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Brad Cohen is an American motivational speaker, teacher, school administrator, and author who has severe Tourette syndrome (TS).〔Fussell, James A. (December 5, 2008). ("One man's faith spurs Tourette sufferer to inspire others". ) ''The Kansas City Star''. Retrieved on December 7, 2008. Also, Fussell, ("I know all about living with Tourette syndrome". )〕〔("Front of the Class". ) Macmillan. Retrieved on November 21, 2008.〕 Cohen described his experiences growing up with the condition in his book, ''Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had'', co-authored with Lisa Wysocky. The book has been made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie titled ''Front of the Class''.〔("Hallmark Hall of Fame Presents Front of the Class". ) Hallmark, November 10, 2008. Retrieved on December 4, 2008.〕〔Andreeva, Nellie and Kimberly Nordyke.("Three take seats in 'Class' telepic". ) ''The Hollywood Reporter'', September 9, 2008. Retrieved on October 13, 2008.〕 During his childhood, Cohen was accused of being a troublemaker in school and was punished by his teachers for the tics and noises caused by TS. He decided to "become the teacher that he never had". After he graduated and received his teaching certificate, 24 elementary schools rejected him before he was hired at Mountain View Elementary School in Cobb County, Georgia. As a new teacher, he was named Georgia's First Class Teacher of the Year. ==Early life== Cohen grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, in a Jewish family. His parents divorced during his early childhood.〔Cohen and Wysocky (2008), pp. 1, 46.〕 Cohen barked and twitched constantly during his waking hours, and would knock his knee against the inside of the car door. Someone asked his mother once if she had considered an exorcist.〔Heinrich, Jim (December 4, 2008). ("'Front of the Class' brings Tourette's to forefront". ) ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''. Retrieved on December 7, 2008.〕 His mother was compassionate, but his father did not understand why his son did the things he did, often getting frustrated and punishing him for making noises or other physical tics.〔Cohen and Wysocky (2008), pp. 2, 18–21.〕 Doctors initially told Cohen's mother that his tics were an emotional reaction to his parents' divorce.〔 Teachers did not understand Cohen; they thought he was mischievous, due to the noises (tics) caused by his TS. His fifth-grade teacher forced him to walk to the front of the classroom to apologize for the noises he made and promise that he would never make them again. He felt humiliated and decided that he would become the teacher he never had, saying: "I always felt like the kid in the corner. I really needed support and acceptance from my teacher and didn't get it. From then on, I knew that I wanted to be that teacher—one who would offer support and acceptance and really be there for each kid."〔 When Cohen was 12 years old, his mother identified his behavior as TS from her own research. She took him to a Tourette syndrome support group meeting, where Cohen realized that other attendees "seemed resigned to a life of defeat" and was "inspired to triumph over the disorder".〔 In the beginning of his eighth grade year, after Cohen appeared on the ''Sally Jessy Raphaël show'', his middle-school principal decided to let Cohen speak to the school about his Tourette syndrome.〔Cohen and Wysocky (2008), pp. 53–58.〕 Cohen continued to educate people about TS, increasing his confidence and speaking skills. Cohen graduated from Parkway Central High School in 1992,〔Shapiro, Mary (December 12, 2008). ("Man with local ties profiled in TV movie". ) Stltoday.com. Retrieved on February 22, 2011.〕 and was president of the St. Louis Council of Aleph Zadik Aleph.〔Cohen and Wysocky (2008), p. 84.〕〔"Teen Is Nomination As 'National Hero'". ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch''. August 1, 1992.〕〔(Alumni News: Where young lives take shape: Brad Cohen. ) BBYO, Inc. September 2005, Issue 11. Retrieved on December 7, 2008.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Brad Cohen」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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