I was a practicum student working in a daycare setting with no help from my instructor or my mentor. I believe I was destined to fail. My instructor refused to help me even though I had asked for help on several occasions and I had given her documentation that I had ADD. Up until mid term my marks were A’s and B’s then without reason they plumeted to F’s. She said that I maybe a risk to the young children (0-18months) because of my ADD when in fact I was just recently rewarded with by the city the right to be a director in a school age program. It just don’t make any sense to me, I love all the children, and I would never ever dream of putting them in danger. I felt as if I was given an unfair treatment by my instructor and mentor. They hardly answered my questions and those questions they did answer were delayed and not detailed (ie. I did an assignment in Sept. and my instructor did not respond to it until the end of Dec.). My mentor don’t speak fluent English- it was really hard to understand her most of the time. I am fighting now the school to make sure that this never happens again, and I also hope to final a case against the instructor and the mentor with the gov’t for discrimination. The reason I am doing this is so that no other student with a LD will face such treatment again in my college.
Re: unfair practices in college
Apples - Re: unfair practices in college
You are right. Some universities do actively discriminate against those with ADHD/learning challenges but they often use a Machiavellian political trick of saying one thing (they’re here to help) yet intentionally do the opposite (that is, nothing/next to nothing).
Know of two cases on the west coast where that happened. Also, be careful of suggestion boxes at universities which sometimes are lures - meaning - the suggestion boxes are sometimes used against the students by the faculty because the ~ faculty and the school always does everything right already. They will so sincerely (a trick) ask for suggestions then routinely find an excuse for not implementing them.
At the same time, there are some universities which are good which can help those with ADHD/learning challenges although it may take some time to find them.
Good luck to you.
Re: unfair practices in college
Apples-
Very interesting!!!—I am 43, and have gone back to school—the ineptitude that I have found in Academia is saddly profound, and exacerbatedly so in relation to ADD/LD—Department heads ask me “what’s that”—and as far as someone mentionong lip service, AMEN, though I also have come across some very motivated people who are genuine and helpful. I think that those of us in this situation need to share more stories about this problem, one so we don’t feel that it is just us, two so that we might be able to collectively come up with ways to rectify the situation—legaly, if need be, or by advocacy —lets talk this one up folks—we need to get ourselves through without to much damage—Also the Education section of Acedemia, from my experience is severly lacking-not only do education profs not know how to handle ADHD, but the texts are neglectful at best—often only a few pages or paragraphs on the subject—and what is written is very insulting. The education programs in general , I feel, are responsible for the poor school system in our country—what they teach is oxymoronic as to how they teach it—what kind of a message does that put out to ED. studets? Hands on teaching achieves the highest retention—correct—then why do Ed. students not get into the field work until the end of their college stay? Why are Ed students not put out there from the start, learning hands on —people skills, with the texts reflecting the skill building in the Ed. student. throughout the college training?—the texts are so full of palava, that I don’t have hip-waiders tall enough!! How many names can you give the same old mouse trap, in addition to trying to reinvent it all the time–and we have to pay very high costs for the privilage of purchasing these “texts”—they should be paying us to slog through the darn things!!
Well, I’ve got to get off my soap box to go to a class, that’s good —I was getting to fired up, and you were getting tired of reading my rantings–So onward—ADHD genius is the way!!!
Jon Wallace
Re: unfair practices in college
Go Get them!!!
I worked in an academic clinical research unit for 7 years. I was finally diagnosed with ADD during the last 2 years there.
One would think that working in a PSYCHIATRIC clinical research unit that they would understand my condition.
Sadly, that was NOT the case.
The University’s college of medicine’s textbook on psychiatry was written by two faculty members (one of which was actually the head of the group where I worked.) The official “party line” taught by that University to their medical students (by way of said text book) is that ADD and ADHD does not exist in adults!
Re: unfair practices in college
Well the cat is out of the bag. The world of education does not want us or understand us. Well tough! WE will fight for our right to an education, a job, and our place in society. I was asked to leave my teacher education program in 1994 30 days shy of finishing my teaching credential because I was unmedicatated (severe ADHD). No compassion, no understanding, no suggestions. Only the message that I would never be a teacher and find something else to do. Well it took awhile, but I got medicated, I found another college, and I have been in the classroom for 4 years. So much for the nay sayers. Teaching special education is humbling especially students with behavior disorders…the ones that no one else wants. They rise to excellence and never cease to amaze me. Don’t give up!
Katherine
Re: unfair practices in college
Hard to believe. It has been well documented for a long time. What college could this be?
ANN
I have recently changing colleges to major in elementary education. I would like to know what college you are refering to. I am planning on going to Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. From all the initial interview with people at OU they have a wonderful support services- in Sept. a coach is coming who is ADHD and an Education major. Hope you win because I know how difficult it is to get through college being diffierent an wonderful for it.