In 2006 when my son Brian was 11 and still in grade school, I watched a video of a speech on an amazing new website I stumbled upon which forever changed the way I looked at Brian’s APD and the way he learns.
It also changed the way I viewed my life and what I was doing for a living.
Brian was just beginning 6th grade and his teacher didn’t like boys who didn’t sit still and weren’t 100% focused on the tasks at had. I was tired of educating teachers on how Brian learns. He had a handful of great teachers who understood – the rest hated teaching kids.
Really.
But Sir Robinsens lecture about kids and creativity was like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir chiming in to sing back up to my “Brian is smart, he just learns a little differently, and when he looks like he is day-dreaming he is actually looking at the problem in pictures” solo gospel.
And it made me look at school in a completely new way.
Last week I received my regular TED newsletter and was excited to see that Sir Ken Robinson was back at TED doing what he does best: being a champion for the children in schools with his new lecture Bring on the learning revolution!
I am happy to say that middle school and high school have been a completely different experience for my son Brian and the teachers are amazing.
Especially his math teacher Mr. Barnum and his science teacher Mr. Benenson.
They should be invited to speak at TED.
And Brian?
He’d just like to go to college on a football scholarship to study astronomy and math.
And for any of you parents out there with kids who are struggling in school: your child will turn out fine – but you must never give up!
I never made my son feel like he wasn’t smart or treated him like he wasn’t doing his best. He was. But sitting all day in the same class with the same teacher is like a death sentence to kids with APD (and most boys).
These special kids need our help . . . and teachers like Mr Benenson and Mr Barnum . . . and people like Sir Ken Robinson lecturing on their behalf .
Posted by Catherine, the redhead mom blogger on Apr 18, 2010 in Mom Rants and Raves
Brian, his best friend George and I were driving George home one night.
“George, do you have a job this summer?”
Brian leans over to George, “My mom is on this job kick thing . . .”
“No I don’t think so. I think I’m staying with my Aunt this summer.”
“I’d like Brian to work this summer, but he doesn’t like the idea. I think he’d like the paychecks he’d get though. What about you George, would you like paychecks?”
Silence.
“I’d prefer the parent payment plan thank you.”
“The parent payment plan?”
“Yeah, you know, the plan where parents just give you the money.”
Posted by Catherine, the redhead mom blogger on Nov 29, 2009 in Mom Rants and Raves
“Brian. What did you have at the football game?”
“Uh, let’s see . . . 1 double cheeseburger, 3 hot dogs, 4 hot chocolates, a soda or two, some of George’s nachos . . . I’m kinda hungry now though . . .is there oatmeal?”
“And what did George have?”
“Uh, 1 tri-tip sandwich, 5 hot dogs, 2 hot chocolates, 3 sodas, nachos, a pizza and something else.”
The last time Mrs. Brian’s mom was seen she was wandering the supermarket mumbling something like “I must feed . . . I must feed . . .” and twitching uncontrollably.
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High school football practice has started. Last night the front door opens with: