How School Systems Deal With ADD and ADHD

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Barstow College Randy Payne Essay Six 29 May 03 Research Paper How the Barstow Unified School District Deals with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) And Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) I believe that children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be (Masser, Creed, 1977) I don’t know what other people would think but I feel fortunate that two of my three sons have AD/HD. This has allowed me to be more involved in my son’s education in a way I never knew. It’s terrible to think that we let our children’s minds go to waste without doing all we can as parents to help. Many children in today’s schools are missing out on the education they so dearly deserve through no fault of their own. Parents are missing out on the greatest tool at their disposal. The Barstow Unified School District has a program that will assist in identifying children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), assist parents in developing an education program suited for this disorder, and provide guidance to parents in seeking medical assistance as well. What are ADD and AD/HD? Dr. Linda Pfiffner defines these disorders as follows: ADD and AD/HD are diagnostic terms that describe a diverse group of children who have problems with inattention, distractibility, and in many cases, impulsivity and over activity. These disorders are a serious problem affecting thousands of students every year. Students have trouble staying focused, list... ... middle of paper ... ... of these factors, the system must look at all of the various ins and outs and work out how best is this child going to learn. Sometimes it takes a while and sometimes teachers have to try different things. As special education teachers, they know what works for one child may not work for another even though they have the same processing deficits. Once you hit the right combination it becomes very satisfying. It’s like a light has just been turned on in the child’s head and he/she can see clearly now and begins to make progress. The Barstow Unified School District’s system for dealing with sufferers of ADD and AD/HD is to be commended. Their identification of students with this disorder, their educational development programs and their involvement of the parents are all contributing factors in their interest to provide the best education they can to our children. Works Cited Masser, Michael, and Creed, Linda. “The Greatest Love of All.” Gold Horizon Music, 1977. Newton, Janet. Pupil Services, Barstow Unified School District, Personnel interview. 23 May 2003. Pfiffner, Linda J. Ph.D. All About ADHD: The Complete Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers. Scholastic Inc., 1996

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