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On Wednesday, February 28, TSA held an Educators' Conference for Brooklyn-based education professionals to train them on Tourette Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Learning Disabilities.
Held at Kingsborough Community College, the all-day conference was free of charge thanks to a generous grant from HSBC, which has sponsored seven previous similar conferences since 2001. This was TSA's tenth training program for New York-based educators, after highly successful previous sessions in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx and Long Island.
Session presenter Susan Conners MA, TSA Education Specialist, an international speaker who herself has Tourette Syndrome, addressed a packed house of over 320 educators, the largest educators' conference to date.
Donald Donin, Professor of Computer Sciences and Business Administration at Kingsborough, and who also has Tourette Syndrome, made opening remarks.
Attendees filled out program evaluation forms, with raving reviews and comments. Some words used to describe Sue Conners were, "informative, knowledgeable, dynamic, magnificent, incredible, engaging, funny, fascinating, warm, enlightening, lively, professional, inspiring, charismatic, captivating and riveting."
Many attendees vowed to share the information learned with their colleagues to help identify and detect early symptoms of TS and associated disorders.
"I liked how Susan demonstrated the human face behind Tourette Syndrome. Her humor, strength, and ability to educate others is extremely commendable," said one psychologist.
A social worker said, "I work with three children with TS and I think I will have more compassion for what they go through on a daily basis. I better understand their disability and will work with it and not against it."
"This workshop definitely opened my eyes in a very important area. There may be students in my school who have TS, but the lack of awareness hindered the number of reported cases. Therefore I believe this workshop will greatly impact my work in a number of ways. It will create awareness in my school and it will help me keep my eyes open," said an IEP teacher.
One kindergarten special ed teacher said, "This session taught me to have patience and how to be more accepting and understanding of children with TS and associated disorders. It was an excellent eye-opener to TS!"
"I work with a student with TS and I realize now that I have been doing the wrong thing with him, Now I have more intervention strategies to use with him," said a school counselor.
A school psychologist said, "I have paid hundreds of dollars for conferences that weren't nearly as good."
TSA plans to bring more conferences to New York-based educators in 2007, including one scheduled for May 4 at the HIlton in Melville, Long Island.. TSA held its 10th Annual Champion of Children Awards Dinner on February 15th 2007 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Media/Press Inquiries: Contact TSA: 718-224-2999,
ext.236; email: tracy.flynn@tsa-usa.org
©2007 Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc. 42-40 Bell Boulevard / Bayside NY 11361 / 718-224-2999