BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR INSTITUTE 2003

Forum 10- Mental/brain health and improving education


Name:  Regina Toscani
Username:  reginatoscani@hotmail.com
Subject:  culture as a disability
Date:  2003-07-16 15:02:43
Message Id:  6001
Comments:
It took me many days of internal discussions on whether I should write these comments. Last night I decided to take the chance. As a person who can view the article and the ongoing discussions as both a person with a Learning Disability, and as a teacher of special needs children, I think my perspective is unique. I was born with an auditory possessing disorder. I had to be taught to discriminate the different sounds that words are composed of. If a word was spoken in isolation, I did not understand what was being spoken. Consequently, the way I learned to talk was affected. My speech was such that I needed 10 years of therapy to make my speech understandable. Am I LD? YES. Is that all I am? NO! It is not the label that cripples a person; it is the way the person is treated. I invite anyone who is interested to look at HEC and explore how this group deals with the issue of disabilitiy.
Name:  
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  not crazy
Date:  2003-07-17 04:00:44
Message Id:  6002
Comments:
About two years ago I started talking in my sleep, I woke myself up with the talking and when I a-woke I heard the voice of jesus, and he was speaking to someone named mary.I could not cope with the voices changed I became different people, Curt cobaine played the guitar, tupac, danced like selena danced like brittany to a tea spoke fluent spanish, and did hand languge, before each person came out my body jerked and I would take a deep breath.I was many pel
Name:  
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  
Date:  2003-07-17 04:13:49
Message Id:  6003
Comments:
I was interupted, anyway, ultimatly I was dignosed scizophrenic, manic, bipolar, psycosis, on high doses of nerontin, and small doses of respiridol. when I was in the mental institution, I was so bad at that point it was about 50 people came thru me and I was hiding it from my family.In the hospital I told the doctor about a pet she once had when she was a child, and another lady I told the name of the pet and what kind oof pet it was. One of the ladies had a break down. Me being the one that was freaked out gave me satifaction that my problem was not mental but but some kind of un known accurance in the brain.
Name:  Paul Grobstein
Username:  pgrobste@brynmawr.edu
Subject:  two days to go ...
Date:  2003-07-17 08:49:18
Message Id:  6004
Comments:
Any additional thoughts about K-16 collaborations? About drugs/anxiety/stress? About Regina's posting, or the ones following it? About what we should do with our last two days together? What's still "on the table"?
Name:  Regina
Username:  reginatoscani@hotmail.com
Subject:  Re-posting
Date:  2003-07-17 09:08:45
Message Id:  6005
Comments:
It took me many days of internal discussions on whether I should write these comments. Last night I decided to take the chance.
As a person who can view the article and the ongoing discussions as both a person with a Learning Disability, and as a teacher of special needs children, I think my perspective is unique. I was born with an auditory possessing disorder. I had to be taught to discriminate the different sounds that words are composed of. If a word was spoken in isolation, I did not understand what was being spoken. Consequently, the way I learned to talk was affected. My speech was such that I needed 10 years of therapy to make my speech understandable. Am I LD? YES. Is that all I am? NO! It is not the label that cripples a person; it is the way the person is treated.
I invite anyone who is interested to look at http://campusministry.villanova.edu/hec.htm and explore how this group deals with the issue of disabilitiy.
Name:  Linda M
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  thurs AM
Date:  2003-07-17 09:17:00
Message Id:  6006
Comments:
Isn't gender still on the table? Are men and women different just because of the endocrine system or are there neurological differences also?

PS My writing neurons are wearing out or else the daily stress of writing is causing cell damage to the writing centers of my mind. Some of us just don't like writing!


Name:  Antoinette
Username:  tonisisco@aol.com
Subject:  K-16
Date:  2003-07-17 09:27:22
Message Id:  6007
Comments:
My most valuable experience during my teacher preperation was student teaching. I taught at a private school for and received payment. Not only did I have a mentor, but many other teachers 'took me under their wings' and allowed me to have that important learning curve. I believe that one semester, with a master teacher in the room does not prepare new teacher for what they will experience.

As a special ed teacher, I have been allowed more latitude than many other regular ed elem. teachers......


Name:  John Dalton
Username:  JD5258875@aol.com
Subject:  K-16 collaborations
Date:  2003-07-17 09:29:13
Message Id:  6008
Comments:
Yesterday's meeting on K-16 collaborations was very positive, and it invariably lead me in the opposite direction to play devil's advocate. What I have observed is that sometimes those at the university level come to the table with their minds made up, wearing an intellectual straitjacket. This is particularly evident when political ideology informs their perception of what transpires in the classroom. There's an inherent prejudice that their perspective is superior. I suspect it originates in the Departments of Education that value the latest educational revolutions at the expense of the traditional. It's part of the progressive cycling of ideas that always seeks to transform what is happening in the schools. Experience and tradition are inexorably devalued.
Name:  keith
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  7/17/03
Date:  2003-07-17 09:35:16
Message Id:  6009
Comments:
I enjoyed the interaction that took place during the symposium. I am looking forward to future interactions with the college and those who participated. Over the past two weeks it has become more clear to me the idea of "less wrong." Maybe we are not looking for the right answers but better ways to approach the things we do.
Name:  Angie
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Thoughts
Date:  2003-07-17 09:36:41
Message Id:  6010
Comments:
One of the common factors that emerged from the K-16 meeting was that there needs to be a bridge/link that features more communication and experiences for the parties involved. Everyone appeared very supportive and promising.

I enjoyed listening to Dr. Thomas yesterday. I would love to take a class of his because the man is a wealth of knowledge ( Just like Dr. Paul.) It is amazing how stress can play a part into various components of one's life. I believe that everyone has some form of compulsive behavior (to a degree.) It is nice to know that people can learn to change with the use of therapy. In some cases, Medicine is best. I enjoyed listening to the part about the lobotomy/lobectomy phase. The part of the film shown on compulsive behavior was excellent! Too bad time is limited


Name:  shellie
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  collaboration
Date:  2003-07-17 09:39:44
Message Id:  6011
Comments:
Wow! I really enjoyed the day yesterday--both am and pm. I am looking forward to working with Mr. Biology and Mr. Physics. This is a real benefit from this course--getting experts to come to my school.

Dr. Thomas had so much to share with us. I really think it would be worth it to have a class just covering the brain and the diseases of the brain.
What about all the med and other treatments for the diseases!!!! I would be interested in learning more about them.

Next year what about depression--need more information especially childhood depression.


Name:  Julie
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Still on the table
Date:  2003-07-17 09:40:23
Message Id:  6012
Comments:
Here's some stuff that's still on the table (excuse me if I missed something).
• Depression
• Free will
• Emotions
• Are humans the only ones who worry about it?
• How do 2 minds communicate with one another?
• Alcoholism, addiction, and inhibition
Name:  Joyce Theriot
Username:  jtheriot
Subject:  Anxiety
Date:  2003-07-17 09:41:01
Message Id:  6013
Comments:
Dr. Thomas gave a very interesting lecture yesterday. OCD is so strange and fascinating. I wonder if we are all just one chemical away from a different person.
I started to type up my notes from the lecture last night and was amazed at the amount of material that we covered with Dr. Thomas, I'd love to hear more from him. He offers a unique perspective with his stories and films, although he can keep the film of the monkey and the chicken to himself!
I wonder if anyone would like to share notes from the lecture, let me know.
I also enjoyed the first session, I thought that our own group had some really great comments. I would also offer an idea of a "Science Kit" loan program to the BMawr Physics group. They could require Prof. Dev. from teachers before they borrow the kit and that would give sustainability to their K-12 outreach program.
Name:  Lois
Username:  loismackey@yahoo.com
Subject:  Response To Yesterday Sessions
Date:  2003-07-17 09:41:38
Message Id:  6014
Comments:
Good Morning! Although yesterday's sessions were very interesting, I still didnot get the answers I sought as to the "effects" that various types of drugs have on the brain wealther over the counter drugs, prescriped drugs, or street drugs.
However, I do look forward to have another informative day.
Name:  
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  comments for Thurs.
Date:  2003-07-17 09:42:55
Message Id:  6015
Comments:
I loved the guest speaker Earl Thomas. I found his lecture entertaining, engaging, and informative. He presented yet another argument supporting the idea that therapy can indeed change the brain. Although we didn't get to talk about it, it follows that "self talk" can also change the brain and behavior. All the more reason that schools and business should pay more attention to developing emotional intelligence competencies to increase weel being and productivity. He talked about the affect cortisol has, which is released through constant stress, and it's relationship to memory impairment, and the destruction of neurons. I would like to read the book he and his wife are collaborating on, hopefully understanding better with my new knowledge of the brain.

After yesterday mornings discussion, I will try even harder to address the problem of encouraging high school girls to be more involved in science programs. As a counselor I think I can make the difference just by exposing students to available opportunities involving science and math.

Still not being brave with my web page!


Name:  carol
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  on drugs/anxiety/
Date:  2003-07-17 09:45:50
Message Id:  6016
Comments:
A cousin of mine has developed a severe speech disorder since the death of my aunt.Several months prior she was diagnosed with depression and prescribed Paxil.On the day following her death my cousin began to exhibit these unusual symptoms.There are times when she speaks with a Latin tongue,sounds as if she may be hearing impaired,or ,even mentally deficient. She has recieved numerous neurological tests, and has been pronounced "normal"by several teams of physicians.Her doctor prescribed a new medication and advised her that normal speech would return by Easter. That did not occur.

My cousin does a great deal of public speaking for the Presbytery for whom she is a minister. The problem has become so severe that she was asked to take a leave of absence from her post. She maintains that she is at peace with the death of her mother,and ,that this can't be the issue.Is she of two minds? Is this stress?Will drugs ultimately cure her?


Name:  Sheila
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Behavior
Date:  2003-07-17 09:45:55
Message Id:  6017
Comments:
Behavior is a relative term in our society today. What standards measures behavior? What was previously classified as "crazy" is now medically diagnosed. In my neighborhood (as a child) we had one neighborhood with a son with a special conditions, that was not properly diagnosed and not medically treated as a result. My neighbor refused to acknowledge her son's disability and subsequently he was not allowed to have episodes and outburst. I believe to a certain extend his brain responsed and executed normal chemicals for him to function. His brothers did not allow him to be different, but they did acknowledge his development being delayed. He was in a special class in school and a special bus would pick him up to transport him to and from classes.
Name:  Mo
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Small Talk
Date:  2003-07-17 09:46:15
Message Id:  6018
Comments:
More work can be done as far as K-16 collaborations are concerned. Each college should link up with schools within their area. Every college student should have a course that allows them to teach younger children. College students from Drexel have presented lessons in my class on static electricity. The students really enjoyed the lesson presented. I believe college students have a lot to offer our students.

Regina is really an amazing person. Emaia often puts up the sign language(taught to her by Regina)fingers for I love you. She has also put up the bad finger saying it means I love you too. I do believe she knows the difference. Thanks Regina for helping to corrupt my grandchild. Just joking.


Stress is this web page that is due tomorrow. So many things I want to do. I guess time flys when you are having fun.


Name:  Antoinette
Username:  tonisisco@aol.com
Subject:  k-16
Date:  2003-07-17 09:59:52
Message Id:  6019
Comments:
Wow! There are now many more people who are trying to be part of a solution, instead of looking at a problem. We have taken a problem and made it a challenge. I am looking forward to utilizing some of the resources now mad avail. to me.
Name:  Pam
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Who is normal anyway?
Date:  2003-07-17 11:10:04
Message Id:  6020
Comments:
In review of Wednesday's lecture provided by Dr. Earl Thomas, I began to associate the concept of "talking to the brain" with several incidents that occured in school when conflicts have been defused by communication. As Dr. Thomas pointed out several psychological disorders have been maintained by "talking to the brain" to improved the daily lifestyles of suffers by psychotherapy. During the lecture several visual aids helped in understanding the characteristics of OCD,Stress and Anxiety that presented a realistic insight into the lives of suffers. I wonder what effect "talking to the brain" has on students that are overly aggressive during conflicts with peers. As a result,I question what daily impact do I have on an individual's Amygdala by talking.

The essential message I received from the lecture was that psychotherapy allows people to help themselves without relying entirely on medication.


Name:  Julie
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Still on the table
Date:  2003-07-17 11:14:13
Message Id:  6021
Comments:
Here's some stuff that's still on the table (excuse me if I missed something).
• Depression
• Free will
• Emotions
• Are humans the only ones who worry about it?
• How do 2 minds communicate with one another?
• Alcoholism, addiction, and inhibition


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