-=> Quoting Bob Moylan to Regina Finan <=-
 BM> Regina Finan On (14 Jun 96) was overheard to say to All
 BM> My first question to this "grad" student would be what experience do
 BM> you have with children who have or may have ADD/ADHD.  As a 2nd year
 BM> grad student the answer is all too obvious: "NONE". That would have
 BM> been enough for me to say thanks but I'll go elsewhere.  My second
 BM> question would have been what psych specialty are you majoring in?
 BM> This person is a "student"; still learning the trade; using YOUR
 BM> child as a learning experience for HIM/HER!
 
 This doesn't bother me.  She is being trained in Learning Disabilities which
 includes the mental disabilities.  The diagnosis she made though is one in
 which it may be difficult to figure it what came first; the chicken or the
 egg.  Personally since these (ADD) symptoms were there before he started
 school I believe she may have put the diagnosis in the wrong order.
 RF> His achievement is higher because of me and also because he wants
 RF> to please the teachers which is causing too much stress.
 BM> Two parts to that  ^^  .
 BM> Not sure if you are saying "they" told you his achievement is high
 BM> because of you or this is something you have seen for yourself.  If
 BM> you are giving a lot of direct 1 to 1 help with school work then yes
 BM> his achievement is higher because of your intervention.
 BM> If "they" are saying his achievement is high because he wants to
 BM> please the teachers - do "they" see this as a problem??  Good grief
 BM> most kids do want to "please" their teachers that desire is part of
 BM> what helps them learn.  Causing too much stress sounds very much like
 BM> more psycho-babble.  If he wants to please, is achieving because of
 BM> this desire and he is being appropriately rewarded with good grades,
 BM> praise at school and home - where's the stress factor in that?
 
 First of all let me say that his achievement is higher because of 1) I
 have worked my tail off to help him understand homework the teacher
 just didn't seem to have time to do.  2) he had much help in the other
 school district.  Jonathon could not focus and one of the things they
 worked on there was teaching him to focus.  He is able to focus on a
 one to one basis and at times if reminded to get back on base in a
 classroom setting he will go back to focusing.  They did a Attention
 test and of course Jonathon knew how to focus on a one to one basis
 so of course he did fine on that test.  It is a classroom setting that
 causes the problem.  Professionals will not say why his achievement is
 higher, but they are suggesting I may be right that it was his special
 education and my help that has pulled him through thus far.  The stress
 factor is caused by not getting help in school anymore.  The only help
 he gets is at home.  This doesn't help in the school environment where
 he continues to be taught new things so fast that he is getting lost.
 This child needs to have practice at a new thing before going on to
 the next.  Sometimes he forgets what I have taught him by the time he
 gets to school the next day and I have to go over it and over it. So
 stress is coming from school.
 RF> He needs special education.  Help in all areas and his strong point
 RF> is short term memory.
 BM> This doesn't correlate with the earlier statement about achievement..
 BM> Short term memory a strong point ??
 BM> You say he "needs" special ed...in what areas is he doing poorly,
 BM> what do EDUCATIONAL tests show as strong and weak areas?  He has been
 BM> tested by the school....??
 The testing done in school was not complete.  This independent testing was
 more complete.  I don't have all the paperwork at this time, but he needs
 help basically with reading as this spills out into everything else.
 Of course his achieve this last semester where they begin to do 5th grade
 work was a bomb.  He is not ready for 5th grade work.  He is still trying
 to do 4th grade work and is 1 year behind (again).
 Regina
---
---------------