Is Alzheimer’s disease just a myth and the resulting brain degeneration caused by aging and affected by lifestyle conditions and choices? That is a question posed by neurology, geriatrics, dementia and cognitive science expert Peter J. Whitehouse, MD, Ph.d. in his book, The Myth of Alzheimer’s. This ground breaking book asks the questions that so many early diagnosed patients and their families ask about dealing with the condition.

While Whitehouse was instrumental in developing and testing pharmaceuticals – prescription medications – to treat “Alzheimer’s disease” for over 30 years, in 2007, he had an “awakening” of sorts that made him question the true intent of pharmaceutical companies. His goal with the book is to not only influence the pharmaceutical industry in the way they do business, but also to hopefully guide baby boomers in their aging process and health care professionals in diagnosing and treating brain aging.

The myth Whitehouse describes is that of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) being a singular disease with no one biological profile of the condition. Natural aging in one person has the same biological hallmarks in one diagnosed with AD. Since we don’t have the biological markers to actually diagnose AD, even those people who are stated to have it can only be deemed “probable.” The concern he has is that there is a promise of “curing” AD, although it may be nothing more than accelerated brain aging. Prevention first and the care for those diagnosed are where dollars should be invested are his points. All of our brains are aging and the fear of AD, along with the hope of a cure are merely mythical.

Part one and two of the book expose some of the unsound clinical, political and scientific framework of AD and describe why it is so difficult to treat or “cure” the condition. He encourages the view of AD as a “changing of self” that must be addressed by the individual and his family as we are aging. Whitehouse proposes that the term Alzheimer’s, named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer for his cases from 1901-1906, distorts our expectations and understanding of the human brain. Dr. Alzheimer treated the first documented sufferer of AD, a 51 year old woman with problematic symptoms that Dr. Alzheimer described with “Cause of illness: Aeriosclerosis” and “Form of illness: simple mental disorder.” » Read more: The Myth of Alzheimer’s – A Review

It is imperative that every educator should endeavor to be a good classroom manager. Being a good class manager means building classroom discipline in students. This is because the classroom is ideally the learning environment where everything proper and curriculum based takes place. Besides, an educator deals with different types of individuals who are psychological beings with different backgrounds and personalities as students in the classroom.

Therefore, when the educator applies good and proven classroom management techniques, he or she will be able to bring under control the different kinds of behavior the students typify. Nevertheless, there are educators who are known to have been using a set of unique classroom management techniques that works just like the several methods others apply. However, the creativity of the teacher as commonly taught in most classroom management workshops is vital in evolving different and proven classroom management techniques.

Here are some initiatives for building effective classroom discipline and fostering good classroom management that makes classroom teaching and learning fun for both the educator and his or her students.

Use focus and direct instruction techniques in building classroom discipline: If you begin your lesson anyhow with the hope that your students will get under control and ready to learn, you may be wrong. It is always important that the educator gets the class and the whole students’ attention focused on the task at hand before the lesson begins. If as an educator you consistently start to teach your class while your students are not paying attention, there is the likelihood they will assume it is proper to talk while you are teaching.

As a good educator, demand your students’ attention on the task at hand even before you start the introductory part of your lesson. » Read more: Classroom Management Techniques Educators Need