20
Things High School Students With ADD/ADHD Would Like Their Teachers To
Know...(Compiled
by students with ADD/ADHD)
News
Flash! Attention!
We interrupt this blog to bring you the top secret "white paper"
of the International Educators' Committee to Deal With Pesky AD(H)D Students.
This elusive,
but powerful cadre of teachers and school administrators may have operatives
in your child's school. As
a public service, Barbara "Ms. B" Moran, M.A., Education, is
leaking it (Don't tell anyone, of course, since it's top secret.)
Tip to parents: Give
a copy of this white paper to
teachers and/or school administrators or send them here (links open in
separate window. Close to return here). If
they enjoy it, they are definitely NOT members. If they act all huffy,
they probably ARE members. The last thing real members want is for you
and your kid to maintain any humor or hope. So here it is, the:
Top Secret
White Paper to get Teens with AD(H)D out of our Schools!
(after
all, the world needs ditch diggers, too)
As educators,
we know that teenage students with AD(H)D are pains.
They can solve
complex equations without writing down all the steps. Or they start fiddling
around with their own equations, which really wastes valuable class time.
They can improvise
music rather than follow all the notes on the sheet music. They can ask
questions that teachers can’t answer.
They earn D’s
and F’s, yet qualify for gifted programs on intelligence tests.
They can formulate
strategies for learning, sports, the arts, and sciences that just aren’t
part of approved public education system.
How can we make
this stop?
More
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| Below
are some diagnostic criteria for ADHD, taken from the text-revised
edition of the DSM-IV, the manual that qualified health professionals
use.
(A) Either (1) or (2):
(1) six
(or more) of the following symptoms of inattention have persisted
for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent
with developmental level;
* often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless
mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities
* often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
* often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
* often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish
schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional
behavior or failure to understand instructions)
* often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
* often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that
require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework)
* often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g., toys,
school assignments, pencils, books, or tools)
* is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
* is often forgetful in daily activities
(2) six
(or more) of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity
have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive
and inconsistent with developmental level:
* often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
* often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which
remaining seated is expected
* often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which
it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to
subjective feelings of restlessness)
* often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities
quietly
* is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven
by a motor"
* often talks excessively
* often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
* often has difficulty awaiting turn
* often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations
or games)
(B) Some
hyperactive-impulsive or inattentive symptoms that caused impairment
were present before age 7 years.
(C) Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more
settings (e.g., at school [or work] and at home).
(D) There must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment
in social, academic, or occupational functioning.
(E) The symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of a
Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, or other Psychotic
Disorder and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder
(e.g., Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or
Personality Disorder). |
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