Dr. Carol's Blog

Over and over we hear that ADHD and owning your own business goes together. The newest statistics tell us that 40% of businesses owners admit to having some degree of ADHD. For us at Total Learning Centers it is a wonderful reminder to parents about some of the benefits of ADHD as long as we can improve focus.

. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-b-laskoff/the-business-secrets-of-s_b_ 520390.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/images/social-profile/lightbox/huffpo_logo_lig htbox_beta.png

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/images/social-profile/lightbox/ajax-loader.gif

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-b-laskoff Michael B. Laskoff

Michael http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-b-laskoff B. Laskoff

CEO, AbilTo.com and still “…content against obedience…” W.S.

Posted: March 31, 2010 02:14 PM

BIO http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-b-laskoff/#blogger_bio Become a Fan http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/becomeFan.php?of=hp_blogger_Michael%20B .%20Laskoff>

Get http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/login/ Email Alerts Bloggers’ Index http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/index/

The Business Secrets of Successful ADHD http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-b-laskoff/the-business-secrets-of-s_b _520390.html> Entrepreneurs

Starting a new business is ridiculously hard. In most instances, it ends in failure. So why would any sane individual set out on this sort of quixotic journey? Some will tell you it’s for love or passion, but I think that people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do it out of necessity.

According to The New York Times http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/attention-deficit-hyperacti vity-disorder-adhd/background.html> people with ADHD have lower-paying jobs and a higher chance of being fired versus people without ADHD. Amplifying on this , Harvard Medical School psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Biederman told Healingwell, “…people with ADHD have less annual income. This was true for males and females. Those with ADHD had income approximately $10,791 lower per year among high school graduates, and about $4,334 lower for college graduates than their counterparts without ADHD.” Given this reality, it’s no wonder that people with ADHD are looking for better employment alternatives.

Over the past few years, I’ve met a couple of dozen successful ADHD business leaders – some are executives in big companies but most have built their own businesses. They’re all very different, but they all seem to have some following habits in common. My guess is that these would be useful to anyone (ADHD or not).

Filter. Having ADHD, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the constant flow of new ideas. Creativity is good, but so is focus. That’s why these people so ruthlessly focus on just a tiny part of what fascinates them.

Execute. It’s a universal truth that starting is easier than finishing. Nevertheless, successful ADHD entrepreneurs are obsessed with getting things done. Sometimes it’s from sheer love of what they do. In other cases it’s because these people know how to delegate to ‘can do’ people.

Believe. Paul Orfelea got filthy rich by turning photocopying into a national chain. Matt Morgan transitioned from car salesman to professional wrestler. These aren’t dreams that most people have but that didn’t stop either of these ADHD’ers from moving ahead.

Diversify. As much as I rebel against order, I know that we cannot grow our business without talented people who excel at organization. That’s why I generally steer clear of hiring people who remind me of myself. (The last thing that we need is more people creating chaos.) This is common amongst the people that I meet.

Depart. David Neeleman is the ADHD genius who started and built JetBlue. Even more impressive is that he knew when to depart. That didn’t mean that he was finished, just seeing the next chance to match his talents to an appropriate opportunity.

Michael B. Laskoff CEO, AbilTo http://www.abilto.com

How important is working memory? Now many scientists and researchers think that working memory may be a better predictor of school success then IQ scores http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2010/01/10/working-memory-a-better-predictor -of-academic-success-than-IQ/

This important six year study found that students achievement in school depended not on their IQ scores but instead on their working memory. In fact, those students that had better working memory in kindergarten and first grade were better predictors of success in school than the IQ scores.

This finding while not negating IQ scores tells us that without strong working memory scores this individual still may not find school success. The current intelligence tests reflect these finding – fully 25% of the WISC IV since 2004 includes working memory.

“Some psychologists suggest that the link between IQ and learning is greatest when the individual is learning new information, rather than at later stages when it is suggested that gains made are the result of practice,” said author and researcher Dr. Tracy Alloway http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/author/racy/ .

The message is clear – if working memory is not strong it needs to be improved.

Please join the

North Allegheny Special Education

PARENT NETWORKING GROUP (PNG)

for a morning coffee

Friday, April 9, 2010

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

BAIERL CENTER (NASH)

Empathy in Education

Reading and Executive Functioning Simulation

Come and experience first hand what it feels like

to have reading or executive functioning problems.

Experience:

. difficulty learning to read with a typical curriculum

. how having weak auditory processing skills can negatively impact school work and life functions.

. how not being able to read as well as your peers can affect your

self-worth.

. the mental exhaustion that comes from having to “work much harder” than your peers can create ongoing frustration and anger.

Dr. Carol Utay and her team from Total Learning Centers will be providing us with the opportunity to understand what children who have difficulty with reading or processing are actually feeling and experiencing. This simulation is a part of TLC’s Empathy in Education series. If your child is struggling in school, you won’t want to miss this program. Teachers and parents have found this to be an eye-opening experience that has made them even more effective as teachers and more influential as parents.

Please join us for coffee and snacks and a chance to make even more of a difference in your child’s education.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

President: Karen Dorsey 412-369-9876 8908_kpmdd@comcast.net

Vice President: Bob Parry 724-933-0427 parryr@consolidated.net

The organization is not endorsed by the North Allegheny School District

The 2nd Annual Adult Autism Awareness Day will be held Friday, April 16th from 9:30am-3:30pm at the Sheraton, Station Square in Pittsburgh. This year’s conference, Focus on Employment, will feature:

• Keynote presentation by Barbara and Moshe Weitzberg of Aspiritech*
• A panel presentation of local employers
• Professional in-service by Barbara Bissonnette of Forward Motion Coaching**
• On the spot/mock interviews for adults with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome

AHEADD is the official national sponsor of Adult Autism Awareness Day and is partnering with ABOARD, Autism Speaks and Southwestern Pennsylvania’s ASD Advisory Committee to present this landmark event. In addition to working collaboratively with local and national organizations, AHEADD strives to create awareness of our adult autism community, demonstrate the importance of transition planning, promote inclusiveness through education, and improve social and employment outcomes for adults with autism.

We anticipate more than 200 attendees at this event. The participants will be a combination of human services professionals, family members and adults with autism. Please help AHEADD further its objectives in supporting this community by promoting your organization at this important event. Proceeds will benefit ABOARD, Autism Speaks and the AHEADD Scholarship Fund for college students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Please find more information below regarding sponsorship, exhibitor rates and advertising. Feel free to contact Carolyn Hare, Founder and Executive Director, AHEADD, with any questions you may have by emailing carolyn@aheadd.org.

*Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg are the Founders and Directors of Aspiritech (www.aspiritech.org). Aspiritech is a Chicago-based Software Testing Company which leverages the power of Asperger’s Syndrome. It is an innovative nonprofit which hires only persons with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. They have been featured on NPR, MSNBC and founded their company based upon the wildly successful model of Specialisterne.

**Barbara Bissonnette is a nationally renowned, certified coach and the Principal of Forward Motion Coaching (www.ForwardMotion.info). She specializes in career development coaching and advocacy services for individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorder. She also consults with employers so that they can utilize the skills of individuals with social, communication and executive function challenges. Prior to coaching Barbara spent more than 20 years in business, most recently as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for an information services firm.

Total Learning Center of Murrysville Announces Award for Drs. Joe and Carol Utay

Submitted by Dr. Pat Sheahan http://www.yourmurrysville.com/user/dr-pat-sheahan on March 20, 2010 – 9:53am.

The Mental Health America of Westmoreland County is pleased to announce that The Total Learning Centers have been selected as an Innovations award winner in the category of Education. The awards will be presented during an annual Innovations event on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at Four Points Sheraton.

The award for education will be presented to Drs. Joe and Carol Utay who promote the newest, most innovative information, use creative approaches, maximize educational programming, and support efforts to educate a target audience.

Dr. Joe Utay, Director of Counseling and Evaluation Services for Total Learning Centers and former professor for Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Counseling, is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, a school psychologist, marriage and family therapist, author, national speaker, and father.

Dr. Carol Utay is Executive Director of Total Learning Centers. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and an expert in learning and special education. Dr. Carol has experience as a principal, Orton-Gillingham reading therapist, teacher, consultant, national speaker, professor, author, and mother. She is also a national Athena Award winner for community service.

All who know Dr. Joe and Dr. Carol Utay congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.

Three additional honorees will also be recognized at the awards event: Jennifer Antkowiak of KDKA-TV, Father Vernon A. Holtz, and Ray Charley.

Teachers have a new system in Pittsburgh Public Schools and maybe a chance at even more money thanks to the Gates Foundation – a 40 million dollar grant. What do you think?

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.post-gazette.com%252 Fpg%252F10068%252F1041269-298.stm&h=7635880c462b34274644e4ca584fcfa3&ref=mf>

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.post-gazette.com%252 Fpg%252F10068%252F1041269-298.stm&h=7635880c462b34274644e4ca584fcfa3&ref=mf> http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=ffd288d985a19ce105677fee061086 67&w=90&h=90&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.post-gazette.com%2Fincludes%2F2007design%2 Fimages%2Fpg_now_logo.png

Effective teachers plan gets rolling in Pittsburgh school http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.post-gazette.com%252 Fpg%252F10068%252F1041269-298.stm&h=7635880c462b34274644e4ca584fcfa3&ref=mf> district

www.post-gazette.com

That is the question facing administrators in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers as they go about implementing a performance pay plan that is part of the $40 million grant that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the school district last year.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10068/1041269-298.stm