ABOUT DOROTHY L. GRAY
Dorothy Gray, founder of Creative Brain Works, is a passionate, visionary teacher and creator of the film The Brain Friendly Classroom©. Dorothy has profound, easy solutions for stress management and conduct problems in the classroom; transforming children into calm, confident students. She was a regular education elementary teacher for over 30 years. Her passion is helping children develop mature self-management skills, achieve academic success easily, and increasing their self-concept and confidence. Her dedication led her to design an innovative, pioneering program which consists of fun, easy techniques that are simple to implement and integrate into the classroom (and home). The results are stunning!
Gray’s passion was fueled in the early 1970’s when she saw some of her students struggling every year emotionally, academically, and socially. She knew these children were bright, but they weren’t learning and achieving like the others. In spite of all the traditional methods applied, there was never a big break-through for those children. Dorothy knew there had to be a better, more effective, fun way to transform all children into calm, successful, confident students.
After several years of searching Dorothy developed her own unique strength-based, highly successful program. Her program contains of FIVE KEY ELEMENTS. In this extraordinary program, all children feel safe (learning can not occur until we feel safe), gain control of their emotions and actions, learn to relax, and develop respect for themselves and their peers. As a result of these pioneering techniques, stress plummets, behavior problems disappear, learning easily occurs, test scores increase, and best of all…confidence sky-rockets! Children feel safe and happy. The amazing changes are noticeable to everyone. As the music teacher said to Dorothy one day, “You always get the good kids, Dorothy.”
Gray designed and conducted research in her classroom to discover the effects music and relaxation had on reading. Her findings showed they both have a profound, positive effect. Dorothy’s research was published in the educational journal, “Intervention”, March 2004.
Dorothy learned how the mind works in order to better understand, connect, and help her students. She became a Licensed Brain Gym® Teacher and Practitioner. She has used Brain Gym in all her classrooms and now teaches workshops. The work is fun and “simply profound”.
Gray went on to study Neuro-Kinesiology, Rhythmic Movement Training (RMT) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), all of which further jettisoned the children to improve self-management and social skills, academic success, and inner calm.
Dorothy’s pioneering work was made into a film, “The Brain Friendly Classroom©”. The film was shown on a school district’s television station several times a week for many years. Copies of the film were sold nationally and internationally.
Dorothy is now a popular adjunct teacher at a community college still using the simple techniques, with profound changes.
Gray teaches her pioneering program, and Brain Gym, to teachers, administrators, counselors, therapists, and parents. Participants love her passion, depth of knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm. Dorothy’s simple, innovative solutions open the world of possibilities to children by easily transforming them into extraordinary, successful, mature, confident learners. The world is indeed a better place with these children in it!