Blog
“The Power of Nonchalance” (#ADHD; #Executive Function Disorder)
Synonyms for “nonchalance:” apathy, complacence, indifference, unconcern, torpor Antonyms for “nonchalance:” concerned, interested, motivated A parent came to talk to me about her 14-year-old-son, Brett. Previously “diagnosed” with ADHD of the inattentive variety,...
Your Special Education Binder
For those of you involved in any level of special education negotiations for your child, whether it be for a 504 Plan or an IEP, the likelihood is you are accumulating quite a paper trail. Accumulating (probably in a folder), are all the IEP's, standardized test...
Being Trained By Your College Kid: Learning the Rules
My kid in college is teaching me how to behave. I keep messing up the rules, even though I am trying to be dutiful and behave appropriately. So I asked him to write a rules manual so I could keep it with me and consult it often. While he hasnt written the rules manual...
Writing With LD & ADHD: Countering the Perfect Storm
In a recent post, we discussed the perfect storm of ADHD/LD and writing. I noted that at the heart of ADHD and LD issues are deficits in active working memory. Open-ended writing can be dreadfully difficult to school-struggling children because of these...
ADHD, LD & Writing: A Perfect Storm
To stimulate me out of the late summer doldrums, I looked to this news of the day feature that came across my e-mail inbox: “Writing problems common in kids with ADHD,” said the news header. As the start of the article noted, ‘Kids with...
The Pathology of Exuberance
George is a five and a half year old boy. He’s one of those types who’s quite bright, but hasn’t yet learned how to contain his exuberance or spontaneity. For example when George is in his pre-kindergarten class, he has a lot of trouble holding...
Create Your “Home IEP”
I know it’s summer and you don’t want to be thinking about school, but I thought in these dog days of summer you could create your own unofficial “Home IEP.” This Home IEP would be your own blueprint for the coming school year. To write...
Paper Books & Traditional Media – Musings on Going Old School
Originally published as "Summer Rain and the Golf Shack - Going Old School" Last night my friend Joel and I tried to get in a few holes of golf, but torrential rains led us back to the little shack that was trying to be passed off as a clubhouse, at this point -...
School Bus Blues #1: “Riding Shotgun”
Nine year old Ashley was having a terrible time of it on the bus. For whatever reason, there were other kids who were always snickering at her. Once she gots on the bus, she sensed that they were always whispering things about her. She was never sure what the...
Got the Cure for the Summertime Blues?
Aint no cure for the summertime blues. Just saw a movie over the weekend called The Tree of Life. The movie was a metaphysical romp, depicting the universes creation from the big bang, through the dinosaurs to the present day. A good portion of the movie also focused...
In the Neck Ache Business
Much of my professional life, I listen to moms who come in and tell me various and sundry things that the school has told them about their child. Hearing some of the things that the moms are told, I can feel my neck twinge. Sometimes I can feel it twinge maybe five or...