Beep!
04-22-04, 08:42 PM
(long read)
This is just my own personal observation drawn from about 13 years as a teacher of children 7-10 years of age. I feel the need to share a few things and it may or may not be of use to any parents or other educators. The opinion shared in this thread is my own and reflects only my personal observations and thoughts.
First of all, I have never assumed to diagnose ADHD or even give a verbal prediction. I am also professionally diagnosed as ADHD Inattentive Type, myself and currently take Adderall XR (meaning, I am VERY familiar with the roller coaster that medication can drive, i.e. excellent upsides, unpleasant downsides).
Over the past 13 years, I have had dozens of students who have been on various medications for ADHD. I have observed how children have demonstrated various behaviors in the classroom as medications have been switched, forgotten, doseages have been altered, etc.
Though I have had several dozens, I'll take a sample student from the current school year, male 8 years old, on medication for 2 years, and I'll call him "M". I have had the pleasure of his company for those 2 years. (He really is a neat kid!)
M is an extremely bright child. He lives in a very rural area and his home is far removed from town activity. His parents are divorced and his father is more absent than present in his life. M is quite articulate and has a rich vocabulary and is more adult than child in his depth of perception regarding mature matters.
M is combative at times, argumentative, unwilling to take risks. He is also very self-assured, thinks of himself as quite the ladies man (at 8! so cute!). He questions everything, even directions and instructions. (Actually, not always a bad thing.)
In the past 2 school years, M has been on at least 6 different medication trials. He has switched homeroom teachers several times. Some work with him, some don't (workload, impatience, too many students to tend to in a single classroom to give more individualized attention, lack of understanding of ADHD).
Last year he had several melt-downs due to frustrations. Counseling may or may not have helped. This year he has had numerous parent-teacher conferences. His grades are good. His work habits are irregular and his attitude changes daily.
I am not M's regular classroom teacher. I am his G/T teacher (gifted/talented). Though I do talk to his classroom teacher often.
Earlier this year, M was taking Adderall. He did fairly well but then declined. Then he was on Strattera for a few weeks after spring break. The first 2 weeks were wonderful. After that he was rude to other students, argumentative and would not complete any assignment, even modified ones. He personally hated Strattera and said it made him feel bad and he knew it made him act badly. Last week he changed to Ritalin. The first day was wonderful. The next several days he told other students how ulgy they were, how much he hated them, he was frustrated and refused to complete even the most simplified assignment. He states that he likes the new medication. It has "fixed' him and taken over his body.
His regular classroom teacher informed me that medications become ineffective over time. We are talking a few weeks here, do understand ...in her comment. (Horrid lack of interest in research or just general lack of education on the matter!)
His mother is riding this bungee cord with M's regular classroom teachers. Switching doctors and medications with the same regularity that some switch toothbrushes or plug in air freshners. I am not sure what the expectations of M's classroom teachers might include. A pill will not "fix" M. M is not broken. However, M must grow to understand that he also has a level of responsibility to require of himself.
M and I have a weekly after class meeting. I ask him how he feels. How his medication is doing. If he has been aware of how other people react to some of the possible down sides of his medication. We discuss strategies that may help him interact with others in a more positive manner. What he might do to help himself recognize when he needs to step aside and take a deep breath before a frustrating situation gets worse.
I try very hard to be an advocate for my ADHD students on medication. But it also becomes very frusrating when I see that most of these students are not only challenged with school requirements, but also parents that are quick to switch doctors and medications, teachers that think a pill will fix everything and are fast to suggest uninformed solutions, students who are medicated but lack a coach or counselor that is consistant and available, students who lack motivation to assume some level of personal responsibility for their own actions, and most of all ..a basically uninformed population surrounding the ADHD child.
I believe that EVERY child that has been diagnosed with ADHD, on medication or not, needs a coach. A confidante. I also believe that every child that has been diagnosed with ADHD that is currently taking medication also should realize that they hold some responsibility as they take that pill each day and recognize that though the medication may assist with some things, there might be side effects that will ALSO flow over in their interpersonal relationships, their perceptions of their environment and any other area. I believe that every parent should research and be disgustingly informed on any aspect of ADHD they can reach, not relying on the suggestions of an overworked classroom teacher to tell thim to get M a new pill because he(or she) is disruptive.
And then there are the little wall-flowers. The unobtrusive ones. The forgotten students. They mind and don't make waves. They are writing sagas in their heads, great epics......during the division lesson. Getting by...not bothering anyone. They always have "great potential" ...but never seem to realize it. Don't overlook those brilliant sparks of humanity who are more fascinated with aesthetics, problem solving and humanity than the banal sentence diagraming that is playing out on the 2-D chalkboard. Dreamland is ever more rich and deep than unimportant information being relayed by a stress-weary, soon to retire teacher. Even those children need an advocate. Medication may or may not help.
Information is important. For parents, for teachers, and for children. Each has a responsiblity. All should share a bit of empathy for the challenges that ADHD might yield.
This is just my own personal observation drawn from about 13 years as a teacher of children 7-10 years of age. I feel the need to share a few things and it may or may not be of use to any parents or other educators. The opinion shared in this thread is my own and reflects only my personal observations and thoughts.
First of all, I have never assumed to diagnose ADHD or even give a verbal prediction. I am also professionally diagnosed as ADHD Inattentive Type, myself and currently take Adderall XR (meaning, I am VERY familiar with the roller coaster that medication can drive, i.e. excellent upsides, unpleasant downsides).
Over the past 13 years, I have had dozens of students who have been on various medications for ADHD. I have observed how children have demonstrated various behaviors in the classroom as medications have been switched, forgotten, doseages have been altered, etc.
Though I have had several dozens, I'll take a sample student from the current school year, male 8 years old, on medication for 2 years, and I'll call him "M". I have had the pleasure of his company for those 2 years. (He really is a neat kid!)
M is an extremely bright child. He lives in a very rural area and his home is far removed from town activity. His parents are divorced and his father is more absent than present in his life. M is quite articulate and has a rich vocabulary and is more adult than child in his depth of perception regarding mature matters.
M is combative at times, argumentative, unwilling to take risks. He is also very self-assured, thinks of himself as quite the ladies man (at 8! so cute!). He questions everything, even directions and instructions. (Actually, not always a bad thing.)
In the past 2 school years, M has been on at least 6 different medication trials. He has switched homeroom teachers several times. Some work with him, some don't (workload, impatience, too many students to tend to in a single classroom to give more individualized attention, lack of understanding of ADHD).
Last year he had several melt-downs due to frustrations. Counseling may or may not have helped. This year he has had numerous parent-teacher conferences. His grades are good. His work habits are irregular and his attitude changes daily.
I am not M's regular classroom teacher. I am his G/T teacher (gifted/talented). Though I do talk to his classroom teacher often.
Earlier this year, M was taking Adderall. He did fairly well but then declined. Then he was on Strattera for a few weeks after spring break. The first 2 weeks were wonderful. After that he was rude to other students, argumentative and would not complete any assignment, even modified ones. He personally hated Strattera and said it made him feel bad and he knew it made him act badly. Last week he changed to Ritalin. The first day was wonderful. The next several days he told other students how ulgy they were, how much he hated them, he was frustrated and refused to complete even the most simplified assignment. He states that he likes the new medication. It has "fixed' him and taken over his body.
His regular classroom teacher informed me that medications become ineffective over time. We are talking a few weeks here, do understand ...in her comment. (Horrid lack of interest in research or just general lack of education on the matter!)
His mother is riding this bungee cord with M's regular classroom teachers. Switching doctors and medications with the same regularity that some switch toothbrushes or plug in air freshners. I am not sure what the expectations of M's classroom teachers might include. A pill will not "fix" M. M is not broken. However, M must grow to understand that he also has a level of responsibility to require of himself.
M and I have a weekly after class meeting. I ask him how he feels. How his medication is doing. If he has been aware of how other people react to some of the possible down sides of his medication. We discuss strategies that may help him interact with others in a more positive manner. What he might do to help himself recognize when he needs to step aside and take a deep breath before a frustrating situation gets worse.
I try very hard to be an advocate for my ADHD students on medication. But it also becomes very frusrating when I see that most of these students are not only challenged with school requirements, but also parents that are quick to switch doctors and medications, teachers that think a pill will fix everything and are fast to suggest uninformed solutions, students who are medicated but lack a coach or counselor that is consistant and available, students who lack motivation to assume some level of personal responsibility for their own actions, and most of all ..a basically uninformed population surrounding the ADHD child.
I believe that EVERY child that has been diagnosed with ADHD, on medication or not, needs a coach. A confidante. I also believe that every child that has been diagnosed with ADHD that is currently taking medication also should realize that they hold some responsibility as they take that pill each day and recognize that though the medication may assist with some things, there might be side effects that will ALSO flow over in their interpersonal relationships, their perceptions of their environment and any other area. I believe that every parent should research and be disgustingly informed on any aspect of ADHD they can reach, not relying on the suggestions of an overworked classroom teacher to tell thim to get M a new pill because he(or she) is disruptive.
And then there are the little wall-flowers. The unobtrusive ones. The forgotten students. They mind and don't make waves. They are writing sagas in their heads, great epics......during the division lesson. Getting by...not bothering anyone. They always have "great potential" ...but never seem to realize it. Don't overlook those brilliant sparks of humanity who are more fascinated with aesthetics, problem solving and humanity than the banal sentence diagraming that is playing out on the 2-D chalkboard. Dreamland is ever more rich and deep than unimportant information being relayed by a stress-weary, soon to retire teacher. Even those children need an advocate. Medication may or may not help.
Information is important. For parents, for teachers, and for children. Each has a responsiblity. All should share a bit of empathy for the challenges that ADHD might yield.