Search Results for: blog adhd middle school and those two dirty words

What’s IQ Got to Do With It?

IQ. . . What is it? IQ stands for intelligence quotient, and is a measure often used to determine whether a child is intellectually below average. It is written as a percentage, such as: In other words, if a child is chronologically age eight, but functions at the intellectual age of a four year old, her IQ would be 4/8 = 50% = “50.” In most cases, a normal IQ is considered to be between the range of 90 – 110. And an IQ of 100 would be absolutely average for that child’s age. A child with an IQ between … Continue reading →

Teaching in Special Education

First of all, let me express the fact that I love my job. I really do. Teaching is something that I wanted to do for quite some time. When I finally received my degree, I wasn’t sure what grade level I wanted to teach. I was aiming for junior high or high school; however, I didn’t know which one. In the end, I had several offers but one stood out more than the rest. It was an offer to teach special education at a high school about half an hour from my house. I had never thought about going into … Continue reading →

The Fourth Goodnight

Sunni, my thirteen-year-old stepdaughter with ADHD, has difficulty getting to sleep at night. Every evening the two of us go through a little ritual that I now call “the fourth goodnight.” Originally it caused me some irritation. After a while, I began to quietly tolerate it. These days, it brings a smile to my face. As it becomes later in the evening, I’ll watch her face begin to grow tired. It’s a face I know so well. Her eyes get glassy and she suddenly looks a few years older. “I’m tired,” she’ll say, pushing her long strawberry-blonde hair over her … Continue reading →

ADHD: Should it Be Called INHIBITION Deficit?

Dr. Russell Barkley and some other experts have determined, based on their research and observations, that ADHD is primarily a deficiency of inhibition, rather than attention span. This characterization makes sense to me. I’ve seen that my own children who have the condition are able to focus very well on their video games, movies, and anything that is entertaining or interesting to them. They certainly aren’t incapable of maintaining focus when they want to. However, when they are required to pay attention to something less stimulating, like spelling or fractions, they have trouble filtering out the other things that intrigue … Continue reading →

ADHD, Middle School, and Those Two Dirty Words

We were on a long drive, and I was trying to gather up the courage to tell my husband something. I knew it would be a little bit touchy, and I wanted to approach the issue in just the right way. After all, it was about his oldest daughter–my stepdaughter–and I knew he had very tender feelings for her. And I’d have to use two dirty words: special education. For months I had watched Sunni drown in her middle school classes. To read my previous blog on this story, click here. Despite working with her, meeting with teachers, and enrolling … Continue reading →