Adam LaRoche, The First Basemen for The Washington Nationals just MIGHT have made life easier for Principals and Teachers and for more difficult for 9 and 10 year olds.
Laroche, who has been skewered in the past for being inattentive, stated that he expects to play MUCH better in 2011 NOW that he has been diagnosed as having ADD and is being treated for it. SO WHAT, You say, Well, Here is what I find fascinating about this.
10 Year old Sheila has trouble focusing in class, she can't seem to listen to her teacher's instructions and battles mightily to stay on task. The school advises her parents to have her tested for ADD- she is tested and that is what she is diagnosed as being hampered by. Months later, she is working with a special needs teacher as well because the school deems that she needs the EXTRA assistance in order to function well academically.
Yet, On Saturdays the Athletic and agile Sheila plays on a Basketball team. The competition in her league is excellent and played at a rather impressive level for 10 year olds. Shiela concentrates and focus on Basketball for One Hour and 30 minutes anytime she plays a game in her league. She also attends a very intense, demanding and highly structured 90 minute practice one a week.. Arnold Brinkley is her coach. he feels that having Sheila Arkman oh her team is one of the biggest blessings he's had in the 12 years that he as coached basketball.
If you asked him about Ms. Arkman as a Basketball player here is what he'd tell you, "I have never seen a more disciplined, alert and heady basketball player. She watches the court carefully and is always in the game, It is fun to watch her as a Field general as she directs her teammates. She will always tell me what she observes is going on during the game and has made suggestion that has helped me be a more effective in- game," We know that Sheila has ADD and takes medication for it and even with that needs some special ed support to succeed in school. Yet, She is alert, observant, easily able to adjust and follow complex instruction, even when tired in the midst of a highly competitive basketball game.
Tammy Watson is Sheila's 5Th Grade Math Teacher sees Sheila struggle in her class 5 days a week. If you ask her about Sheila , she will tell you, " It is really hard for her to listen to me, she has a difficult time focusing so I try to explain the lesson as carefully and as slowly as I can, Even with that, She struggles to keep up. Brad, The Special Needs Math Assistant, seems to help her be somewhat more effective but still it is a real struggle to keep up.
I think it is fair to say there is a difference between 11 AM Monday through Friday at Ronald Reagan Elementary School and at 11 AM on a Saturday on the basketball court of Hubert Humphrey Middle School. The basketball coach does not have a special coach who keep reexplaining the plays to Sheila. In the Midst of the swirling action of the game, Sheila is able to be intensely focused and aware. She succeeds quite well on the court.
Please note that I am not saying that ADD does not exist. I am also not stating that some people, even on medication, do not find ADD and conditions akin to it, even with medication, difficult to deal with. Yet, I'm asking if ADD has an easy to access on and off switch. Why, in this case, does it seem just about impossible to deactivate during a math class? Why does this ADD seem impossible to activate in the midst of a basketball game?
Are some young people misdiagnosed when it comes to ADD? Are they prescribed medications that that there truly is not a justification for them to take? Do some children/ youth CHOOSE to not cooperate and behave and cooperate with a diagnosis that makes it tougher for them to be held accountable and responsible?
I don't know the proper answer to those questions- but I DO have my suspicions! I do wonder- When it works for me / you/ or someone else to be limited- then I /they have ADD but when it would get in the way and limit me they when I /they do not want to be limited- it doesn't???
- Johnny -
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