"Writing isn't always about just getting the words down or out or even read. It is about pulling from the universe just the right number and combination of words and allowing them to join hands to come to life."

_____________________________________________________

Residing in New England, I'm a freelance writer who writes on assignment. My work experience includes projects in a corporate planning setting, as well as in scientific and medical fields. (I know more about blood processing and infectious disease than any non-medical person needs to know, but I guess that's fine). I was once involved with building the first Business Planning library for a good-sized company, as well as managing a blood donor program. Research, clinical trials, and market studies were the focus of other projects.

Other experience includes editing scientific material for publication and writing straight news and features for newspapers.

It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention. I, on the other hand, am the mother of one daughter in college and two grown sons (one of whom happens to be adopted). My son was an infant when he was placed for adoption, but he did bring with him a complicated medical history. Although he was developmentally and emotionally mature for his age, my son wasn't in school very long before some unknown learning problem cropped up. It became clear to me that there was an urgent necessity to figure out the exact cause of the learning problem for the a child who otherwise exhibited no signs of the most understood learning disabilities - and thus began my fifteen year journey into the study of learning problems, education issues, child development, neurological factors, giftedness, and other subjects even suspected of being related to learning problems.

With my two younger children so similar to their brother in so many ways, but with the ease with which each found themselves at the top of their class; I found myself introducing "Nature/Nurture" questions into my efforts.

About five years into my "extracurricular" project, and with the idea of returning to writing after my youngest child reached a certain age, I began to collect the efforts of my research with the idea of not just finding answers for my son, but for putting together a book, newsletter, or website when the time was right. Such a project would require far more access to all of the latest research than my resources allowed at the time.

Within the last few years I believe I have found the answer to my son's learning problems, but the answer came about twenty years too late to help the little boy who struggled so in school. Over just the last few years science has learned so much more than was known back when my son was in school. Even with that, however, it still appears to me that professionals in the fields of education, medicine, and psychology still too often misdiagnose learning problems.

Some people say they write because it's their passion. I write because I can (or at least I think I can). My passion is more related to finding ways to create more awareness of the ways in which learning problems can be misunderstood, and maybe even in writing something that may help prevent learning problems in some children. Whenever I think about what it is I'd like to do in this world, I think about how I'm not some huge research facility with all the resources in the world, and how I'm just one person. Still, somewhere underneath all the doubt and uncertainty I guess I keep hearing those words I used a few lines back in a different context: "I think I can." I suppose I read "The Little Engine That Could" so often to my struggling little son that maybe my reasonable thinking has been damaged by unrealistic and naive optimism. Still, in a world that seems so full of large, shiny, new, trains that don't seem willing or able to do the job of getting so many little boys and girls over that mountain; I keep thinking I have to find a way to at least try.

In my spare time I write on a variety of subjects.

My passion is ...

Writing, Education-Related Issues

I know too much about ...

....I don't think people ever too know too much about anything - except, maybe, sadness

My parents always told me ...

"You have a good head. Don't do anything to muck it up."

My childhood ambition ...

To be a mother, have a "business" job, and wear nice outfits to work

My favorite memory ...

Three favorite memories - Being handed each of my three, healthy babies

Why I write ...

Writing is a good way to use leisure time, and writing keeps a mind active.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Non-fiction and Reference Books/News Programs, Boston Legal, Sitcoms/Talk Radio, Classical Music, My Personal MP3 Playlist (which contains "all the best songs ever recorded")

My first job ...

"Non-Official:" Errands for neighbors, babysitting "Official:" Supermarket cashier

My best moment ...

May be yet to come

My inspiration ...

My Three Children, The Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln, and Anne Sullivan

Education > Education (Other) Does competition in schools and colleges lead to higher quality work?

4 of 19

Whether or not competition in schools and colleges leads to higher quality work depends on the nature of any student.

Some students thrive on competition. For them, there is often no greater drive to achieve than that inspired by a wish to be Number 1. Whether it is a wish to experience the sense of accomplishment, a wish to please parents or other adults, or the enjoyment of competing; competition can provide a strong incentive for achievement.

On the other side of the coin, however, there are students for whom the introduction of competition almost guarantees less effort, enthusiasm, an...

More..

Writing:

Rating: