ADHD / ADD Support Group
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) are more common than you might think. It is a syndrome that exhibits symptoms such as hyperactivity, forgetfulness, mood shifts, poor impulse control, and distractibility. Join others who suffer from these conditions and share your experiences.
The other day my ADHD 15 yr. old son's teacher called me to fill me in on how much work he's behind in class. He was absent for a quite a number of days so he has a lot of catching up to do, as well as keeping up wtih the current work. She told me that she gives the students plenty of class time to work on their assignments...yet he chooses to sit and not do anything. She told me that my son is lazy. I told her that since that class is a 90 minute class, and since there is so much work perhaps he basically was shutting down. She disputed that because she said that he's smiling and seems fine. She also mentioned that she had offered to help him outside of class time but he didn't make the choice to come see her. I told her that he needs reminders. Since he has a lot on his plate, he would not remember to show up. She did give him a note to post on his locker...he then went to her. If he were "lazy" he would not have followed through with the reminder. The teacher also said that he needs to take some responsibility. I don't know how to respond to that because I know it's a fine line. I know he has to be taught the skills, and we're working on it, but I am not going to sit back and watch him struggle. This teacher claims she knows what ADHD is all about. If she did....she wouldn't call him lazy. **By the way....I really do like this teacher. She is very new and very together but I feel we all have to step up to plate a bit more to help him get back on track. Any thoughts?
This teacher needs a reminder on her duties, like a chat with the school psychologist and yourself.
The school finally mentiioned this other program for children who need the smaller classroom size in order to get their work done cause a bigger class is just too over whealming. He has been in this smaller class now for about 2 months and his report card is actually showing improvements. He still has a long way to go as well.
But that teacher also needs to understand that it is a balance of teaching and understanding of every child. Teachers I see have either forgotten how to teach because of the Educational system. I told the school this year and last year. You say that your polocy is NO CHILD SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND. But you are leaving my son behind and in our first year in this school they left my daughter behind and she had to repeat the grade. I think I have finally gotten thru and now the school that my son is in is really starting to work with him and myself. I understand that we all have our part and as long as I see everyone doing thier part I have no problems. But labing children hurts them in the long run.
I hate to ask this question but while your son was out of school was he capible of doing his work if it were brought to him? I know the first hospital that my son was in this year didn't help him much with the homework that we had the teacher fax to him after we brought him all his books. That upset me as well. But his teacher was very understanding and told me that what ever he got done like the things for his tests or study guides and he read he would do better at getting his grades. And the hospital didn't do that. If I would have known this then I wouldn't have taken him to that hospital which was also over an hour away.