Dr. Hallowell chats with Bob Broudo, retiring headteacher of Landmark School which specializes in supporting students whose brains work a little differently. Bob has spent a lifetime helping young people learn, and showing that there is much more there is to intelligence and creativity than smart and stupid. Listen in to hear them discuss how attitudes to neurodiversity have changed over the last 50 years and how much more needs to be done for everyone to understand the strengths of different.

Show Notes

Podcast: Dr. Hallowell’s Wonderful World of Different
Episode: Ep 18 Bob Broudo

Join us for this episode of Dr. Hallowell’s Wonderful World of Different, a podcast hosted by Dr. Ned Hallowell! In this podcast, we are joined by a wide range of guests from various backgrounds to help uncover and celebrate the differences amongst people. From approaching life to problem solving and to having fun, we discuss it all! Together, we will break down the notion of normal and abnormal, and instead tap into the talents everyone has.

On today’s episode, our guest is an old friend and true legend in the field of learning differences, Bob Broudo. As a founding father of the Landmark School, Bob has helped thousands of children and their families through teaching them to learn differently. Bob is a learning specialist and the head of this trailblazing group. While he has been a part of Landmark for over 50 years now, his exit is on the horizon and a successor has been chose. Despite his upcoming departure, you’ll hear why the impact Landmark has had on Bob will continue to influence the rest of his life. Find out what Landmark’s mission is in enabling and empowering people. Bob’s own passions fit right alongside this in helping young people on a mission.

Dr. Hallowell shifts the conversation to ask Bob about those who would qualify for Landmark and what their approach is. Learn the tell-tale signs of those who may have dyslexia.What are the disproportionate challenges with processing some tasks that people have, despite advanced cognitive abilities? They touch on other challenges that their young people face too, such as ADD. What is Landmark’s approach to help individuals in learning how to do well? Listen as Bob explains how their medical model dives deeply into diagnostics to ensure proper fit. Landmark focuses on language based issues and seeks to match those with the coordinating profiles. Bob shares that the younger the individual, the better they can help develop pride in who they are!

What progress has been made over the 50 years that they’ve been around? Bob’s passion for growth comes out as he shares his view of a lack of enough progress. With neuro-diversity and so many other helpful resources have been known, Bob argues they should have been used all this time to be helping people. While the knowledge is there, it is not always being accessed in the best of ways. Listen to why teachers need to be taught more about a wide range of learners, so that the knowledge and techniques available can be used to change people’s lives! Bob shares how so many troubling life decisions, that may end people up in jail or other difficulties may simply be due to the need for literacy skills to open up other options! These are not disabilities, they gifts that need unwrapped! At best, many people are underachieving, but at worst neglecting these gifts can be really devastating to someone’s life. Don’t let people continue on going un-helped!

Links:

Check out more about Landmark School

If you have a comment about this episode or a suggestion for a future episode, send it to different@hallowellcenter.org!