Thursday, April 10, 2008

Live with David Flink : Eye to Eye


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Join host Melinda Pongrey for our conversation with David Flink, Executive Director & Co-Founder of Project Eye-To-Eye
Friday April 11th, 9 am PST

David Flink is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Project Eye-To-Eye. Project Eye-To-Eye is a national mentoring program that matches college and high school students with LD/ADHD, acting as tutors, role models and mentors, with elementary, middle, and high school students with LD/ADHD in order to empower these students and help them find success. Like many who are eventually diagnosed with dyslexia, David Flink’s first exposure to the treatment of this learning difference was on the cold linoleum floor outside is 5th grade classroom.
He existed for a year in this reading group of one where his teachers, although often well intentioned, did not teach David fundamental reading skills but instead, shame. Though struggling through much of his pre-college education, David eventually found success in school and once attending Brown University decided he needed to transcend his past experiences and attempt to empower others who might be encountering similar difficulty in school. Hence, he became one of the founding creators of Project Eye-To-Eye.

In addition to his work in Project Eye-To-Eye, he also received a double degree in Education and Psychology from Brown University and graduated with honors. The Orton Gillingham Society has recognized his Honors Thesis on the Treatment of Dyslexia through Multisensory Learning and David has lectured at Brown University , Dartmouth College , Vassar College , Columbia University , Reed College , and numerous conferences for organizations including the International Dyslexia Association.

David has served as an Admissions Officer for Brown University , where he evaluated over 4,000 applications, and was the Disability Admissions Liaison at Brown University , reviewing all applications of those who apply to Brown with disabilities.

3 comments:

greeneyes said...

Wow, interesting. I have a wonderful son who is 14, dyslexic and dysgraphic and I have heard it all from his school district. They want me to lower my expectations for my brilliant son who is a very sweet, warm compassionate person but doing horribly in school. Its nice to see this site.

Melinda Pongrey, MSEd said...

Lucky for your son that he has you to advocate! We lose so many gifts when we shortchange our students who have dyslexia, dysgraphia and other learning differences.

Melinda Pongrey, MSEd said...

Check out Ira Socol's blog and his information on free universal design technologies!

http://speedchange.blogspot.com/

No excuses for developing language and thinking skills without depending on paper and pencil routes!