Let me give you more information on ADD
In Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish’s book, The Case Against Homework, they cite Dan Kindlon a child psychologist for the following quote, “Kids do need downtime. Fred Rogers used to say that one of the reasons kids took drugs is they didn’t know how to not be stimulated.”
One of the main principles in Bennett and Kalish’s book is obviously homework. Children who have so much homework that they never get to run and play and be active are certain to have problems on all levels. As a physical education teacher, I can tell you that some kids don’t get true physical education at all. Even if they school calls it that, many classes are taught by teachers who simply don’t care. Recess is most definitely a thing of the past in most schools. I am not a big proponent of recess myself, I prefer organized chaos in a gymnasium or play area with a teacher who knows what they are doing. But, the hard nose fact is, students are expected to do so much academically that they push physical education by the wayside and keep pounding their heads with facts.
So, in relation to my last post about medicating Walker, I refuse to give him a medication of any kind unless someone can prove to me that it is in his best interest. Not in the best interest of me as an adult, or his teachers, but truly in his best interest. And, in order to do that, I’m going to have to insist that he is allowed time to be free and play while burning off excess energy. If he is being asked to sit at a desk all day and then sent home with homework that takes all afternoon and evening, I can’t say that medicating him is in his best interest.
My personal belief is that when a child arrives home from school, they should put on play clothes and weather permitting, hit the great outdoors for some fun. Imagination and creation happen best outside playing Dungeons and Dragons, kickball or some other made up game. And, he burns off some energy that has been building in him since he got out of bed that morning.
Then, if it is necessary, we can do homework. But, I refuse to take my child’s childhood away from him. I won’t do it with homework and I won’t do it with drugs. Period.
Discuss.
September 12th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Jeri,
You should check out Peter Gray’s blog at Psychology Today http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn
I know you are already doing alot of reading, but add this to your list because I think his expertise might really help you with understanding your son’s needs.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Hi Jeri!
I’ve been a voyeur on your blog for a few weeks, reading with interest all your posts on homework and the attitude of many teachers and administrators within the public school system.
I have already put two children through the public school system and have now chosen to homeschool my youngest. He is bright, inquisitive and a joy to be around. But in a classroom situation I know that he would constantly be told that he was being disruptive (he talks out of turn a lot), which to a child means ‘bad’. I do not want my child thinking that he is bad when he isn’t. I went through this with my older son and saw the school slowly destroy his free spirit, and I was unwilling to do it a second time.
The homework issues, and the points you make about it, are right on target with my thinking. My thought has always been that NOBODY wants to go to work and then come home to spend more time doing that same work. We as a society don’t do it, so why should we expect it of our children?
There were many times that I told my older son that he’d done enough homework, go outside and play. And then I would write a note to the teacher to explain that he had been overburdened by his homework. It is very hard for us to be our child’s advocate in the public school system because they really do make it hard for you to participate in a meaningful way. Many times I offered to volunteer at the school, and instead of working with children who needed more one-on-one help with reading (like I had offered), I was put at a table, out in the hallway, cutting and assembling projects for the teacher. To me, that wasn’t helping the children.
I never felt welcome, either. I was always made to feel as if I had encroached onto *their* territory. It was very frustrating to slink into the building as if I were doing something wrong.
I’m sorry to rant. These issues have always been close to my heart.
Thanks for the venting opportunity!
September 12th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Thanks to both of you for taking time to reply here. Today is Lunch Date Friday for me and my oldest son and then they are having their Grandparents Day celebration today so I’m helping with that. So, I’ll get back with you later!!
September 15th, 2008 at 2:28 am
My son had so much homework in kindergarten and the first grade, that it made our family crazy. It was absolutely insane. I wish I would have complained about it.
I believe my son has ADD. I have never considered medication. I have tried to teach coping skills. With a recent epilepsy diagnosis, and much research by me, I may re-think that. Before the neruologist gave us our diagnosis, he asked if my son had attention issues. I sat there stunned and didn’t answer, out of respect for my son. I felt the need to talk it over with him first out of respect for him. But he has huge attention issues. So when we visit the neurologist at the end of the month, we will be prepared to discuss the attention issues. And medication for it.
My son is in the 7th grade and he is at the point where he is noticing his lack of focus, especially in math, and Thursday and Friday of last week he cried because it was so bad. So it is at the point where it may be in his best interests.
I have learned that many people with epilepsy do have ADD through my research. If I could make his life a little easier, as long as the good outweighs the bad, I will consider meds. I did not have that viewpoint before the epilepsy diagnosis, though.
I still have further research to do, though.