"Males and Females - different from the neck up"

7 May 2004

"Males and Females - different from the neck up" says visiting education specialist .

Dr JoAnn Deak is the Independent Schools of New Zealand Visiting Scholar for 2004. She will begin her 18 day lecture/workshop tour of New Zealand schools by presenting first at the Association of Heads of Independent Schools Conference, then at the Independent Schools of New Zealand conference in Wanganui May 13 - 15.

Amongst other matters she will discuss how we learn, using the latest brain research, including the need for differentiation of teaching techniques according to gender. One of her most popular workshops is devoted to the differences between males and females from the neck up. She has written extensively and will be promoting her book "Girls will be Girls" whilst in New Zealand.

Dr Deak will be working around New Zealand with 12 independent and state schools after the Independent schools conferences.

Dr Deak has spent more than twenty years as an educator and school psychologist, helping children develop into confident and competent adults. She began her career as an elementary teacher and soon learned that it was difficult to understand the many brain and motivational patterns represented by the diverse students in her classes. This led to her work at Kent State University, where she completed her PhD specialising in Primary Prevention and Systems Intervention.

The American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists have heralded Dr Deak's ability to de-mystify complex issues with a unique blend of scholarly research and engaging anecdotes from her own professional experience.

Dr Deak is an advisor to Outward Bound, a past chair of the National Committee for Girls and Women in Independent Schools and is on the advisory board of Power Play and Girls Can Do. She was awarded the 2003 Women in Achievement Award by the National Association of Girls' Schools and was given the first Female Educator of the Year Award 2002 by the Orchard House School.

Dr Deak is currently in private practice with the DEAK group. More details on her work can be found at www.deakgroup.com

ENDS

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