As a child I was quiet, dreamy,had no problems sitting still, but I wanted to decide for myself and do things my own way.

I remember when I was about 10; we had a math lesson in school, but I didn't like math, I thought "What's the point", so I read a novel that I hid in my lap instead. The teacher found out and told me off. Then I got up angry and wanted to leave school, but she made me stay.

haha yeah, thats the way I am. I'm still that way. I was extremely unattentive in class and sometimes it was worse because I felt like the assignment was too stupid to be worth my while. Didn't help getting homework done, thats for sure. I still am very opinionated about what I am told in school and choose whether or not I agree with it.

oh my g*d!

you described me in middle school. exactly! well, almost exactly. i read my books in my lap, sticking out from under my text book, etc. (i was *very* creative) during english class. first i'd read the lesson out of the textbook. then, when it was apparent that he was teaching the same thing i'd just read, i moved on to greener pastures. he never ticked me off, but, i did have spare books in case i got caught reading and my first choice was confiscated. the teacher's comment at parent-teacher conferences, "i never thought i'd say this about a student, but, your daughter reads too much!"

and, that same year, my temper flared during science class when the teacher marked me tardy even though i was two steps from my chair when the bell rang. man i was ticked! the tardy kids had to stand at the back of the classroom for that period and i slammed my books down on my desk, then stomped back to my corner. (it was my corner because i was late often enough to have claimed that territory, but, i wasn't late that day!) he was a crotchety teacher too and normally i was afraid of him, but that day, i think i scared him! heh.

all this from the girl who never caused anyone a bit of trouble ... 'till puberty hit.

whew! that was a rush. haven't thought about that in years!

unfortunately, it wasn't the last time I lost my temper with a teacher....

we first three posters are all girls. i wonder if it's a girl/ADD thing....? i'm innatentive type also. probably not a girl thing. boys are innatentive too. maybe an innatentive thing? a puberty thing maybe?

curiouser and curiouser,

wheezie

If just amazes me that you could actually read a book! If im in class trying to read, I am watching everyting that is gonig on. I can't even read in my quiet home, the library..nowhere! Its a big problem when University is all reading... I hear so many ADDers talking about reading books...honestly how do you do it?? It literally takes me 30 mins to read a page becuase 1) I have to put my attention to it , 2) I have to read and actually read the words and not be thinking somewhere else, and 3) I have to get through page after page iwth no distraction. Its literally impossible but in a busy classroom setting? Unless of course I have the rare experience of hyperfocusing..I can get lots done with that! You amaze me.
I wasn't reading in class at those times, I was just doing anything BUT listening.