I ran across an interesting blog this morning and have added it to my list to check each day -- http://ragamuffinstudies.blogspot.com/
"Ragamuffin Studies: Musings of a Jewish Homeschooling Mom, Graduate Student, and Gadfly."

Lots of thoughtful stuff here pertaining to ADHD and learning disabilities. She looks over the recent neuroimaging study on slower brain maturation here (http://ragamuffinstudies.blogspot.com/2007/11/its-not-another-shot-in-ritalin-wars.html), and has an evocative post on how it feels to struggle in class with a LD, here (http://ragamuffinstudies.blogspot.com/2007/11/fatt-city-moment-auditory-processing.html).

Now I have to look up "FATT city". So many blogs, so little time...

Ducky

I've just found out what 'phat' means (from ADDF)
yay!

and then a couple of days later -
'FATT' too
:-)

This is why going to a FATT City workshop can be helpful. Richard LaVoie, the one who facilitates them, simulates what it is like to have a learning disability. He is so good that he actually gets grown men and women to throw papers and books on the floor and have temper tantrums. And then they get it.

They say: "This is what my students are going through." I think FATT is some acronym to mean reproducing the mental processes of a kid in mid-tantrum; from asking my little chappie at (then 3 and a bit yrs) - it seemed to me that it was an uncontrollable reaction which can be seen to be 'bad' afterwards - but which can not be helped during.

When #1 occasionally tantrums - I behave like silly daddy - my silliness is defined by how seriously he's tantrumming and can easily lift him out -
with a couple of pouts (him not me) and the occasional
'no - you're a bad silly daddy'

:-)

... unfortunately a full moon and incapacity to walk is teaching me the meaning of 'fat' also -

I like writing 'Holly'
- did you ever see the sci-fi series 'red dwarf'?

sweet diclofenac
do your magic
:-)

Yes, I enjoyed Red Dwarf though I couldn't always follow it. (Other things to do in the evenings.)

I found out what FAT City is, here (http://www.ricklavoie.com/videos.html):

Richard Lavoie: Beyond F.A.T. City (DVD)

F.A.T--Frustration, Anxiety, Tension--three all-too-familiar feelings for the families of children with learning disabilities. It is the basis for a 1987 workshop simulating the children's daily experiences. Richard Lavoie, creator of the original F.A.T. City Workshop, reviews the history & philosophy of the project, the major trends & issues in the field of learning disabilities since 1987, and the challenges ahead for parents & educators. As Seen on PBS. $49.95 |
Now if we could have compulsory seminars to teach people what ADD feels like...

Ducky