Greater Expectations

I want to share something that I've been noticing lately. For kiddos who struggle, whether from a disorder or from life circumstances in general, life is hard - period. Because the vast majority of these struggles are invisible, people have no idea that they are going on. If people don't know that there are circumstances beyond the child's control, they have no way to justify the things they might be seeing from that child (i.e. acting out/behaviours). Therefore, there are people (adults) who think some children are just plain jerks because these adults don't take the time to seek understanding. How unfair is that?!?
It absolutely sends me around the bend when adults judge and/or write off kids. Aren't all children really works in progress? Isn't that kind of the entire point of 'childhood'? Aren't kids also, generally speaking, products of their environments? If a child has a disorder of some sort and less than ideal life circumstances, life has already kicked them while they are down. Why are there adults that still feel they need further 'kicks'?
My philosophy of kids - you can only bring them from where they are and work towards progress. If you place expectations on a child that are greater than they are capable of achieving, you are absolutely setting that child up for failure. Alternately, if your expectations are too low, a child will never have anything to strive for. How are you supposed to know the difference? Know the child! And, for crying out loud, if you can't be bothered getting to know the child, stop judging them for things you don't (or can't be bothered to) understand!
While children are progressing along their life's journey, wouldn't it be more helpful and encouraging to notice the positives than dwell on the negatives? The way I see it, if you are noticing the positive things that your child is doing and positive choices they are making, they are going to start to feel pretty darn good about themselves. When they are feeling good about the little positives, they will likely start to feel proud of themselves. Once they are starting to feel proud of themselves, that will provide the intrinsic motivation that they will need to move forward with a positive outlook on life. When they have intrinsic motivation for displaying positive behaviour and making positive choices, they will chose those positive behaviours more often.
If these kids efforts are only met with criticism and negativity, what motivation would they ever have to make positive changes? If kids who struggle, put forth effort, and still don't succeed, what motivation do they have to try again? For these kids, it's much easier to not try at all, than it is to try and fail. Kids with invisible issues are already putting in monumental effort just to exist side by side with their neruo-typical peers. Now add to that, expectations that are higher than the struggling kiddo can achieve. It's a recipe for disaster!
So, where all children are concerned, can't we all just keep an open mind? Can't we all assume that a child is trying despite what OUR version of trying might look like? Can't we accept approximations?

Music for ADHD?

I read an article today about the power of music to help ADHD symptoms. The complexity of the music has the ability to engage synapses that might otherwise misfire (to paraphrase in my layman's terms). The article primarily talks about the use of music in therapy and the practical application for families. I will definitely be trying this at home with my ADHD peeps (me included). Here is the link to the article:
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/9558.html
My interest is for classroom use. I have a class of amazing and wonderful grade fives who have a tendency to be a bit on the rowdy side. If I were to play soft music in the background of the classroom, would it affect the entire mood of the room? I'm thinking that it might!
My question to all of you...
TEACHERS: have you used music in the background while you've taught a lesson? Or, have you only had music playing while students are working independently? Inquiring minds want to know😉

Favourite Fidgets

Being Sunday night and I'm thinking about getting back to school tomorrow, I got thinking about my class.  In my class I have a few students who are diagnosed ADHD already and I few more that I think may be in the near future.  I have tried many different types of fidget toys in my room to try to help students stay focused while getting in their movement at the same time.  Here are a few of my favourites...

• A wiggle cushion, OK that's just what I call it.  There are many different brand names of them, but they are essentially all the same.  They are air filled rubbery seat cushions for students to sit on.  My daughters first tried sitting on yoga balls as their classroom chairs.  While this worked incredibly well, their obnoxious classmates took to trying to kick it out from under them.  The wiggle cushions are more inconspicuous, but provide the same movement while sitting! 
• A jumpsy rope.  You remember, when we knotted all the rubber bands together to make the big stretchy jumpsy rope?  Well I knot together thick rubber bands.  I make it just big enough to wrap around the front two legs of the students chairs.  The first time I made them I assumed that students would keep it behind their legs to kick their feet against it.  However, the majority of the kids decided to put their feet in between the front and back elastics, then they could swing their legs forward or backward with resistance either way.
• Silly bands!  The new trend with all the kids makes a great fidget!  The kids collect them, so they seem to always have lots.  The wear them, fiddle with them, and stretch them.  This is another one that keeps their hands busy.  And, there is limit to how far they stretch as apposed to silly putty or the like that go on forever.

Well those are just a few of my faves.  Let me know if you have others. I love having new things to add to my repertoire.

Ideal School?

Yesterday I was reading a blog post that essentially was claiming that parents are the best advocates and experts of our own children.  Right! Of course!  Perhaps this is why school is so incredibly difficult for our ADHD and FASD children, we don't rely enough on information from the parents about their own children!

In Ontario schools, parents are involved in the IPRC process and get input into the development of their child's IEP.  Check, yep, we do that.  But, do we really allow the parents to be the experts?  I mean truly.  Or, perhaps, for the most part do teachers and administrators listen politely and nod and smile at the parents advice and then carry on with the standard, cookie cutter IEP drop box suggestions?  I dare say in most cases it's the latter.

Please hear me loud and clear, I am NOT saying this is true in all cases!!!  I have had amazing teachers that thought of accommodations for my children that I would have never come up with.  Alternatively, as a teacher I have come across parents that have not taken the time to educate themselves about their child's relative issues.  Then throw in the fact that, as teachers, we have to teach about 15 neuro-typical children (who still all progress at different rates) and about 5 more neuro-atypical children who probably all have different needs from each other.  Getting it exactly right everytime is an impossible task.

I am NOT blaming teachers for not getting it right.  I am NOT blaming parents for being uneducated.  I am saying that the current school system on the whole is inherently flawed, especially for our atypical children!!!

Parents you are the most accurate experts where your own children are concerned.  What would be the most ideal school setting for your ADHD or FASD child?  Shoot for the moon, I'm asking for pie in the sky wishes.  I'd love to hear the wish list!!!