Author :: Books :: Front of the Class

“Woop! Ja . . . ja . . . JA!”

As a child with Tourette’s, Brad Cohen was ridiculed, beaten, mocked, and shunned. Other children, teachers, and even sometimes family members found it difficult to be around him. His mother’s encouragement and his brother’s support were key elements that kept him going. College and then job hunting brought new challenges, but he continued to strive toward his goal to be a teacher and was rewarded when he was named Georgia’s First Class Teacher of the Year.

Even today Brad is ejected from movie theaters and restaurants. Nothing has stopped him from taking leadership roles in a variety of settings and being a role model for others. This story of personal challenge and unwavering determination proves anyone can make their dreams come true. No one can read Brad’s story and fail to see the power of a positive attitude.

The book ends with 23 motivational tips on living with Tourette’s or any other disability. Here are some examples:

• No excuses!
• Know your strengths and weaknesses.
• Find a simple way to explain your disability to others.
• Recast your disability as an opportunity.
• Know how to ask for help.
• If a teacher doesn’t understand, find one who does.
• and 17 additional tips

Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had was co authored by Brad Cohen and Lisa Wysocky. Forward writer Jim Eisenreich is a former Major League baseball player with Tourette’s, and founder of the Jim Eisenreich Foundation for Children with Tourette Syndrome.