ADHD is something that was never diagnosed when I was in school. Now every other child is on some kind of medication. My niece is very bright and outgoing and she is an only child. When she started to school she talked too much (according to her teacher). The teacher called her mother and told her that she needed to get the child to the doctor because she had to be ADHD. She just couldn’t pay attention in class and she was disruptive. The child made 100% on everything they gave her to do but she couldn’t remember to raise her hand and she talked out. I don’t think it ever occurred to anybody that she was just happy to be in school and have other kids to talk to. I think we need to step back from these ADHD diagnoses and medications. Sometimes kids just have something they need to say. If we were disruptive in school we got a spanking. We didn’t need medicine to know not to be disruptive again. Now, I’m not in favor of spankings in school, but my point is there are other things than medication. I think students would be more interested in a digital classroom and would be more intent on what they are doing.
I really like the idea of comparing education to an industrial setting. It was so accurate and I'd never even given it a thought. We run the kids through like an assembly line. All of the children are the same age as they get started, whether they are ready or not, and pretty much the same age as they finish. We aren't open to allowing them to do things in an unconventional manner. I remember getting a math problem wrong in high school when I'd gotten the right answer. I hadn't worked the problem out like the teacher wanted it done.
The same thing goes for the divergent learning idea that was presented. Can you imagine that we are actually starting out with little kids that are pretty much geniuses in divergent learning and within a matter of a few years we have dumbed them down. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could turn these kids loose and let them explore? Maybe a digital classroom would be a great idea for them.
Like you, I also believe that there are other alternatives out there besides the use of medications for those individuals that have been diagnosed with ADHD. I am still wondering if ADHD is truly a medical condition or if it is just a money maker for doctors and pharmaceutical companies. I also think that it is sometimes an excuse that parents use because they have not control over their children and the way they behave. Great ideas!!! Great Post!!!:)
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