The DEAK Group: Dedicated to Education And Kids

"Dr. JoAnn Deak has made the word 'thrive' synonymous with our culture's understanding and appreciation of girls. Throughout the world, Dr. Deak has transformed the lives of girls for the better by working with those who touch girls' lives the most- their parents and teachers. She has a unique ability to educate parents and educators both practically and theoretically through stories, research, wit, and wisdom."
Nancy Davies
Head of Orchard House School
Richmond, VA

"In her brilliant and most engaging workshop JoAnn Deak invites you to a Voyage of Discovery-the built-in differences across genders, and their unique cognitive processes. You exit her workshop equipped with deep insight and practical experience. You become a designer teacher who knows how to reach all learners, and bring the gift out of each and individual."
Zahra Ramezani
Dominican International School Teachers & Administration
Taipei, Taiwan

"No one understands the human psyche better than Dr. JoAnn Deak. Whether entertaining a group of jaded New York advertising execs on the difference between the male and female brain or educating an intimate gathering of moms about why young girls lose their confidence, JoAnn Deak knows how to get the listener's attention and keep it."
Margie Goldsmith
Board member - Advertising Women of New York

"At our March, 2003, conference, JoAnn Deak absolutely enthralled our audience of teachers, administrators, and parents. We all left the conference stimulated and awakened to how we can best approach the distinctly female and male minds, hearts, and psyches of our students. The depth, humanity, and humor of Ms Deak's interaction with us (she never merely presents) provided a model of good teaching one rarely sees from conference speakers. We are anxiously awaiting her return in 2004."
Dr. Alfonso Orsini
Chair, Swiss Group of International Schools

"JoAnn Deak has a profound understanding of girls, their world and the complexities they face navigating through the challenges of adolescence. With humor, intelligence and solid research to support her, she is able to provide educators, parents and young people themselves with strategies and knowledge to help guide and lead. Our school community has been the beneficiary of her fine work on many occasions."
Patricia T. Hayot, Ph.D.
Head of School
Columbus School for Girls

"During her visit to our daughter's middle school, JoAnn Deak's ability to tailor her group work to both the teachers and students was outstanding. At an evening talk to the larger community, she was able to take information on current brain research and apply it to implications for best educational practices in informative, entertaining, and specific ways. Every aspect of Deak's consulting work here was flexible, focused, and accessible at all times."
Pat Isaccs
Parent, Richmond, VA

"As educators, we gained so many insights from JoAnn Deak's presentation and information. It helped us focus our efforts on behalf of our girls."
Nancy D. White
Head of School
La Pietra-Hawaii School for Girls

"JoAnn shared her sage advice with our parent group so well that we've asked her back 3 times! She is funny and gets to the heart of real parenting issues without mocking a question or a challenging situation. Her anecdotal childrens stories speak to the heart; we rushed home to think about working and living with our youngsters in new ways!"
Helen Butler
Cleveland Parent Group

"JoAnn Deak's messages about nurturing girls' independence say what we want both our parents and our teachers to know. In her work with our faculty, she has given us research-supported, practical help in our efforts to understand how girls learn and to design classes, projects, activities, and assessments that put girls in the best possible position to learn and thrive. Personally and professionally, JoAnn is a great role model, an original "can do" girl."
Theo Coonrod, Head
St. Mary's School, Raleigh

"JoAnn Deak has worked with students, faculty and parents at Roland Park Country School for the past several years. Her insights into the inner workings of our students minds have been invaluable to our work as educators. JoAnn can crystallize in a clear, concise manner the most important aspects of how students learn and behave. She can make us all become better educators and better parents. Her workshops are humorous, enlightening, relevant and truly unique."
Jean Waller Brune
Head of School

"For the past two years, PS #1 (Pluralistic School) has had the pleasure of working with JoAnn Deak. Ms. Deak has enriched our community as a consultant to our faculty and staff, as well as a speaker for Parent Education Evenings."
Carolina Goodman, Assistant Head
PS #1 School, Santa Monica, CA

"JoAnn Deak presented a day-long workshop for our faculty in which she highlighted the results of recent brain research on adolescent learning. By the end of the day we all were convinced that we needed to do better than anecdotal evidence in planning and presenting curriculum. Her central message of tying learning theory more closely to research has reinforced my quest to improve our school as a center for student-centered learning."
Dave Bouton
Head Learner, Blue Ridge School, VA

"The combination of sound science and empathetic understanding make JoAnn Deak's presentations uniquely helpful. Parent groups, faculty, teams, and school leaders utilize her guidance in various ways-occasionally surprising themselves with new applications. We are never ready for her to leave; we schedule her return early and often."
Margaret C. MacDonald
Headmistress
Ashley Hall

"Dr. Deak met with the faculty, dorm parents and administrators of the Idyllwild Arts Academy for an extraordinary day in May. She translated the latest scientific research on the brain for our educational community and entertained us with vivid examples of student development. Her engaging style and thorough knowledge helped us to formulate new and exciting ideas for the talented artists in our school. She challenged us to think anew regarding daily schedules and homework. We used the interest created by her visit to re-think our strategies and focus on student centered learning that maximizes the potential of each child."
Bill Lowman
Headmaster, Idyllwild Arts Academy

"JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. visited Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart as part of a nationwide tour of her most recent book "Girls Will Be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters." She spoke with parents and faculty at a special appearance scheduled in conjunction with the school’s annual book fair. Her presentation included a discussion on the latest brain research on girls and illustrated exciting ways in which parents can help their daughters learn and flourish. The audience was impressed by Dr. Deak’s depth of knowledge, her ability to express her ideas creatively and with humor, and her willingness to answer questions throughout the lecture. Her enthusiasm for single-gender education was clear, as were the conclusions she drew from current scientific research."
Laura Novia
Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart

"JoAnn instigated a thought provoking discussion with our faculty. She inspired them to re-evaluate their own teaching and instigated discussions that ensued for weeks after her visit."
Deirdre Gainor
The Archer School, Los Angeles, CA

"Thank you for your inspiring, thoughtful and informative book. It is wonderful to have such a book around to recommend. Anyone who interacts with both boys and girls should read Girls Will Be Girls... the wisdom included is priceless."
Ophelia Inez Weeks, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Florida International University