Dr. Judy Willis
Dr. Judy Willis, a neurologist and credentialed teacher at Santa Barbara Middle School combined her training in neuroscience and neuroimaging with her teacher education training and years of classroom experience. She is an authority in the field of learning-centered brain research and teaching strategies derived from this research.
In addition to speaking nationally and internationally about the neuro-logical basis of learning, Dr. Willis? articles connecting neurology and education have been published in numerous education journals. Her books for teachers, curriculum developers, and administrators include Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning, Insights from a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher, Brain-Friendly Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom, and Teaching the Brain to Read: Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension Reading. In the fall of 2008 Sourcebooks published her first book for parents, How Your Child Learns Best: Brain-Friendly Strategies You Can Use to Ignite Your Child’s Learning and Increase School Success and Great Potential Press published her book about teaching Middle School Students, Inspiring Middle School Minds: Gifted, Creative, Challenging. Motivation and Negativity in Math and Beyond will be published next year by ASCD.
Following her graduation Phi Beta Kappa as the first woman graduate of Williams College, Willis attended UCLA School of Medicine, where she remained as a resident and Chief Resident in Neurology. After practicing neurology for 15 years, Dr. Willis received a credential and master's degree in education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has taught in elementary, middle, and graduate schools; is a fellow of the National Writing Project; and is currently an advisor to the ASCD Middle East and Ministry of Education, United Arab Emirates Profession Development Program. Dr. Willis is on the board of the Hawn Foundation for mindfulness education programs worldwide organized by Goldie Hawn, an advisor to the First Moves Program of the American Foundation for Chess (elementary learning program), and consultant for Laureate Education on-line teacher education programs.
After using her premed organic chemistry to be an assistant wine chemist during one grape harvest, she and her husband became home winemakers. Judy is now a contributor to the wine literature with articles in Wine Spectator and Decanter and she writes a weekly wine column for a Santa Barbara newspaper.
WEBSITE: RADTeach.com