Special Education teachers with ADHD | ADHD Information

[QUOTE=spaz]

I now stay home with my children, but I taught special Ed. for seven years. I was diagnosed with learning dissabilities and hyperactivity as a child. I have recently been rediagnosed adult A.D.H.D.. What do you want to know?

[/QUOTE]

You up for writing a book chapter Now get that look of terror out of your eyes it is do able!!!
Keep me posted.. this is exciting...lambiekinSo, could you see that look of terror in my eyes...

...It took me longer then the rest of my classmates to finish my masters...I had to find someone to edit my thesis...what is funny, is that I have all these thoughts, ideas and all kinds of things in my head...I can't seem to write them on paper...what I did for my thesis's was to verbally put it on tape and then I had someone sit down with me edit it , put it in proper format and so on...I graduated with distinction...High honors..which I had idea what that even meant...I called the school, I thought htey made a mistake...Anyway, AS a child I was so hyper active that my parents took me to the Dr to find out what to do to keep me semi still...Back in those days, ADHD was not out yet...so the Dr. put me on Valium...Can you imagine a 3 year old little girl on valium...My parents were alarmed to see this once bundle of energy now rolled up in a ball sleeping so they took me off it...And all I can say getting through my life was hard..school was real hard, and to be honest I don't remember too much of it..well I don't to keep rambling ..so I will end here ...keep me posted ...lambiekinTook me 5 years to finish my Masters and 4 for my doctorate and I had to have an editor too so don't feel bad. As far as remembering........oh I have a surefire method that will help those who want to write chapters do so. It is called heuristic inquiry..........a qualitative methodology that if one does it right they will be surprised to see that they remember but enough of that I need nine more ADHD teachers!!! Come on line up I am looking to open a dialogue with sped teachers who are diagnosed with ADHD to find out about their educational experiences. Well I just finished my doctorate. My area of research is the educational experience of females growing up ADHD. However, after talking to others I have been urged to think about writing a book where special ed teachers talk frankly about their school experiences and what was the reason for becoming a sped teacher themself. I think a book like this could open eyes and maybe motivate others who are considering entering the education field. So any opinions on this?

Special Ed teachers with ADHD themselves discussing their experiences!!!!

Can I order the book now? LOL

This is what I am regularly told by many people. I have spoke with educators who would like to tell their stories and others who feel it could be used to open eyes and inform others. Like a dummy I didn't keep the names of educators who might do it because I was to busy with writing my dang dissertation....that thing took me three years. But now I think I could handle the book thing but I just want to see what others say.

Wow, I knew there had to be someone out there that would start the ball rolling besides me. Besides being a full time doctoral student for the past 4 years at Seattle University I have also been a teacher of really special students. For some reason my path in life is to teach students with severe emotional/behavioral disorders. Besides being a full time doctoral student I taught junior high for 5 years and high school last year…and have a contract for high school next year unless something else comes up. So we share some similarities. People have told me I am crazy to teach ‘those’ students but I just smile and reply that I am honored to be their teacher. Now that leaves them shaking their head and thinking I am truly crazy. Ok, you are the first on my list now lets see if more respond. My feelings are that they will. I would like to have ten stories plus an introduction and prologue. I am so excited but my excitement must be tempered because I have to paint a room downstairs, move my office down there, and paint my upstairs ex-office for my grandson!!

Katherine Nell38568.8109606481I am an adult woman with ADHD and learning disabitlites...I have my B.S. in education and my masters in special ed, with an emphasis in behavioral and emotional disorders...I used to teach and now I am a transition counselor for high school students with special needs...the majority of my case are kids like myself...I found my niche in life...I love my job...I would love to share my story of how I got to where I am today...It was a rough, rough road...lambiekn

Sure thing Barb,

Heuristic Inquiry is a research methodology created by Clark Moustakas. The root meaning of heuristic comes from the Greek work heuriskein, meaning to discover or to find. It refers to a process of internal search through which one discovers the nature and meaning of experience and develops methods and procedures for further investigation. The self of the researcher is present throughout the process and, while understanding the phenomenon with increasing depth, the researcher also experiences growing self-awareness and self-knowledge. It is an organized and systematic form for investigating the human experience. Essentially, in the heuristic process, you are creating a story that portrays the qualities, meanings, and essences of universally unique experiences. Heuristic research is a demanding process. It requires “rigorous definition, careful collection of data, and a thorough and disciplined analysis. In heuristic research the investigator must had a direct, personal encounter with the phenomenon being investigated. There must have been actual autobiographical connection. It is a demanding process. You must be willing to risk the opening of wounds and undergo a personal transformation. The question I want individuals to think about who might want to participate in writing a chapter in my book is “What was the experience of growing up ADHD and to what extent did this disorder play in how (I) became a special education teacher?” The first thing you do is to immerse yourself in this question. I found the process easiest by dragging out all my report cards, school memorabilia, family photos, newspaper clippings, you name it, divide it up by grades and then years or phases in adulthood and then once I had it somewhat organized I started writing my autobiography. You write your feelings, impressions, whatever comes to mind when you look at these items. There is no writers block you just sit and write. Don’t worry about grammar, or any of that stuff just write. There will be times when the writing will be painful but this process will transform you if you can keep with it and have the guts to do it. We all have a powerful story to tell. It is a story of courage, determination, hurt, fear, victories, resilience, and being a survivor. So if you want to take the first step, I can give you the next steps and or recommend the book that will give you the whole method but it is a tad bit expensive for a small 129 page book (39.99) EEKK So there you have it…a beginning. If you want any additional information please feel free to email me

kmcneil@seanet.com

Katherine,

Would you start a post on heuristic inquiry? I would love to learn more about it.

That sounds like quite a challenge Katherine.

I will keep it in mind. It sounds very similar to a counseling course I took a couple of years ago, only we were taught to help people deal with their issues one step at a time as they came up, while working to cover the whole.

I think I'm going to have to PM you after I have time to digest what you posted. It may not be as different as what I learned. It may be a slightly different angle of looking at the same thing.

veeeeery interesting.

Don't worry about spelling or the mechanics because my professors knew my deficits in this very area. The memory issue is part and parcel of ADHD so the immersion into the lived experiences can take many forms and you can use whatever photos, memorabilia yearbooks etc. to jog the memory. It may not do so until a later date so you just put it aside. You look at every aspect of your lived experiences. It is liked a giant puzzle but not all the pieces are in the box so you have to hunt around for them. You may never find all the pieces but that is ok too. The easiest thing is to just start writing beginning with your earliest memories and just go from there. There is no right or wrong about this process. If you need help just let me know.

I'm not a Special Ed teacher, but I do work with children, many with ADD/ADHD. I'm a child care director, so of course when the children with ADD/ADHD are starting to be too much for the teachers, they end up in my office.

Being ADHD myself I seem to better relate with the children. I can share my own experiences, and it seems to calm the children by letting them know that even an adult, an adult they know and look up to, has ADHD. My nephew has it too, so we "high five" each other and label ourselves the "cool ones with ADHD".

Though I don't plan on continuing my education in Early Childhood Education or Special Ed. (I return to school in January for Paralegal Studies), I have a soft spot for the "underdogs". In my field there needs to be more understanding of children with special needs, especially those such as ADD, ADHD, and mental illnesses.

Katherine,

Intrestingly enough, I was told by the psycologist who did my testing that I should really consider becoming a writer. I have been thinking about taking some writing courses at the junior colledge near me. I have also been told before that I should write a book about my life experiences. hmmm.

I can't promise results, but I would be willing to try.

My biggest problem would be remembering.I have a scetchy memory and my mom did not save report cards ect. She did not evan save any of my special ed testing.

Please excuse my spelling as I can not get the spell check to work on this message board.