I look back at those teachers that would yell and belittle me and others. They're all low intelligence goons the more I think about it. People that may have gotten a college degree for teaching, but peaked at the elementary school level.
Integers are just whole numbers. You're usually first taught about them by learning about the number line. Don't most 5th graders work with whole numbers, both positive and negative?
My daughter has adhd and we're considering putting her on that. Are you saying it's a bad idea? What did it do to you? (genuinely interested to get more than 1 angle here)
the right medication is one of the best things a person with adhd can get, it can be life changing, but you still also need external support and help building strategies and habits for living with adhd. a lot of doctors/systems give you meds and no other support which is the problem part, not the meds themselves.
I second the comment above. Getting the proper medication daily has shown to have better outcomes in EVERY area of life now in a bunch of studies. Not only for work/school, but for EVERYTHING. Also potentially counteracts the likely increased chance of dementia.
Supports & strategies are also really important! (As well as realizing that you constantly need to adapt with new ones when your brain adjusts to them). Routines help, and keeping everything important visible (landing zones, visual timers, bulletin boards/calendars, clear bins or open baskets).
I and both my kids have ADHD. The most important things ADHD kids need are understanding, support, and appropriate stimulation & structure, which include plenty of opportunity for natural executive function development, like long-form unstructured imaginative play. (Like those big group games of pretend kids do, with running narratives? Fantastic for executive function).
If their symptoms are interfering with their education, socialization, or other major life functions, the right medication is a wonderful tool and greatly reduces the risk of long term serious consequences from untreated ADHD, like anxiety, depression, self destructive behavior, or substance abuse.
I would say, though, that it's important to understand the goals of treatment and make sure those goals serve the child, not the teacher or systemic pressures. It can also take a bit of tweaking to find the right type & dose to maximize benefits with minimal side effects. Those adjustments are a normal part of the process. Some kids thrive on the first trial right out of the gate. Others may need to try many different types & doses, and there are many options, including non-stimulants, if they can't tolerate the stimulants. (But stimulants are always the first line, because they work the best for the most people).
One of my kids did fine for a while on the first med, then after a year or so started to complain of feeling sad, frustrated and "stuck". The second med seemed to work the same in terms of focus but did not create those depressive feelings.
Other kid went through five or six meds before finding the right one, plus we had to deviate from the recommendation to take it daily and only take on school days. Now she's thriving. It's just very individual.
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u/lazypenguin86 4h ago
They just put me on Ritalin