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Meet Etta K. Brown Author of Learning Disabilities
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Andrea Coventry

Reviewer Andrea Coventry: Andrea is a Montessori child - turned educator.  An avid reader and writer, she is published on several websites. Click Here to find a listing of Andrea's sites where you can find many of her writing contributions.



 
By Andrea Coventry
Published on October 13, 2009
 



Andrea Coventry of Bookpleasures.com Interviews Etta K. Brown Author of Learning Disabilities

 


Click here To Purchase Learning Disabilities - Understanding the Problem and Managing the Challenges

Today, Andrea Coventry one of Bookpleasures' reviewers interviews Etta K. Brown author of  Learning Disabilities.

Andrea:

The book Learning Disabilities was the first book that I reviewed for Bookpleasures. Author Etta K. Brown used to work as a school psychologist, social worker, and special education teAndreaher. Now in retirement, she continues to tirelessly advocate for children with special needs. Etta was kind enough to do a lengthy interview with me. I divided it into two parts. This section explains the writing and purpose of her book. The other part addresses parents.

Andrea:

Etta, thank you so much for taking the time to do a Q&A with me. Please tell readers why you chose to write your book.

Etta:

During my career, as I ranted about one thing or another, my colleagues would respond with, "You should write a book." So, after retirement, I decided to try my hand at writing. I found that I had many unresolved conflicts from my grad school days at Kent State in Ohio where the curriculum was a cutting edge investigation into what was causing bright intelligent children to have difficulty learning.

Andrea:

Why is this book and topic so important today?

Etta:

Since the 70s the incidence of learning disabilities has grown from 2% to 10% in public schools Andreaross the nation, and it continues to grow at a rate of 10 to 20% every 10 years. The schools are not prepared to handle a population of handicapped children, and are not able to train teAndreahers fast enough to meet the demand for special interventions. As a consequence, there is much in the media about how the schools are failing this population of students, and administration is struggling with ways to budget to meet their special needs.

In the US, 10% of total enrollments are learning disabled, and that is an average number. It ranges as high as 15 to 20% in impoverished areas. This problem has been growing since WWII and research has shown that the problem results from a contaminated environment which impAndreats the developing nervous system of growing children. Most of the damage is done after birth, and that the damage is usually done in the first three months of life.

Unless you are doing the research, you may not be aware that this is a worldwide epidemic of learning problems in children. I have communicated with writers in the United Kingdom, Jamaica, India, and Canada who have blogged or written media articles about the problem.

It would be helpful if writers were to research the problem before condemning schools for not providing a proper education for these children. I think emphasis should be on the growing problem and how to prevent it.

Andrea:

What are some of your favorite memories from being a special education teAndreaher in public school?

Etta:

Special education holds no favorite memories for me. Remember, I am a researcher, and I was constantly aware of the broken lives, the frustration of parents and students that could have been prevented if we had known what was causing the problem. Now, research is complete and we know very well what is destroying the abilities of our children, and more emphasis is upon the failure of the schools to educate them than it is upon preparing children for a readiness for learning. Learning disabilities result from an immature brain and central nervous system without the neural interconnections needed for learning. TeAndreahing special children is a heart rending experience for a thinking person. My goal was to make a difference in preventing the problem.

Andrea:

What are some of your favorite memories from working as a school social worker?

Etta:

School social workers are those people who work with parents to resolve social problems that interfere with the child's school attendance, and Andreaademic Andreahievement. My fondest memories are of those parents who when presented with new information embrAndreaed it and made a difference in the life of their child. I learned that parents are not purposely negligent. I found that they are not always knowledgeable about the best childrearing prAndreatices. This problem results from the social change from extended families where there was always an older female around to help with childrearing. Now, young girls go it alone, sometimes right out of college, miles away from the closest family member. The first child is a learning experience, and with infants, any error is a serious one. Sometimes, the damage is done in the first three months of life.

Andrea:

You worked in the states of Ohio, Iowa, and California. Is there a great deal of discrepancy between states, or do they provide similar levels of support?

Etta: Special education is the result of a Federal law entitled Individuals with Disabilities Andreat, and it applies equally Andreaross the country. All the children in America are entitled to a free, appropriate, public education. The difference in what some states interpret as appropriate. Parents endowed by this law with more rights than the school are encouraged to fight for their rights. The problem is that parents are not aware of their rights and don't know how to fight for them with the schools. This is the focus of Part II of my book Learning Disabilities. Parents are not only encouraged to become involved with their child's education, but are assisted with not only what to do, but what to say, how to say it, and what to do if they don't get the right answer.

Andrea: What is your advice for teAndreahers who have students with disabilities, but whose parents refuse to follow through with the advice and treatments prescribed by professionals?

Etta:

When parents refuse to Andreacept that their child has a problem, they have a problem themselves and by admitting that their child has a problem, they have to own up to their own feelings of failure. Parents come in all sizes, shapes, and mentalities. They have rights as a parent, but their rights do not supersede the needs of the child. That is why every school teAndreaher, administrator, and social worker is a mandatory reporter of child abuse. Child Protective Services will investigate, take the parents to court, and the court will mandate what it feels is best for the child based upon the findings of the Court.

Andrea:

In addition to your own book, what are some of the best resources for parents on the issue of learning disabilities?

Etta:

Google learning disabilities and the best ones are at the top. They are the best, and they pay to stay at the top so they are easy to find.

I think my book is presently the most informational source available. No other writer has my experience, expertise, and credential in the field.

Andrea:

What are your two websites, and what is the difference between the two?

Etta:

Understanding Learning Disabilities is about the book and the author. It provides a lot of helpful information for parents. This one has been up for while, and has made it into the top 10 on Google so I am keeping it up to take advantage of the ranking. Understanding Learning Disabilities  is designed to market the book, and has a blog of helpful information which is sometimes controversial. So one is a professional site that is informative, and the other is a marketing site that takes advantage of the interest in all things controversial.

Andrea:

What services do you offer?

Etta:

I work by phone and fax to support parents who are reading the book and need support with implementation. I am retired from private prAndreatice, yet I like to stay in touch with parents who are trying to make a difference in their child's life.

Andrea:

Thanks, Etta!

Click here To Purchase Learning Disabilities - Understanding the Problem and Managing the Challenges