Brad Cohen had to educate his own teachers about Tourette’s Syndrome. Now he is the teacher, and he educates his students to never give up on their dreams for success.
KE: What were your biggest struggles growing up? What were your toughest challenges in the classroom?
BC: My biggest struggle growing up was the ignorance I ran into as I tried to educate others about Tourette’s Syndrome (TS). TS is a neurological disorder which causes people to make uncontrollable and involuntary noises and tics. My toughest challenges were always in the classroom. Teachers were quick to judge and thought I needed to learn like everyone else or it wouldn’t be fair. The fact was that TS did make me different, and I needed to learn in a different way than the “normal” child. It was important for me to take tests in different locations, break up long assignments, and have someone review my notes with me prior to being assessed. Teachers thought I was a behavior problem and often gave up on me because I was too difficult to handle. They saw me as the problem child. They only focused on my weaknesses and never my strengths. I just wanted to be treated like everyone else.
KE: How old were you when you were diagnosed with a learning disability? What is your earliest memory of struggling in school?
BC: I was diagnosed with TS around fifth grade. I remember my fifth grade teacher making me stand up in front of the class and apologize to everyone for making my noises. And as I sat down, my teacher made me get back up in front of the class and tell them it would never happen again. Of course, my noises and tics continued and I was sent to the principal’s office.
KE: How did your challenges change as you progressed through elementary, middle school and high school?
BC: One day my principal in middle school asked me to educate the students about TS. So, I got up in front of the students and educated everyone. After this speech, my life was changed forever as I realized the power of education. From that day forward I knew I wanted to be the teacher I never had. I continued to educate people on the first day of class and whenever someone wanted to learn more about me.
KE: Were there any particular interventions or teaching methods that helped you make gains academically?
BC: Once teachers understood my condition, they stopped kicking me out of class and getting me into trouble. I was finally able to focus on academics, and my grades started to go up. I was given additional time for tests, I got to use a separate area to do my work, and I was motivated to show people I could do things just as well as the next person.
KE: Did your struggles ever cause your self-esteem to suffer?
BC: Of course. It is never easy when someone is struggling. I used to eat lunch alone everyday because I had no friends. But at the same time, I believe it helped my self –esteem go up as I was more determined than ever to prove to others that I was still capable of doing the same work as everyone else. I set high expectations so I would never use my own disability as an excuse.
KE: Can you describe your social struggles in more detail and tell us what you think was at the root of those difficulties?
BC: Other kids didn’t want to be friends with me because I was the noise maker. I was often seated in the back corner of the room. Who wanted to be friends with that kid? Since the teachers never respected me, why should the kids? But once I was able to educate others, people were able to look past my tics on the outside and get to know me more for who I was on the inside.
KE: Did you feel prepared to go to college after graduating from high school?
BC: Absolutely! I was ready and I wanted to try going away for college. It was a great decision since I was very successful. Once we were able to put the TS aside, I was able to focus on academics. After attending Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., I received my master’s degree and specialist degree from Georgia State University.
KE: What advice would you give to parents of children who struggle with learning challenges?
BC: Be your child’s biggest advocate. Teach your own child how to advocate for himself, too.
Keep that positive attitude. We all have obstacles in life we must overcome. It is not the obstacles we need to focus on, but our ability to move around those obstacles that represents who we are.
Perseverance! Never give up. Don’t make excuses. It may take awhile to find the right way or a better way to do things. In the meantime, don’t give up!
KE: What advice would you give a child who is struggling in school?
BC: Keep that positive attitude, don’t ever give up, and follow your dreams. Don’t allow anyone to get in your way!
KE: Is there anything that you would do differently or think should have been done differently for you during your childhood education?
BC: Nope. I believe I am the person I am today because of the experiences I went through growing up. Having TS is a gift that allows me to give back to the field of education and make a difference in the lives of the people I work with everyday.
KE: How do you define success at this point in your life?
BC: If one is happy in what they are doing, and their passion comes out and is passed on to others, then success has been achieved! Success is what happens when young children follow their dreams despite the obstacles that stand in their way.
Brad Cohen is an author, speaker and, foremost, a teacher. His book, Front of the Class, was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. He has been featured on the Oprah show, Inside Edition, and in People Magazine. He teaches elementary school in Cobb County, Atlanta, Ga., and is married to Nancy. His Web site is www.classperformance.com.
Kids Enabled would like to thank Brad for sharing his story with our readers.
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