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I have recently had quite a number of clients that have been labeled by “well meaning” teachers or other adults in their lives as having ADHD, either inattentive or hyperactive, a very popular “diagnosis” that covers a host of behaviours; ODD (Opposition Defiance Disorder) for students that demonstrate an inability to comply; a learning disability for any student that learns in ways different from the norm; and even Aspergers Syndrome which is on the Autism continuum.

These labels were thrown out there without an assessment of any kind, by individals not qualified to do so and have caused significant harm to the student’s self perception and self esteem and ample worry by the parents.  It is appropiate for educators to express concern over certain behaviours exhibited by a student, document that  behaviour and then relay it to the parents and school personnel.  It is totally inappropiate to attach labels to these behaviors.

In my practice, I have referred a few of these “labeled” students for a psych ed assessment and a small number have indeed been identified with ADHD and one even with Aspergers, however the majority responded to specific strategies based on their Learning Profile, and one even tested as gifted–where the teacher had labelled her as ADHD because she was inattentive, was actually simply bored.

Unless you are qualified to do so, do not attach labels!!  Labels that are unsubstantiated and not accompanied by specific strategies do the child more harm than good.  No matter what your motives, stick to the observable behaviors and leave the labels out of it.

I am the poster person for neat and organized.  I have no clutter anywhere–not counting my husband’s or daughter’s personal space, that is. Everything in our house has a place and I can find anything at any time, even during a blackout.  I am always on time, plan what needs to be done when–and do it–never procrastinate.  I am structured so that everything gets done in an orderly fashion–no chaos.  Annoying, isn’t it??

Beyond annoying, though, I was inflexible.  If life happened in my orderly world, it threw everything off kilter. Simple things like someone dropping by unexpectedly. or a chance at some last minute theatre tickets–spontaneous things threw me in a tizzy.  And if something more serious happened, I found myself feeling overwhelmed.

I never lived in the moment.  I was always planning for the next thing, the next event, the next day, the next whatever–always the next, never the now.  Even doing things right away led to some situations where I completed something so quickly, that I didn’t have all the necessary information yet or the information changed and I had to back track and re-do things.

So, much like some people have to mindfully learn to organize, I had to mindfully learn to let go a bit, live in the moment, literally plan in flexibility–sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?

The answer to the question then is–yes–yes,you can be too organized.  Being organized should make your life easier.  It should allow you to do what you need to do, find what you need to find–when you need to do or find it while at the same time allowing you to live in the moment experiencing the unexpected, the fun, the wondrous things that can and do happen.

I have made progress.  I am guardedly spontaneous, decidedly in the moment, flexibly neat, occasionally one or two minutes late and somewhat more loosely structured.  The good thing is that I don’t expect my clients to be like me, although it would be nice if a bit of me rubbed off on my husband and daughter.

No I’m not talking about television programming. However much like television, it is the best time to program in those tasks that are challenging, complicated, involved, boring…as it is your most productive time of the day.

Your body clock ebbs and flows throughout the day and we all have times that are better for us.  I recently read a blurb stating that our best time of the day is between 10:00 and noon and if we don’t complete our tasks by 4:00 p.m., then we should put them off until the next day as that is when most of us tire out.  Well, the world doesn’t just stop at 4:00.

First, it is important to find out what our prime time actually is.  Some do fit into the time mentioned in the brief article, however some of us function better very early in the morning, some late at night and some even right around 4:00.  Then do try to fit in those extra challenging tasks in that window of time.

However, since life happens according to its own schedule, we need to use the rest of the time as well.  So find the key to your alertness during your non prime hours.  Getting some sunshine, fitting in something physical, eating some fruit or even a bit of chocolate, drinking water, listening to some music–find out what works for you, then use it.

In my practice. I encourage students to use their prime time to do homework and study, however being realistic, with all that students have on their plate right now that is not always possible, so I help them to find ways to maintain their alertness.

Yet another way to know yourself!

This debunker is Boston based author Alfie Kohn who was quoted in a Toronto Star article when he lectured there this week. It was an interesting article and I can’t say that I disagreed with everything he said about homework–so I did a bit of research.

I wanted to know more about Mr. Kohn, not any personal information, only professional.  I wasn’t interested in his degrees as that is paper based credentials–I wanted to know his hands on credentials, and I couldn’t really find any.  His web site was devoid of any bio as to what is it that makes him an expert in the field of learning. Of course, we are free to comment on anything we choose to, however when you set yourself up as an expert,you really should have something to back that up with.

In the Toronto Star article, Mr. Kohn talks about “worksheets” and how that focuses on rote learning and should therefore not be used in the classroom.  As someone who has been in the classroom and has worked with students of all ability levels, worksheets do have a place in the reinforcement and application of learning–effective worksheets have students “read with understanding” and apply concepts and principles. Are all worksheets effective–no.  Does that make them all irrelevant–no!

His comment about the total lack of non academic benefit as “folk wisdom” since it isn’t supported by any data whatsoever, I would challenge based on the simple observational data of my own children and my client’s children who did develop time utilization strategies and good work habits.  I realize that this does not constitute scientific proof, however we are not talking about an experiment here.  We are talking about our children.

I am in no way a proponent of homework for the sake of homework, and totally agree with Mr. Kohn’s comment on questioning the worth of an assignment–the validity–does it serve any real purpose?  I also agree on speaking out on the issue of excessive and unnecessary homework–homework that is more of the same.  I think, though, that we need to be careful not to go totally the other way.  When “experts” espouse their view, balance that with what you know and apply it then to your child and situation.  It doesn’t need to be an all or nothing situation.

Yes with noise–white noise that is.  For anyone with a focusing challenge, background noise has been proven to block out distractions and improve concentration.

There are white noise machines out there.  These machines produce a soft background noise that quite literally seems to absorb auditory distractions. However you don’t need to go out and buy a specific machine.  You can get CD’s with specific sounds such as rain falling, water running, birds chirping–anything that appeals you.

Music is something else that can be used.  I have often had to do quite a bit of convincing for parents to allow their children to listen to music while doing schoolwork or studying.  However, it performs like white noise and really does work–for some kids (know your child).   I suggest that the music be something familiar, not new; that it be a CD, not a radio which has talking; and that it be background (define “background” with your child).

Check out this strategy with your child and then consider the outcome to determine if it works.

Multitasking is the ability to do a number of things at the same time, with “effectively” as the generally understood implication of this perceived necessary skill.

In my initial interview with potential new clients, I invariably get the question from the parent–”Can you teach my child to multitask?”–the reasoning being that this is a good time management strategy.

With the introduction of so many new technologies, many feel that multitasking increases productivity by allowing more to be done in less time. However, task switching, especially with challenging tasks, requires the brain to re-focus from task to task and this often results in information being filed in a scattered manner in long term memory, making it difficult to retrieve when needed, say in a testing situation.

This research, which was profiled in the Toronto Star, goes on to say that multitasking is really a matter of paying attention, or lack thereof, of really focusing on what needs to be focused on.  An educational psychologist was quoted as saying that she worries that this generation of kids will grow into quick, yet shallow thinking adults.

Working with a wide range of children, both age wise as well as ability wise, I do tend to agree with the findings in this research, with one exception.  I believe you need to look at the task in relation to the child.  Some easy, relatively non thinking undertakings could be multi tasked–some children have a learning profile that needs shifting between tasks in order to maintain interest–some children have a learning challenge that requires focusing on only one task, no matter the challenge.

So, is multitasking a necessary skill–no.  Should it be totally discounted–no.  As with any strategy, it should be individually applied, individually used when the end result indicates it works for–the individual.

A new school year is here.  Children are giving a collective sigh of resignation while parents are silently cheering–or not so silently.
As a prelude to the new year we have been inundated with articles, broadcasts, news clips with advice, suggestions, strategies to make this a more effective year for your child.  And–it is all good and true–all effective, however, and this is a big “however”, it is not all good, true and effective for every single solitary student out there.

Anyone who has ever worked with me or read my blog, knows that I do not believe in any way in a one size fits all solution.  You really need to tailor everything you read and hear to your unique, one of a kind child.  Know how your child learns–what works for him / her, what doesn’t.  Look at the end result to determine effectiveness.

So, keep on reading and listening to all those experts out there, however, remember, you are the expert when it comes to your child–it is up to you to decide what applies and what doesn’t.  Empower yourself–empower your child.

That is what I read in a magazine just recently. The short article went on to say that according to a research study, most people work “faster and more efficiently when there is a bit of a mess around”. It continues by saying, “..once you get too organized, it gets complicated and you can’t remember where you put the things you need.”

I so completely disagree with this article on so many levels. First, I would like to know more about this so called research–the scope, the criteria, the controls, the–everything!

Then I disagree with neatness and organization being considered as the same thing. They are not!! You can be one and not the other. The definition of organized is can you find what you need when you need it?? If you can’t then you are not organized. Those subjects in the study who could not find what they needed may have been neat, however they most certainly were not organized.

And my biggest objection is that in this article and in this study everyone is lumped together. Their one size fits all research conclusion just doesn’t–fit all, that is. There is no one right way to organize–it is what works for you. So, for me, messiness just doesn’t work. I need to be both organized and neat. For me messiness is a distraction. However if it works for someone else–if they can be productive, then go for it.

So, stop generalizing–stop fitting all of us into one size boxes–because we don’t.

Susan Clairmont is a columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and in a very recent commentary, she profiled a 17 year old student who was failing quite miserably in his courses, especially in Math–7% was his grade. He has asthma which resulted in numerous missed school days and that coupled with video games and not doing his schoolwork has made for some very poor grades. The article pointed out how the parents weren’t notified of their son’s failing grade in Math and how the school system works best for the better students or those who fit into the ministry’s latest initiative.

I do not necessarily want to respond to that except to say that in a perfect educational system each teacher would respond to every students’ needs. Unfortunately, it is a far from perfect system and sadly students like Daniel in the article who don’t achieve and don’t receive the support they need simply stop trying.

What I am most concerned about is that Daniel agreed to have an article written about him in order to show his parents that he really did want to improve and that this time next year he will be able to “brag about his success”. Great intention, however, how is he going to get there? No one has gotten to the root of Daniel’s failures this year. True, he has missed much school and true, he hasn’t been doing his schoolwork and true, he doesn’t try–however the question is still why??

I don’t believe in the “lazy” student. There is always a reason, so until the reason is discovered and dealt with, success is merely a good intention. Daniel absolutely needs to be involved in a process that will autopsy his current learning approach, then be introduced to specific tools designed for his way of learning. He appears to be motivated, so a plan of pro-action needs to be developed–now,right away!! Daniel also needs a mentor, someone who will guide, support, encourage and monitor him–someone who will take an active interest in him every step of the way.

At this stage, laying blame is aimless, totally pointless–helping Daniel, and all the other “Daniel’s” out there, to help himself achieve the success he wants to brag about is purposeful. In the article, Daniel says that it is too easy to do the wrong thing–he needs to be helped to do the thing that is right for him.

Recently, I was asked to speak to a parent support group for children with ADHD. At that group was a parent who was just beginning the process of investigating the possibility that her son has ADHD. She had many questions, concerns–didn’t know quite what was what, where to turn to, what, if anything to do next. The group just simply enveloped her first with support and understanding for what she was going through. Then they provided her with solid information, people she can turn to, resources she can refer to–in short they empowered her to help her son and herself . They shared their experiences, their feelings–their story. They let her know that she was not alone, that she had people who really knew what she was going through.

Support groups do just that–they support. So, if you are in a situation where you are feeling out of your element, alone, confused, frustrated, angry–if you are looking for answers–search for a support group in your area. There isn’t one–start one yourself. Knowledge is power–so empower yourself and others.