Quite the title today and what does that mean? It's just my fun way of saying Curriculum and you thought I was speaking Latin? :) Anyhow, I stumbled upon a "concept" that led me to an interesting discovery and one that I'll be spending a whole lot more time researching (something I absolutely love to do). Long story short.....at the beginning of this school year, I was introduced to Drawing on the Right side of the Brain. This concept led me to discovering Visual Learning and that the majority of the Curry cu lums out there are geared towards left-brained learning and not right-brained anything.
I discovered an interesting article (I don't remember the where, when or how) that often times those diagnosed with ADD are not ADD at all. They simply have a different learning style (right-brained) and struggle with the left-brained curry cu lum. I read enough to satisfy where I needed to start. Fast forward about 6 months and the most recent conversation I had where struggling with education was concerned. One of my daughter's classmates from a couple years ago was diagnosed with ADHD and put on Ritalin. I had to do my research because something didn't sit right with me. Thankfully, his/her mother was patient with me as I probed for some information. Turns out that after a questionnaire was filled in by a couple of the teachers and the parents, ADHD was the end result. According to my research, it takes more than a couple questionnaires where biased might be a contributing factor before you prescribe a cocaine-like substance. Did you know that if you cease Ritalin abruptly for whatever reason, it can lead to suicide? According to my research so far, it's true!
The bottom line is I've read enough to know that there are children on Ritalin that have no business being on the stuff. I've also discovered that there are alternatives to Ritalin. Some do require time and effort and yet some parents just can't be bothered and take the "easy" way out. These two areas are areas I believe need some serious re-thinking. Common Sense tells me that.
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY........
11 years ago
I have two sons who have learning disabilities...you can call them learning differences if you like but they do hinder their ability to learn, making it more difficult. So I call it is disability. Both have ADHD...one severely so. They both have dyslexia(often accompanies ADHD) and my baby has a language procesing disorder as well. Whew! We did try Ritalin for two weeks with our older son. I swore I never would. But I decided that it was pride more than anything. What if this opened doors for my son? What if his school day was not so tortuous for him? It was great on day one..it went down hill from there...he has not taken it since and we never even considered it for the fourth son. Being home schooled affords my children luxuries they would not have in public school, for which I am very grateful. My expereience though led me to understand that each parent and child must seek out their own way and I truly have no idea what they ahve been through or are going through or what works for them or what doesn't in their particular circumstances. I do not see it as I used to see it, having been driven to try it myself. I do think it needs a lot of thought...and prayer... None of the supplemetns have worked well for us. Expensive. Have to be on them a long time before you see any results. We take it day to day...I adapt curriculum as needed. Both are very right brained. After watching Thomas Edison the boy with Mickey Rooney and Thomas Edison the man with Spencer Tracy...my older son no longer felt stupid...and his whole attitude and demeanor changed. God bless these children. God bless the parents AND the school teachers who are limited in what they can do to help them in a large class room setting. He has great plans for these unusual brains! Right? Amen! Sorry for the long comment. It is a subject close to my ehart. Blessings to you sweet sister. Love the wall paper.
ReplyDeleteGee~I thought you were going to post a recipe..LOL this is good, very good. and yes, each one has to search out this for themselves and their family....
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by girl..... I am enjoying my time away and resting... The Lord is pulling me in a couple of ways that HE wants me to go and instead of digging my heals in I am listening. Letting go of some things and embracing others....... Pruning is never easy but always productive.....
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I would have been labeled ADD...I have trouble reading directions often...but if someone shows me or talks me through it I've got it in a heartbeat. I also am great at looking at something and figuring out how to repair it...just by looking at it. I agree there are too many kids on Ritalin. I understand why schools can't teach the same info multiple ways but it's too bad...there are a lot of smart people being left by the wayside.
ReplyDeleteWell I have a husband who is ADD and a son who is ADD. We kept wondering what was wrong with our son and had him tested to see if he had a learning disability...and they said no. Yet, there was something wrong. Finally my Mother who was a elementary principle advised that we might want to have him tested for ADD.
ReplyDeleteWe did have him tested and he was. What was first a huge struggle for him after meds(we tried several)became so much easier. And his grades showed massive improvement. At some point my husband decided that he no longer need the meds.....school became a disaster. We now know that that was not a good decision on our part.....it took away what was making learning an easier thing.
Julia does not have any of these problems....and for her I am so glad. Michael had a really tough time.
Some of the traits of ADD you can be taught to over come....but some will remain a struggle for the rest of your life...that is unless the Father decides to bring healing. :)
I guess you could say that I feel for those with ADD and ADHD. It can make life pretty rough....but God can use those things for His glory.
Sorry for the commentary. :)