Brad Cohen is an inspirational author, educator and motivational speaker with many recognitions and awards.

He has been featured on “Oprah,” in People and on CNN. He has also had a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie made about him.

This world-renowned speaker has a disability: Tourette Syndrome.

Using his life as a springboard to inspire others, Cohen has become a motivator to many people who may have disabilities.

On Tuesday, April 5, Cohen shared his experiences with ETSU in the D.P. Culp University Center Ballroom in his lecture “The Power of One” as part of the 2011 Nicks/Paxton Distinguished Lecture Series.

Many educators and students alike attended this last Tuesday to listen to him speak. His book, “Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had,” was named “Education Book of the Year” by the Independent Book Publishers.

Cohen is also a founder of Camp Twitch and Shout for teenagers who share his neurological disorder.

Cohen’s two main points in the lecture were based on his “positive attitude.” His struggle to complete his homework and graduate from Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., was mostly due to his lack of attention.

As a child, he was ridiculed, beaten, mocked and shunned for his disorder.

His family never gave up on him. They told him, “We will get through this one day at a time.” He continues to look at life this way.

He talks about “flipping that switch from a negative to a positive,” always focusing on his goals and not the obstacles that stood in the way.

Becoming a teacher was so important to him, but the principals didn’t seem to think he would make a good teacher because of his disability, but he never gave up.

Cohen said he went on 13 interviews before he was given a chance to teach.

Because of his efforts, he became “Georgia’s First Class Teacher of the Year.”

Cohen also talked about when he decided he was ready to start dating.

He would put his profile on a dating site and right before the first date, he would say, “Hi. I’m Brad Cohen. I’m looking forward to meeting you. But, I want you to know, I have Tourette Syndrome.”

He said there were a lot of hang-ups, but one day, there was someone who was willing to meet him. She is now his wife.  

Cohen closed the lecture by saying, “There are two things I want you to remember today above all else. (1) Have passion. Do what you love every day. (2) It takes one person to make a difference.”

To learn more about Cohen, visit his website at www.classperformance.com

 

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