toptop Individual Differences in Learning Association

Individual Differences
in Learning Association, Inc.



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Who’s Who in IDL

  DEBBIE BLEAKNEY, Chief Financial Officer IDL; she has 3 years financial experience with IDL. She has been involved in IDL fundraising events and efforts and grant submissions. Debbie is instrumental in helping plan and manage IDL events, for example our volunteer appreciation evening in June of 2007. She has three children and is the Chairperson of School Directory for Pointers Run Elementary School, and a hospitality committee volunteer at Clarksville Middle School.

 

KATHARINA BOSER has a Ph.D. in cognitive developmental psychology and was on the faculty in cognitive neurology at the Johns Hopkins University where she researched cognitive and language impairments primarily in children with Autism. She has also studied language impairments in patients with Aphasia. She is on Cure Autism Now’s review board for developing Innovative technology to help children with autism. She has been a liaison for IDL on the HCPSS gifted parents advisory committee and a gifted and talented mentor for students in Howard County interested in learning about psychological research. She also serves as a scientific advisor for educational businesses who work with twice exceptional and learning disabled students. She helped write and direct the grant that produced the “Walking the Path with the Twice Exceptional Learner” professional development materials for HCPSS together with Trish Budd, a co-founder of IDL and its previous president She has given several recent lectures on the professional development model developed through her research in creating the “Walking the Path” Materials.  She is currently the acting president and program director for Individual Differences in Learning. 

“ I feel very passionate about IDL’s continued mission to support families and children with exceptional talents and exceptional challenges in learning.  I remember being amazed at the grass-roots efforts reported in the local paper when I first moved to Howard County in 2001. Looking back, I can only say my own life (and my family’s) has been tremendously influenced by my work with the IDL organization. The learning journey that I have undertaken working on the professional development materials has been amazing. I only hope the continued awareness that is necessary to be able to help twice exceptional children will carry-on through the excitement and enthusiasm of more dedicated parents and professionals. As one we have no voice, but as many we create a voice”

 

MIKE FINNESSEY  IDL’s “Secretary”, Mike Finnessey, has this to say about working with IDL since its inception: “Growing up some time ago, ADHD was an unknown acronym; I was just a “bad kid”, always doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.  I learned that I was pretty much to blame for everything and could never do anything right.  Even into middle age, the sight of a group of children was something I feared and would shy away from.  Blessed with the best parents ever, tons of support and lots of luck, I managed to make it to Research Scientist in a field I love, Climate Research.  But I worry and feel for those less fortunate than I and am honored to be the Secretary of IDL. The realization 11 years ago that both my 7-year old son James and I had ADHD, was the greatest eureka of my life.  I joined IDL as it was forming in 2002 to get information to help deal with James’ difficulties with his studies and his peers.  The things we’ve learned through IDL have greatly helped both of us.  And the support we’ve found in IDL has been priceless.  I’m proud to say that James is about to start his freshman year in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Maryland, College Park.  And IDL helped us get there. Will work for hugs!  :-)”

 

   MARK A. FLEISCHER is developing IDLs new website and serves as a technology advisor for IDL’s website and database. He is the president and owner of ULTRANETX, LLC., a scientific consulting company specializing in trade-off analysis and multi-objective optimization software. He has held research and academic positions at Towson University, Johns Hopkins University, the Institute for Systems Research at the University of Maryland, College Park and at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. He received his Ph.D. in operations research from Case Western Reserve University in 1994 and his B.Sc from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978. Prior to his academic and research career, he practiced law in the State of Ohio. He enjoys playing baseball, mushroom hunting, hiking and camping with his family experience with IDL.

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MELISSA KAY Melissa is currently an active IDL member involved with our speaker committee, events planning and other executive functions.  Ms. Kay is a freelance designer and the  mother of a ten yr. old fifth grader in the Howard  County school system. She serves on the executive  board of the Thunder Hill Elementary PTA and well as  her temple board and has been an active member of IDL since 2005

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KAREN KYGER  was instrumental in developing the sections on dyslexia for the Walking the Path professional development materials. She also edited and reviewed many sections with Dr. Boser. Karen Kyger currently serves on the executive committee of IDL and is helping to organize the new website. She is also on the early identification advisory committee for the HCPSS. Ms. Kyger worked for the Friendship School and the MBIDA and is currently working on her MS in special education from the Johns Hopkins University. 

 

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SUSAN KUHN is on the executive committee for IDL and is involved in volunteering and planning for speaker events. She is the mother of two girls and one boy. Her son and youngest daughter both have dyslexia and ADHD. She graduated from University of Maryland and College Park with a bachelors degree in math education. She has since trained in the Orton Gillingham Reading Instruction method. She presently is a substitute teacher and tutor of children with dyslexia.

 

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JULIE KUHN is a photography student at Howard Community College.  Julie hopes to become a Documentary Photojournalist.   She graduated from Centennial High School after attending The Jemicy School, The Odyssey School, and Centennial Elementary.  She is a Rouse Scholar and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Community College Honor Society.  In High School she received the Captains Outstanding Achievement Award for her work with the Color Guard, The Maryland Merit Scholastic Award, and Honorable Mention as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar.  She also received the Principle's Scholarship and the Ann Bean Memorial Scholarship.  Julie has a passion for travel, and she received a fellowship to study in China during the summer of 2005. In the summer of 2006, Julie was involved in the video editing of the introductory piece for the “Walking the Path” professional development materials. She was also the photographer for the sequence of the ‘cracked pot’ metaphor shown at the very beginning of the video. During the 2007 Spring Semester she studied Spanish at the Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Julie continues to be involved in helping to promote these materials and be a role model for young twice exceptional students and their families.

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AMY LECHTER-SIEGEL has been instrumental in grant writing and submission for IDL. She wrote the grant for IDL that has made it possible for us to have a Volunteer Maryland Coordinator for the year 07-08 and also procured us a Columbia Foundation grant for our professional development work.

     Amy has the following to say about being an active part of IDL: “As is true for many members of IDL, my epiphany came late in life when I read Ned Hallowell’s book, Driven to Distraction and finally gained insight into the paradox that had haunted me all my life.  I had known that I was very talented in some areas and I also knew it was often a  sisyphusian task to produce the good work of which I was capable and which brought me so much pleasure. I came to understand that I had learning disabilities.

     I have two Masters degrees and all course work toward a Ph.D.. I had worked as a Librarian and a college English  teacher.  After reading Hallowell’s book, I wanted to help students with Learning Disabilities in the fields of reading and writing.  I became an Orton-Gillingham tutor and I saw enormous success through the use of that methodology. I have worked as a college tutor and a grant writer in the area of Learning Differences.

     I am  proud to be associated with IDL because it has made enormous strides in enlightening our families and schools about the state –of- the- art research in the field of working with twice exceptional students. IDL’s fabulous Professional Development Programs, undertaken in collaboration with the educational leadership of Howard County Public Schools, has taught the principle that it is as important to reward and nurture students’ talents as it is to remediate their weaknesses.  After all, it is through one’s proficiencies that one comes to feel powerful and creative in the world. I hope IDL can grow to become an even stronger voice in educating our community about all kinds of minds.”

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LAURA SHOVAN  is an active member of IDL’s speaker committee. As a high school English teacher with a BFA and master’s degree in teaching, Ms. Shovan worked with bright young writers, advising an award-winning newspaper and a literary magazine. She also became involved with the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation’s Poetry Program, coordinating the student award-winner readings at both the 1996 and 1998 Dodge Poetry Festivals. Her poetry has been published in several literary journals and at Poets Online.

   After moving to Maryland in 1999, Ms. Shovan became an Artist-in-Education with the Maryland State Arts Council, conducting poetry workshops for school children. For several years, she has taught a summer journalism workshop for gifted students. She also freelances for local publications, such as the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine and Baltimore’s Child. Her feature articles cover education, the arts, religion, and community events. Her work for children has appeared in Highlights magazine.

Ms. Shovan’s ten-year-old son, Robbie, is a gifted student. He is learning to manage his dyslexia with the help of teachers, private tutors, and his family. Robbie also has sensory processing disorder, but an active sports schedule keeps his sensory system organized

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DONNA WEAVER

is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer/Information Services with 5 years experience with IDL and our liaison to CHADD. Ms. Weaver was the events planner for our monthly speaker series, managed our databases and mass email and marketing and was involved in fundraising and partnership development. She is also a member of the MSDE Advisory on ADHD and on the early identification advisory committee of the Howard County Public schools. Here is was she says about her involvement in IDL:

“Eager to seek out information and knowledge about how to help my own child I discovered and met IDL’s founders in 2002. I was very impressed with the impact IDL was making and felt that their approach to educating, promoting awareness and understanding for all those who touched the health, social and emotional well being of our children was extremely worthwhile. I joined their efforts to raise awareness of bright children with learning differences both in the community and in the school system. Since then I have been active in furthering these efforts by implementing IDL’s original monthly speaker series as well as helping market and promote IDL’s initiatives, such as the professional development series, fundraising, database management, etc.  As a director of IDL’s Board, I continue to support IDL’s overall mission. I am a liaison for IDL to the Greater Baltimore Chapter of CHADD and continue to collaborate with other organizations in the community that seek to make a positive difference in the lives of our children.  I am so very thankful for all the wonderful and supportive people, parents, educators, professionals and friends we have met while working as a volunteer for IDL. As it is said, “Together we can truly make a difference!”, and we are.”

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FRIENDS OF IDL and SPEAKERS

 

FRAN BOWMAN: has been in the field of special education for 34 years. She has taught all levels from pre-school to graduate school.. She was appointed to the "No Child Left Behind" Leadership Team in Maryland and teach graduate students at Goucher College.  She tests more than 300 children a year and provides services to them to help improve their academic skills.  Ms. Bowman is an author of a guidebook that specializes in teaching reading to dyslexic students.

She says “ I know that parents like those who work with IDL are hard to find. It is so difficult to make the time to serve other families, as most of these parents in IDL have children of their own, who require a tremendous amount of their personal time, as well. I  know, with all of my heart, that early and specific intervention with students can totally and completely change their lives. I am honored to provide office space to these dedicated individuals.” 

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LIZ CLARK, CYKT, RYT

is certified through YogaKids International®, Radiant Child and The Yoga Center of Columbia.   Liz teaches children’s yoga as a tool for connecting physical strength, balance and flexibility to inner wisdom, self control and personal power.   She has worked in Carroll County and Howard County Public Schools as a yoga instructor, using yoga for early literacy intervention, as a preparation for the MSAs, and for general health and fitness.

 

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DR. JUDITH GRADOS is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Waverly Woods, near Woodstock, Maryland.  For over a decade she has been helping children overcome social skills issues through group therapy sessions she calls, “Friendship Groups”.   Dr. Grados received her doctorate from Indiana State University and has completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the area of children's mental health and resilience at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.  She has previously held adjunct positions on the faculty of the University of Maryland Department of Pediatrics as well as Johns Hopkins University. In 2005, she co-authored the article, “Enhancing Resilience in Children: A Proactive Approach” in a peer-reviewed journal with Dr. Mary Alvord, of Alvord, Baker and Associates, LLC.  Dr. Grados has expertise in working with anxiety in children and has a professional interest in resilient youth. 

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JULIE MORRISON, Psy. D

a licensed psychologist now practicing in Columbia, previously co-coordinated the Birth to Five Clinic at Johns Hopkins, Kennedy Krieger Family Center.  Since then, she has administered hundreds of psychological evaluations and provided individual psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults, specializing in anxiety, ADHD, depression, and learning differences in a variety of outpatient settings, also serving as a consultant to parents and school personnel.  She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology in 1999 and is recognized on the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology.  She is a member of the American Psychological Association and serves on the Board of Professional Practice of the Maryland Psychological Association.   She has presented at national conferences and has had several publications in professional journals.   She believes in public school and is encouraged by the strides that IDL is making in forging positive, working relationships with members of the Howard County School System.  She is proud to be a part of such a vital group, who care so deeply, not only for their children but for all students with learning differences.

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LINDA SPENCER Ph.D., is a Maryland-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is also the Immediate Past Coordinator of CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) of Greater Baltimore chapter .CHADD of Greater Baltimore chapter has a worked together with IDLA on a number of projects.  IDLA and CHADD have collaborated on a number of occasions to provide guest speakers that addressed issues regarding executive function, emotions and learning and motivation and self-esteem.  

Her professional degrees are from Southern Illinois University, Northwestern University, and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She held a faculty position at Loyola College in Baltimore for 12 years, where she taught graduate and undergraduate courses and coordinated the graduate clinical practicum program. She has been in private practice in Maryland for 25 years. She provides comprehensive language processing evaluations for children with disabilities in the areas of spoken language, language comprehension, reading, written language, and social-pragmatic language.

Dr. Spencer has the following to say about CHADD and IDL’s efforts “Combining our efforts and teaming with the public school system to educate those professionals who work with our students is very important. We fully support IDLA’s efforts in educating and raising awareness about the needs of twice exceptional learners, many of whom have AD/HD.  We look forward to continued mutual support of IDLA”

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DR. JANE SNIDER, who received her B.A., M.A., and, in 1978, her Ed.D. in special education from The George Washington University, began her career as a special education classroom teacher.  Since, she has become a pioneer in the field of educating children with certain learning disabilities.  After personally observing and working with thousands of children who were not performing in their various school environments, she discovered that many students have differing learning patterns.  Frustrated and lacking self-esteem, these children, often labeled as learning disabled, were crying out for help.  They had trouble reading, writing, or breaking big tasks into smaller steps. Yet Dr. Snider knew they could learn with a different learning environment and teaching strategy.  In her view, the children were not learning disabled; they merely learned differently.  When Dr. Snider realized that few area schools could cater to dyslexic children, she envisioned creating a school environment in which children could be educated according to their individual learning styles and needs.  Thus was born the Summit School, grades one through eight, with an academic program tailored to each child's specific learning needs. 

Armed with her vision, she established an independent not-for-profit school, developed the school's mission statement, and in the fall of 1989, opened the doors, beginning with twenty-five children and seven teachers.  Today, the nationally recognized campus has approximately one hundred students and more than thirty teachers.   Hundreds of students have graduated and succeeded.Dr. Snider's efforts have empowered the faculty, the parents, and especially the children.  She is passionate in her desire to rebuild each child's self-esteem.  "There are no learning disabilities," she said.  "There are only teaching disabilities.  Each child wants to succeed and each child is successful on his own time line."  The parents of Summit School children remain Dr. Snider's most powerful supporters.  She now serves as Summit’s Executive Director.