TSA Introduces New Educational DVD

DVD is available free to any TSA member!

The national Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc. (TSA) brought together a committee of experienced educators and parents to produce a new tool that parents can use to introduce teachers, school administrators, clinicians and other school personnel to the facts about Tourette Syndrome and the impact that TS has on many students.

The TSA Education In-Service DVD was developed by the TSA Education Committee members Sandra Hollis, Kathy Giordano, Ellen Meyers and Judy Peterson, along with Susan Conners, and was produced through the program partnership of the TSA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

"As our family began their walk with TS we did not have an education committee to assist us in speaking to the schools or to Boy Scouts or to the swim team about our son's complex disorder. I struggled to write my own scripts with the knowledge I could pull together. TSA has now done it for you," Sandra Hollis, education committee chair, stated.

"We have built a user-friendly, in-service DVD. There are multiple ways you can use this disc. It includes a 30-minute presentation of just the basics as to what TS is plus three additional short presentations that can be used to give more in-depth knowledge on some of the associated disorders with TS; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADD/Executive Dysfunction and Associated Learning Disorders," Sandra added.

"As we developed this, we continually asked ourselves, 'What would Mr. & Mrs. Smith need in order to use this to educate school personnel?' We wanted people to feel comfortable in that by using this DVD, they would be prepared to provide in-services to an entire school staff, a child's educational team, school nurses, counselors, social workers, therapists, school board members, etc.," Kathy Giordano, TSA Education Specialist said.

The DVD includes tips on how to set up an in-service at a school, how to prepare and how to use the PowerPoint presentation. Kathy said that with the step-by-step instructions, "... individuals who have never presented will feel empowered and prepared."

The DVD is currently being distributed to all TSA Chapter Leaders and Education Liaisons. Copies of the DVD are available free of charge to any TSA member who requests one.  If you are not already a member of TSA, please call 718-224-2999 extension 231 to become a member and to order your DVD. Please allow up to 4-6 weeks for processing.