculus Teacher, New York City
As a teacher, Maverick Mind and what I have learned about Brain Engineering has changed me. I work with a special needs population. My students are above average in IQ but are low functioning for various reasons. Many of them have been diagnosed with ADD. Dr. Florance has made me question how I see these students. I feel that some of the students are brighter than they seem. I am trying to figure out how to use my new enlightenment. Maverick Mind has moved me deeply. I know and understand the pain that loved ones can feel as they watch someone struggle with language. I have family members who feel awkward in social situations and have. This semester has changed me. Last week I asked my calculus students to write me a note like Dr. Florance has asked us to do. I told them they could write anything and I would write back. They loved it. I now feel closer to my students and some are asking if they can write more notes. I said they could and would earn extra credit. What makes me really happy is that I am doing this in a math class. I also did some Brain Engineering games and told them how their brains work. I hope that after this semester is over I can stay in contact with Dr. Florance. I feel I am a better teacher because of my experience with her. I have learned and crystallized new knowledge. I want to know everything there is to know about Mavericks and Brain Engineering.
Joyce, Teacher New York City
Reading Maverick Mind and taking this course has changed me as a teacher. I now see that students who are struggling may be Mavericks and may function as opticoders not lexicoders. I have to admit that I did see many students as lazy learners who just did not want to learn. However, I now see that they may be highly visual. We teach mostly through reading writing, listening, and speaking which is our verbal pathway. Teachers, like me, must see that there are visual learners out that that have a hard time learning this way. I feel lucky to have learned from Dr. Florance. My attitude as a teacher has changed. I have become more open-minded in my attitudes. I always saw myself as a patient teacher but at times I would get very frustrated. Taking this class has helped me realize that you can make an impact on others in a dramatic way. Reading Maverick Mind has really inspired me. I feel lucky to have taken this call and be a part of this deeply enriching experience. This was by far the best class I have ever taken and I will always remember it.
Kate, Teacher, New York City
Maverick Mind has helped me realize the dangers and potential for misdiagnosis of children. I feel much more prepared and motivated to work my very hardest as a teacher to see that this doesn?t happen to my students. I feel very strongly that changes are necessary. I will be discussing everything I have learned from Dr. Florance with other educations, professionals and parents. Dr. Florance has had a very positive impact on my teaching and my ability to reach every student. In my personal relationships, I have learned that focusing on strengths is an extremely powerful tactic. I have definitely acquired a new sensitivity of the differences in people and I feel this will allow me to be a better teacher, friend, daughter and basically a better person.
Sarando, Adaptive Physical Education Teacher, New York City
From Dr. Florance, I have learned why words are not my friend and why this can cross over into intimate relationships. I understand that I can train my Lexicoder pathway. Having been an artist and marine sniper, it was easy to understand the Opticoder pathway. I am working on determining the types of learners I have in my classes. It makes no sense to get upset at a student if they have a broken auditory pathway. The key is to figure how to get the information in.
Whitney?s story has changed the way I see my students. I was watching a student get verbally harassed by my colleagues because he would not listen. The teacher would yell??Daryl, stand on the balance board!? I said maybe he doesn?t understand. I demonstrated what was expected using gestures and he did it right away. The teacher still thinks that Daryl was being defiant but I am realizing that I have a lot of options. Yelling louder to a child who has breaks in his auditory connections can be really harmful.
Corey, Coach and Teacher, New York City
I believe that understanding how a Maverick Mind works such as that of Albert Einstein is very inspirational. What Dr. Einstein lacked on one side of the fence, he makes up for on the other. A teacher, doctor, dentist or rodeo clown, you must realize that there?s always alternative ways of learning. Maverick Mind proves just that. As a teacher and coach, I need to understand that a child or an athlete may not all learn the same ways. I have a student named Bill who walks into my physical education class pissed at the world. He has been suspended for fighting with teachers and students. Most teachers complain about him and I have too. I look back now and feel bad because I didn?t get to know Bill. Actually no one got to know him. Last week, I got Bill to start talking to me. He told me that the kids make fun of him for being in special ed. I saw a side of him I had never seen before. Bill and I talked for an hour and I can?t explain how great I felt. I feel that taking a class from Dr. Florance motivated me to see Bill in a new way. Now Bill is talking to me a lot and I am explaining his situation to his other teachers. I am hopeful that my knowledge of Maverick Mind will change others like it has changed me.
Vicki, Special Education Teacher, New York City
As a special education teacher, I see many students with auditory processing problems. Many have been misdiagnosed as having ADD. I need to train my students to listen. I am an artist. Much of what I learned in drawing classes was actually training my Opticoder. I am pleased to see that it is a trainable skill. I have a highly trained visual attention zoom lens. I need to train my audio attention zoom lens. My relationship with Dr. Florance has enriched my life by making me more aware of how I learn and has taught me about the strengths I possess. The misdiagnosis of ADD and the over prescription of medication is of great concern to me. With more teachers, and learning specialists who will learn about Dr. Florance?s findings more children can succeed and become life long learners. I hope to continue to use what I have learned from Dr. Florance. She has changed my life.
Doug, Graduate Student in Special Education, The City University Of New York
I understand now how important a teacher?s role is in shaping the future of our students and beginning to address the many emotional behavioral and learning issues faced by our students. It is critical that we understand how the various tools of assessments work and when it is appropriate to use them. Also Dr. Florance has taught me how critical it is that we understand how assessment tools are used. We need to be hyper vigilant in recognizing what issues our students might face and how we can help address the deficiencies by being ?students of our students?.
Kristen, Graduate Student, The City University Of New York
This class as taught me so much. I am now more prepared to catch auditory processing problems that often go misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. I have also learned a lot about myself and how I learn. This will help me get even more out of my graduate school experience. I have more sensitivity to the differences in my students and feel I can now participate as a good contributing team member.
G.S. Teacher, New York City
Maverick Mind has affected all my relationships in some way. It has given me a different way to think about the interactions I have with others. Not just in the field of education but in the everyday communications and miscommunications that I have. For example, with my husband, I have become more patient. I think he is an Opticoder. He can fix anything, is very creative and often seems to drift from a task. I am a Lexicoder and sometimes we just don?t understand each other. I like things sequential and I am very verbal. I need to have someone talk back. From reading Maverick Mind I find myself appreciating his abilities more and looking for different ways to express myself. Talking sometimes seems like I am criticizing him so I have been making quick lists of bullet points. I have also noticed that I understand my brother and boss better too. My brother is a Professor of Physics and Aeronautics?a true genius but he can?t hold a conversation with me. When he talks it is loud fast and bullish- he has no time to hear your response. He makes me think of Dr. Florance?s Maverick CEO?s. I am in graduate school to prepare for teaching Deaf students. Dr. Florance has given me a wonderful viewpoint on how people process language. As a teacher I hope to strengthen my Opticoder abilities so I can expand my teaching to reach all of my students. My experience with Dr. Florance has enriched my life. She has given me a new way of thinking. I am the new blood to go into the classroom and make a difference. I want to copy the way Dr. Florance teaches. She challenges us without creating anxiety. It has been like no other learning experience I ever had. She has given us a way of thinking how to start when trying to help a child fine success. I take from this class a foundation of understanding the unique child.
Elise, Graduate Student in Education, The City University Of New York
I sincerely hope to remain in contact with Dr. Florance. I feel that I have only begun to learn what there is to know about how our brains work. I want Dr. Florance to be my mentor. I think this is the best class I have taken in graduate school and probably will ever take. Dr. Florance has taught me how to THINK. She has taught me how to accurately analyze. I think she is a wonderful teacher for all of us. She made us feel important. As a teacher I plan to incorporate all that I have learned about assessment. I am determined not to allow misdiagnoses to happen in my work environment. Dr. Florance?s findings have enriched my knowledge base. I think that by understanding what Dr. Florance has to say, a lot of pain can be prevented. I hope that more teachers embrace what you have learned and stop the cookbook approach to children who struggle.
Grace B. Educational Consultant, New York City
Dr. Florance has inspired me to the extent that I have begun my studies in Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership) at the University of Phoenix last June. The practice gained from your course and the exposure to the virtual environment was the only experience I had. History and experiences leave an indelible mark on ones life.