I don't mean to say there is no such thing as attention deficit disorder, I am not qualified to say that there isn’t such a thing. I know that there are a great many psychologists and pediatricians who think there is. But I also realize that this topic is still a matter of great debate. What I do know, for a fact, is that kids are being routinely medicated. And it may not be their fault. Children are being besieged with information and forced to give their attention to a variety of stimuli: computers, i-phones, advertisements, hundreds of television channels.
Are we penalizing our students for getting distracted? It seems to be that it is not a coincidence that the growth of ADHD has risen in direct proportion to the growth of standardized testing. And what is happening, I believe, is that our young children are being given drugs that shut down their senses. Why is this happening? Shouldn’t we be waking them up?
Now the big question is how do we set about waking them UP? How do we set about to cultivate divergent thinking skills of our students? How do we cultivate their ability to see lots of possible answers to questions that are being posed? Divergent thinking requires that our students thin laterally rather than in a linear fashion.
Students need to be encourage to answer more abstract questions and to see the multiple answers that exist in the more sophisticated questions posed by the teacher. In essence, we need to encourage students to think at higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy Ca they do this if we are prescribing “calm-down” medicine? My question is this………….in an era of ADHD how do we educate our students so that they can benefit from and hone their divergent thinking skills? How do we keep our students involved and learning interactive while at the same time covering the prescribed curriculum and preparing them for standardized tests?
Drugs should not be the first answer. Yes, it can help, but it can also turn your curious child into a menial task, thoughtless zombie. I would first ask is the child bored in the class? Perhaps the student needs a more challenging and thought provoking environment. If that is not the case, then we look into why he or she is acting so hyper. two reasons could be is that they are seated in area that blocks their vision or they can't hear. As educators, we must first think of how the problem can be solved without the use of prescription drugs.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to standardized testing, the solution would be to change the format of the test. The test should be formatted to fit students, not the beckoning call of politicians and testing firms. If the ages are 5-8, the test should be on a computer, with interactive capabilities. As the child goes from grade to grade, the format of the test should adapt. Standardized tests does not ask why the student got the answer. In 8th grade for example, instead of giving a AYP in English with just multiple choice, give them an essay, with options of writing an expository or persuasive paper. If there is multiple choice, give them questions that activate their higher learning capabilities.
Is there such a thing as ADHD will be debated for a long time to come. In the meantime, to benefit our students I believe the best way is to keep them moving. Get them actively involved in the lesson! Students at any level will grow bored or tired after a certain amount of time. Combining whole group instruction with small group instruction, as well as using the multiple learning styles throughout your lesson will help to keep them focused. Being able to tie your lesson in to what ever is going on in the world is also helpful. Recently in class we discussed how a lake is like the Iphone and the students not only were involved in the discussion, but understanding the underlying concept!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dave that standardized tests do not ask how we got to an answer, just what the correct answer is. By creating tests that allow our students to show what they know, such as with short answer responses, our students should perform better.
I think ADHD is one of the most over diagnosed childhood afflictions of the 21st century. When I was school, children who would probably now be diagnosed as ADHD were considered, energetic, antsy or daydreamers.
ReplyDeleteRecesses have gotten shorter, school days longer and the academic demands have increased dramatically; no wonder kids can’t focus.
The so called experts are telling parents that their children should be exceptional academically, athletically and artistically if they want to be successful later in life. No wonder parents are consenting to these “wonder drugs” for their children.
I am true believer in Gardner’s multiple intelligences, it explains so much about the way both children and adults will learn something. To help our antsy, daydreaming students achieve, we need to develop lesson plans I ways to deliver content that is meaningful to our students and will ensure their success. And we have to be flexible enough to realize that some days we have to let students get up, stretch, lie on the floor to read, decorate their notebooks with flowers
I agree with what everyone has said above-and I think that the increase in cases recently could be tied to the fact that children have become more accustomed to having instant feedback and reactions through the new media and activities they do. I have recently tried using senteo receivers in my class for quizzes but have found that although the students do well with these quizzes there isn't the same formality as a paper and pencil quiz. I'm not saying there should be the structure of a standardized test, but I think it may be a good experience for students, even with attention difficulties, to have that structure to prepare for other things, like standardized tests.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that adhd is wildly over diagnosed. I feel like in our society of quick fixes Ritalin is an easier cure than attention and counseling. I think one problem we have to look at beyond the school sphere, is that kids are now growing up constantly entertained. When I was a child on a long road trip I would look out the window, draw, imagine myself flying along side the car, and moony other things to pass the time. Now kids have TV and video games in their parents cars, on their phones they need constant entertainment.
ReplyDeleteEducators need to be aware of this, and both use this fact to their advantage in their lessons, but also teach the learning skills students will need in the future not just the content. An example of this would be using a behavioral model to teach waiting and listening skills. A teacher should be explicit give the directions, "Class for 10 minutes were going to take some notes and discuss Woodrow Wilson." Then give them the knowledge if they practice their waiting and listening skills they'll be reinforced, like "And after we finish that if you guys pay attention and take notes I'll give you 5 minutes of chat time." Now prior to this you would have to teach what are good listening and note taking skills, but i believe the behavior model with these adhd students may be the best way to reach them.
While I do not think ADD or ADHD are "fake," I do think they are over-generalized and diagnosed way too often. As a child, I was classified with ADD, (not hyperactive), so all that meant was I had to find my own way of learning if I didn't find something interesting. Luckily I was a bright kid, and could catch up easily, but some subjects (English, History) just didn't give me the stimulation I needed. I think that school systems take it way too easy on children today, giving them meds or IEDs at the drop of a hat. We, as a society, are too eager to diagnose and get rid of the problem with medication, rather than sit down and talk it over with the student.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Mary that half of what these kids need is time to go outside to play and socialize. Let them get that extra energy out. It also doesn't help that extra-curricular activities like music and art are being cut, because unfortunately it's sometimes all a student has to look forward to in their school day.
To weigh back in, I think we have all failed to realize exactly when and under what circumstances our current school system began. We must take into consideration the fact that our schools were first established during 2 major reforms on society, the Enlightenment and the industrialization. Both, I find play into a major factor in how schools are still run to this day.
ReplyDeleteThink on how a school day is constructed and even how students are evaluated. Everything is factoryized, everything from the ringing bells to symbolize when students are to move to the next task to the fact that students are produced in batches, put together by manufacturing dates (age) rather than being sorted into skill level.
I believe to really have a focus on divergent thinking and to get away from medicating those who don't just think outside the box, but who challenge being in the box in the first place, we need to reestablish what school systems are.
We as the future in education have a duty to allow students to learn to their fullest ability, not strip them of what makes them unique byedicating those who fall outside our educational assembly line.
I also agree with everyone above. I do not believe that ADD or ADHD are fake but i believe they are absolutely over diagnosed. Many of the children out there who are dianosed with ADD or ADHD are kids who need to let out steam during times such as recess or during their lunch periods. In some ways teachers and administrators deprive them from those activities. Keeping students who have these disabilities should always be moving and always been thorough involved in the lesson.
ReplyDeleteI think that there are far too many students relying on medication for concentration and academic involvement skills. From a parental standpoint, I suppose that it seems easier to monitor their child's activities through at-home medication, but at the same time, perhaps these parents should really try to find the root of the problem. Perhaps sitting down with the student and discussing certain strategies and solutions to combat psychological issues such as this, might help the student, the parent, and the teacher to be a bit more at ease. Although certain modifications should be made for these students, where perhaps they have a more creative outlet, I believe that medication should not be considered the "quick fix".
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Matt's thought on the industrialized nature of schools, I completely agree that we are continuing to adhere to a long outdated system. Students seem to be all too used to simply skating by with comprehension of subjects and content, rather than jumping into Bloom's higher level thinking skills in order to process information. A big part of this should be blamed on the school system, but at least a small part has to be placed on teachers for not fostering a creative community within their classrooms.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of ADHD (and ADD), it is a common perception to consider them over-diagnosed. But rather than pointing this out, I see the more important issue being the process of accepting it and adapting to it as a teacher. As with all learning disorders, ADD cases range in severity. As teachers, it should be more important for us to gain an understanding of the severity of our students and help them work according to that. Though it's true medication may have a negative effect, some students who have severe cases of ADHD might not be able to cope in a classroom setting without the aid of medication.