ADD - ADHD - hyperactive - have you encountered this with your children

[trailmix 77]

Then you get the younger teacher (again not all) who is not set in their ways still loves the job and is able to figure out the child and all is good.

My brother had 38 kids in his first class ever taught, back in 2005. 8 of those children had disabilities, including down syndrome. He wrote 8 different lesson plans a day for months, to try and teach different learning groups, until he physically and emotionally couldn't do it any more. It isn't as easy as "if teachers just taught children different methods, it would solve so many problems..." Imagine how incredibly difficult it must be to cater to an individual child's needs when you have almost 40 kids in a class.

That's so true. There are basic inadequacies in the school system.

Imagine setting up a system whereby there is huge room for administrators and teachers, who are so inclined - to have to basically pidgeon hole children so that they can receive additional funding.

To not give teachers the tools or the time to address individual children.

I asked my Sister why she took my Nephew out of school and home schooled him for two years. He went to Elementary in both Calgary and in Nebraska/Tennessee. She said that she found the difference to be that the schools he attended in the U.S. were very hard line, stringent and structured, with no room for individual needs.

She also said, where she is, that the middle and high school is much looser with more room for individual learning.

[Ontarkie 13,917]

Oh I know what you mean about 40 kids in a class that why i said the schools my kids went too and what i've dealt with. I also said some teachers not all for both young/new teachers and the older more experienced teachers. Its not always about making several lesson plans to meet everyone's needs its about getting the funding that the schools do get and using the money where it is needed. By making smaller classes and getting more aids in those classes if needed. And I know thats not going to happen there are lack of teachers everywhere. Or so they say I've seen teachers waiting for years to get in a school full time. Its higher up some where that is keeping the teachers from getting into the schools. But again my thoughts.

I also believe that teachers are limited to what they can teach/and how they teach in the classes not only by the kids in the class but what the state/prov feels fit to be in the class. I agree classes are way too big and its impossible to be able to get every child what they need. But making a child ADD just to get extra funding in a school then to turn around and not even use that funding to help the kids is what is happening in some schools.

Edited January 8, 2009 by Ontarkie

[Ontarkie 13,917]

I asked my Sister why she took my Nephew out of school and home schooled him for two years. He went to Elementary in both Calgary and in Nebraska/Tennessee. She said that she found the difference to be that the schools he attended in the U.S. were very hard line, stringent and structured, with no room for individual needs.

She also said, where she is, that the middle and high school is much looser with more room for individual learning.

Yes i did noticed that too. We had to do the uniforms clear or mesh back packs no exceptions. The kids could not talk in hallways/ lunch room no recess for them after grade 5 and being told how they make them grow up when they get to grade 6. I walked out of the school at that point 10 and can no longer be a kid here omfg!!

They also only had 1 bathroom pass for a month. If you got to go you better make it between classes in the very short time they give you to get to the next class they dont even get 5 mins between. Also they tell you can only go in one direction in the halls so you need to walk a complete circle even if your classes are next to each other. Lots of bull here. And they wounder why they have such a high drop out rate.

[Reba 2]

I don't have children of my own, and don't know many school age kids here in the US, but back in Ontario, holy #######, the public school systems REALLY try to push ADD/ADHD diagnoses and get kids on drugs. for every child on ritalin in a public school in Ontario, they get an extra $1000. So, any "problem" children they have diagnosed and put on drugs. Its money grubbing IMO. And in most cases, the child is not even a "problem" child, they're just bored.

In some cases, yes, the child has some sort of mental disability, however, because of school pressure to have kids on ritalin and the like, the kids are sometimes being mis-diagnosed and putting them on ritalin is exactly the wrong thing to do. A friend of mine back home has a daughter who was/is quite a handful. She was mis-diagnosed as ADHD, was on ritalin for several years, and never really had much improvement while on it. My friend was THREATENED by the school system to either drug her daughter, or her daughter would be expelled from school, and unable to attend any other in that district! Can you IMAGINE! My friend could not afford to quit her job and home school the girl, nor could she afford private school, she had no choice but to drug her daughter. She's 18 now, and worse off than she was before she started the meds. She refused to take them after a while, quit school, left home and moved in with a boyfriend and got pregnant.

My sister has a son, (he's now 7) who when he started kindergarten she was told by his teacher that he's "obviously ADD" and she should get him some ritalin. My sister asked why, has he been acting up in class? Not paying attention? Having tantrums? Any sort of bad bahaviour usually associated with ADD? The teacher said "no, he's just always off on his own, quiet, doesn't play with others, and he never looks at me and smiles like the other kids do". So, anyone who has half a brain would think "wow, obviously NOT ADD you eejit!" But the teacher and principal forced my sister to take him for evaluation, because the teacher just "couldn't deal with him" and woo hoo! Aunty Becky was right, he's autistic. I seriously wanted to go up there and beat the ####### out of that teacher, she was just hateful to my sister and my nephew. ugh!

Just before this past Christmas my nephew got an award at school for bravery. He volunteered to go read a book to the kindergarten class

[Sprailenes 47]

See I have heard of schools getting children's services involved if a parent refuses get their kids in to get a diagnosis and if its severe and drugs are needed, you don't have much say in that either apparently. My MIL who is a special education teacher has seen this first hand and its looked on as neglect. If you don't get the child in to see a doctor, children's services will arrange for you to go. So when the teacher told me I didn't have my sons best interests at heart, you freaking bet I got defensive and angry!

All I was thinking was: "Oh great these a$$holes are going to call DYFS on me!"

They can go ahead and call DYFS though because I have an appointment... its just not until February. ####### happens, pediatricians are busy.

Edited January 9, 2009 by Sprailenes

[Sprailenes 47]

Ritalin is literally an in and out drug. Its effects wear off by the time the child is finished school, this is what every pill pusher has told me. As if it is supposed to make me feel better. Oh I send him to school and he'll be drugged and focused, but he'll come home the same kid I said goodbye to in the morning!

I just don't trust it.