Bernadette LaHaie, M.A., ABD

Narrative Summary

Bernadette LaHaie received her undergraduate degree in Child Development from Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan in 1965, was awarded a Master of Arts degree in curriculum and Instruction by Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan in 1980 and completed all of her coursework for a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the same university.  She held teaching and research positions while at Michigan State University from 1978 to 1982 and taught in a number of public school systems in Michigan from 1965 to 1978.

Ms. LaHaie's main interest is the promotion of human learning and talent.  Her areas of emphasis include:

  • the causes and effects of learning
  • institutional and personal productivity
  • the encouragement of excellent performance
  • teaching and training effectiveness.

She founded the Center for Brain-Based Learning in 1988 to provide research and training in the technologies and approaches that can be applied by individuals and organizations to enhance and optimize their ability to learn, improve, and adapt to change. 

She also founded the PowerThink Academy in September, 1991.  The Academy is a first through twelfth grade private school that uses a personalized model of instruction as the basis for developing and expanding the cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions of its students.  The use of this model, together with leading edge teaching and learning strategies, provides the Academy's students with a caring and nurturing educational environment, relationships based on trust and mutual respect, and an emphasis on quality and excellence as they each pursue, develop, and maximize their abilities to learn and grow.

Her wide ranging experience as an educator, business consultant, author, speaker, and researcher give Ms. LaHaie a unique perspective on the meaning and application of learning.

At present she is the Director of and a full-time teacher at the Academy, she works with individual students after school, and conducts motivational Seminars and Workshops for business and educational organizations.  She is also working on a book based on her teaching-learning experiences with her students and has completed a series of audio tapes based on her research and experience in developing and promoting human learning and talent.