My late first husband and I were walking in our neighborhood with our two sons, ages 2 and 5, one afternoon. As we approached the large park with its swimming pool, my husband suddenly raced across the street, climbed over the 15 foot high chained link fence, dove into the pool, and pulled out a drowning man. It turned out that my husband, who worked as manager of a swimming center and was a former lifeguard, had noticed the man flailing and had instantly also noticed that the lifeguard on duty was not paying attention. In seconds he was activated and saved the swimmer's life. Hunter in action. This was in the early 70s and he had always been treated badly in school for being 'hyperactive'.
"... constantly scanning their environment ...." That's the phrase that absolutely defined my experience of life. I got upset reading some of this reporting. I experienced a kind of revelation encountering the early book "You Mean I'm Not Lazy...etc." Might as well have been my biography! Unfortunately, recognition and coping came late to make the most of the talent.
Just realized no draft saving...now to rewrite my comment more briefly: 🙃 😊
Great article, Thom.
Accommodations in classes, of course, can help ADHD learners.
I accommodated an ADHD third grade student, giving him permission to stand behind his chair when I was giving a front-of-the-room presentation. This gave him the attention he needed, by deflecting/engaging his extra energy in his standing. He was very grateful for this, and I, relieved, that his energy was happily engaged, not causing a problem for either of us, or the classroom.
Another overall approach that is very happily attention-directing for students with ADHD energy, and all students, is Project Based Learning, PBL, students alone or in groups choosing an activity and goal they would like to use and achieve within the next few months as their classroom focus.
One example: a girl's desire to build a Friendship Bench.
She was then given the responsibility for
and access to anything she discovered she needed to accomplish her goal. This involved: communicating her desire to get feedback and permission from school administrators; researching benches: styles, wood, tools needed to be used by herself or sought out helpful adults, learning measuring skills, calculating, sealant protections, etc.
This then also followed by first, a written, and then oral presentation to class, parents and other interested adults, this hopefully also followed by a celebration.
It has been found that with PBL discovery learning, these classes or schools out-score others in the school district, at the same level.
This approach excellent for all learners, neurodiverse students, especially, for they are out-of-the box learners. And this is already in place with different learners with PCP, Person Centered Planning, wherein the students plays the role of saying what and how they would like learn in the next half year or whatever portion of their schooling year.
We can do so much for education by realizing that students can be given the freedom to learn as we recognize both their inner desire to learn, and what approaches enable them to thrive, neurotypical or neurodivergent.
My late first husband and I were walking in our neighborhood with our two sons, ages 2 and 5, one afternoon. As we approached the large park with its swimming pool, my husband suddenly raced across the street, climbed over the 15 foot high chained link fence, dove into the pool, and pulled out a drowning man. It turned out that my husband, who worked as manager of a swimming center and was a former lifeguard, had noticed the man flailing and had instantly also noticed that the lifeguard on duty was not paying attention. In seconds he was activated and saved the swimmer's life. Hunter in action. This was in the early 70s and he had always been treated badly in school for being 'hyperactive'.
"... constantly scanning their environment ...." That's the phrase that absolutely defined my experience of life. I got upset reading some of this reporting. I experienced a kind of revelation encountering the early book "You Mean I'm Not Lazy...etc." Might as well have been my biography! Unfortunately, recognition and coping came late to make the most of the talent.
Just realized no draft saving...now to rewrite my comment more briefly: 🙃 😊
Great article, Thom.
Accommodations in classes, of course, can help ADHD learners.
I accommodated an ADHD third grade student, giving him permission to stand behind his chair when I was giving a front-of-the-room presentation. This gave him the attention he needed, by deflecting/engaging his extra energy in his standing. He was very grateful for this, and I, relieved, that his energy was happily engaged, not causing a problem for either of us, or the classroom.
Another overall approach that is very happily attention-directing for students with ADHD energy, and all students, is Project Based Learning, PBL, students alone or in groups choosing an activity and goal they would like to use and achieve within the next few months as their classroom focus.
One example: a girl's desire to build a Friendship Bench.
She was then given the responsibility for
and access to anything she discovered she needed to accomplish her goal. This involved: communicating her desire to get feedback and permission from school administrators; researching benches: styles, wood, tools needed to be used by herself or sought out helpful adults, learning measuring skills, calculating, sealant protections, etc.
This then also followed by first, a written, and then oral presentation to class, parents and other interested adults, this hopefully also followed by a celebration.
It has been found that with PBL discovery learning, these classes or schools out-score others in the school district, at the same level.
This approach excellent for all learners, neurodiverse students, especially, for they are out-of-the box learners. And this is already in place with different learners with PCP, Person Centered Planning, wherein the students plays the role of saying what and how they would like learn in the next half year or whatever portion of their schooling year.
We can do so much for education by realizing that students can be given the freedom to learn as we recognize both their inner desire to learn, and what approaches enable them to thrive, neurotypical or neurodivergent.