This brings to mind, my own thoughts on this subject of children as being diagnosed with ADHD. We are taught in our education program, that all children learn differently, and that our task is to find a way to teach each and every child the various curriculum components in various ways, in an attempt to reach each child. Some children are visual learners, others kinesthetic, and others yet, may learn by reading or seeing. Yet, when faced with a child who can't sit still or concentrate for long periods of time, instead of finding out how they would learn best, and employing such techniques with which to teach them, we are forced to label them with a learning disorder and, as Robinson says, to "put {them] on medication and [telling them] ... to calm down". Maybe something like Robinson's statement that they "have to move to think," is true. Why then, can we incorporate visual aides to accommodate visual learners, and not do what we can to accommodate learners who maybe need to move to learn? What would be the harm in attempting such methods of teaching? I would very much like to know how Thom's Hartmann's Hunter school, which was for children diagnosed as having ADHD and Aspergers, went about in their daily lessons. For Thom looked at ADHD, not as a mental disease, or difference, but as a context disorder. He says that:
"Left-handedness is another, for example. If a left-handed person were put in a room with nothing but right-handed-required tools, she would have a problem 'succeeding'."
He then drives his point home as he continues, saying that:
"In the years when my parents were in school, it was common to tie the left arm of left-handed children to their bodies, so they'd be "forced to learn to be normal" and use their right hands. Enormous psychological wounding was done in the name of enforcing 'normalcy'."
This is eye-opening. Would you say today that someone who is left-handed is not normal? That there is something wrong with them? Do you think that there should be a drug created to correct this 'problem'? I sure don't!
Jillian, the dancer, went on to succeed immensely in life. If we constrain all of these children with 'learning problems' to sit still in class and to listen to what is being taught, not to experience the world as they should, we are, as Ken stresses, killing their creativity, and these children deserve the right to harness their overzealous energy to become productive members of society in their own areas of expertise and interest, just as any child should be given the opportunity. They may even succeed immensely, just as Jillian was able to do, when she was given the opportunity to explore her interests and to express herself by channelling her energy in a positive way.
Ken Robinson's 2006 TED Talks video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Thom Hartmann's 'Reinventing Our Schools'
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/guest/hartmann_reinventing.htm
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