12 Things ADHD High Schoolers want their Teachers to Know

[livinginchaos]

12 Things High School Students w/ ADHD Would Like Their Teachers to Know

taken from:
http://add.about.com/cs/forteachers/a/12things.htm

**the list was complied from Teens w/ ADHD

1) I really do forget things, I am not trying to be smart, sassy or arrogant, I simply do not always remember. The myth that if it is important enough I will remember it is just that, a myth.

2) I am not stupid.,

3) I really do complete my homework. It is easy for me to lose papers, leave them at home and otherwise not be able to find my homework at the proper time. Completing homework in a notebook is much easier for me as it will not get lost as easily. Loose papers are difficult for me to keep track of. (Once my mother found my homework in the bread drawer after I had left for school!)

4) If I ask the same question over or ask many questions, it is not out of arrogance. I am trying hard to understand, comprehend and remember what you have said. Please be patient and help me.5) I want to do good. I have struggled with schoolwork for many years and it is frustrating to me. My goal is to do my best and pass this class with flying colors.

6) ADD is not an excuse. ADD really does exist and it does affect my thinking process. I would like to be "normal" and be able to remember and process information quickly, I do not enjoy being "different" and made fun of for my differences.

7) I need your help to succeed. It isn't always easy for me to ask for help and sometimes asking makes me feel stupid. Please be patient with my attempts and offer your help.

8) Please be sure to talk with me in private about behaviors or actions that may not be appropriate. Please do not humiliate me, insult me, or call attention to my weaknesses in front of the class.

9) I do better with a detailed plan and knowing what you expect. If you should change plans in the middle to adapt to some outside influence, please help me to adapt. It may take me longer to adjust to the changes. Structure and guidance are my best allies.

10) I don't like having "special accomodations." Please do not draw attention to them and help me to succeed with the least amount of attention drawn to my ADD.

11) Learn about ADD/ADHD. Read information and find out all you can on how kids with ADD learn and what can make it easier for them.

12) Always remember that I am a person with feelings, needs and goals. These are as important to me as yours are to you.

[dexter05]

Yeah I agree with number 8. I had a teacher who made an comment to about how I thought it would be a better use of class time to teach Spainish instead of lecturing the whole class for 20 minutes about how sleep is important. Granted I wasn't doing to well in that class at the time but I wanted to start doing better, and I wanted to learn at that point. Then she basically called me out in front of the class, basically saying I was an arrogent disrepectful ***** and that I was rude. Like my comment was not something I should of said, but she was the adult in the situation, and should asked me to talk to her after school or class. Something that I would of been completly willing to do. But she didn't and I lost all respect for her and her class at that moment. It happened three years ago and it still bugs me.

That was sorta just a rant.

[JimiS]

Every teacher should have this in their wallet.. When I was young, I was pegged as a retard cause I am ADD.. I wish they knew then what they know now.. I could have went to a Ivy League college.. Ironic that I found out years later that I actually have a very very high IQ..

Oh well..

At least my son (who also has ADD as well as Aspergers) will have a fighting chance at a good life of whatever he chooses..
Like I tell him.. We are the next step in the evolution process.. Be proud of who you are and make this gift work for you and not against you.. He is going to be way smarter than me and is a wonderful boy..

I can't wait to pass the torch to him..

[Paws13]

Originally Posted by JimiS

Every teacher should have this in their wallet..

Jimi, you are a true genious; not only should every teacher have this, but every boss, parent, and authority figure. What would also help is if everyone was inquired about these kinds of things like ADD, even if you don't have it or know anyone with it. It'd probably make the world a little nicer since it's one of the most commonly diagnosed problems in the world.

By the way, I can relate to #3; except I left it in the fridge once

[hypergirl96]

Originally Posted by Paws13

By the way, I can relate to #3; except I left it in the fridge once

the best is when you cant find ur homework anywhere and go home just to find out that it was in the bottom of ur backpack the whole time but you couldn't find it in the mess.

[x6eze]

Originally Posted by hypergirl96

the best is when you cant find ur homework anywhere and go home just to find out that it was in the bottom of ur backpack the whole time but you couldn't find it in the mess.

If I had a dollar for every time this happened.....well lets just say I wouldn't have to worry anymore.

[Adamant1988]

I don't like having special accomodations for myself either but I will deal with it if it gets me to where I need to be. I use them sometimes out of courtesy of other students, if I'm being brash and impulsive it's in my best interest to let them get their work done, at least. No one else should have to fail school because I have ADD.

[Foot-in-mouth]

How about "YES I really do study and do homework after school!"

I remember my Mom being told at parent teachers conference night that "Ian obviously does not study at home". Well my mother went off on that teacher because she helped me drill and practically home schooled me for 3-4 hrs a night EVERY night! I was a straight D student

[ADDitives]

even though i know those things, it's easy to forget and i've copied the list into a word document, made it look presentable and i'm putting it in my "SAER" resource file. maybe other teachers and student teachers looking through my folder will see it and take note of it! people have a lot to learn, and people have a lot of preconceptions of adhd.

one fellow student teacher said to me 2 years ago "yeah add kids are so annoying, they just do it on purpose to annoy the teacher". you can imagine my possible reactions to that statement....

[kvrrd]

I graduated from the University of Illinois in Engineering in the mid 1970's. I'm in California now. The Director of Development from UofI called me a few weeks ago to see if I would meet with him, when he came out here, to discuss how my life at school and afterwards faired, how I felt about the school, etc.
So I met him yesterday for lunch. No, I can' t donate right now....but it was more than that.
He's a baby - 27. I was so impressed with him.
His job is to get the alumni to give back to the students. WISE (women in something? engineering) is a program that allows alumni to mentor students. What a great idea.
But besides all that, I told him about this forum. About all the college students here that are brilliant and really struggling because they have no resources or help with basic organizational skills. This really caught his interest. I gave him the whole speal - inattentive ADDers are lost in the mix because they're not hyperactive. Adults whose potential is sitting untapped and underutilized.

Educators and administrators really need to know who their audiences are and how to satisfy their basic requirements. It's really up to us to be more proactive.

[~boots~]

Gee I wish I had that knowledge when I was at school...one look at my report cards should have set off alarm bells for everyone!!!

[VisualImagery]

I gave a copy of this list to the principal's secretary to get it OK'd to put in mail boxes. It never showed up.

I also gave each student with ADD a copy of the Top 10 Benefits of having ADD. They loved it. I will now give a copy of the 12 Things along with the 10 Benefits to each kid. I also post copies in my room. My goal is to show all students that ADD is a difference, not a label.

Having ADD has allowed me to really build relationships with all my students. They know I care. Besides, they know when teachers have ADD. I miss the interaction with my students this summer, but really needed the sanity break.

[JustNeedHelp]

Originally Posted by RADDmom

I gave a copy of this list to the principal's secretary to get it OK'd to put in mail boxes. It never showed up.

I also gave each student with ADD a copy of the Top 10 Benefits of having ADD. They loved it. I will now give a copy of the 12 Things along with the 10 Benefits to each kid. I also post copies in my room. My goal is to show all students that ADD is a difference, not a label.

Having ADD has allowed me to really build relationships with all my students. They know I care. Besides, they know when teachers have ADD. I miss the interaction with my students this summer, but really needed the sanity break.

RADDmom i would love to know where you got the list of 10 thing...? send me the link or .pdf, .do, .txt what ever works for you!

EDIt

and also thanks to original poster that mad me feel so... good reading that, you (or who ever wrote that) really did a good job! and also is the 10 things the same as the homework tips topic?

[VisualImagery]

It is at the beginning of this thread-just go back to post #1!

[Paws13]

I think JustNeedHelp was reffering to the 10 positives of ADD thing.

Can you tell me where it is too