Understanding Learning Differences
Updated June 13, 2014.
Jonathan Mooney is a dyslexic writer with ADHD who didn’t learn to read until he was 12 years old. After repeated academic failures and frustrations and social rejection by peers who taunted and teased him, his life finally took a turn for the better. He graduated with honors from Brown University in 2000 and authored two books, Learning Outside the Lines (which was published when Mooney was only 23) and The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal.
Mooney is also founder and president of Project Eye-To-Eye, a mentoring and advocacy program for students with learning differences. Not too shabby for a person who spent most of his childhood sitting outside the classroom in the hallway or principal’s office feeling morally defective and discounted.
Mooney says, however, that personal empowerment and academic success came as much from internal change as they did from sound study skills.
In our language, we convey to children that something is defective about them when they are unable to comply and sit still. Interestingly, studies have found that this movement actually turns the brain on in those with attention issues. Physically moving one’s body increases the ability to focus and is an effective learning strategy for many children and adults with ADHD.
“Good” kids also pay attention. Mooney objects to this moralizing of paying attention, as well. It is important to understand that children with ADHD are not really lacking in the ability to pay attention. Rather they pay too much attention to things going on around them. The difficulty arises in filtering, shifting and maintaining attention on one thing when they are being pulled in so many directions with lots of thoughts, activities and sounds going on around them. This trait is a liability in some environments (like school), but is a gift in other environments (as an entrepreneur, doctor in an emergency room, police officer, an inventor, etc). Mooney points out that these traits that often make successful adults make “difficult” children.
Be an advocate for your child and love him (or her) unconditionally. Help your child find his passion and joy. Work together to develop coping strategies for dealing with the difficulties he experiences with organization, impulsiveness, attention, etc. If you are a teacher, it is particularly important for you to recognize the value of empowering these students. Actively build a relationship with your students. Find what is right with each student, then cultivate and nurture these strengths. As Mooney emphasizes -- change the environment in the classroom, not the kid. Develop strategies and skills that help students experience success.
Acknowledge your child’s hard work. Understand how resilient he must be to hit the wall over and over again with academics or socially with friends. Still with these frustrations, your child is able to pick himself up and continue. Know that this is courageous. Know that this resiliency will serve your child well as an adult. Resilient adults are successful adults. Your child (and if you are a teacher, your student) needs to hear that you believe in him and are aware of his hard work and persistence.
How have you helped your child (or student) succeed with ADHD? Share your tips.
To learn more about Jonathan Mooney visit jonathanmooney.com
Source:
Jonathan Mooney. Presentation/Seminar – Learning Outside the Lines. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. March 24, 2009.
Jonathan Mooney is a dyslexic writer with ADHD who didn’t learn to read until he was 12 years old. After repeated academic failures and frustrations and social rejection by peers who taunted and teased him, his life finally took a turn for the better. He graduated with honors from Brown University in 2000 and authored two books, Learning Outside the Lines (which was published when Mooney was only 23) and The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal.
Mooney is also founder and president of Project Eye-To-Eye, a mentoring and advocacy program for students with learning differences. Not too shabby for a person who spent most of his childhood sitting outside the classroom in the hallway or principal’s office feeling morally defective and discounted.
Unlearning a Negative Self-Concept
Mooney says that he had to unlearn this devastating self concept of feeling abnormal and defective. In order to do this, he began to look at what was right with himself rather than what was wrong. This created a feeling of empowerment that had been missing in his life. He also had to reframe his learning issues in a way that could be celebrated as diverse and adding value, rather than as impaired and damaged. The college environment was more inclusive and accommodating to his different learning style. He also found that higher education was more learner-centered and self-directed, and he became skilled at advocating for what he needed to learn most effectively.Mooney says, however, that personal empowerment and academic success came as much from internal change as they did from sound study skills.
Mooney’s Childhood Experiences May Sound Familiar
“Good moral behavior is tied up in compliance,” says Mooney. “This is a dangerous idea that is devastating for those with ADHD.” When a child isn’t able to sit still in class he or she is labeled as bad. “Good” kids sit still. Mooney grew up hearing “what’s wrong with you...sit still...what’s your problem.”In our language, we convey to children that something is defective about them when they are unable to comply and sit still. Interestingly, studies have found that this movement actually turns the brain on in those with attention issues. Physically moving one’s body increases the ability to focus and is an effective learning strategy for many children and adults with ADHD.
“Good” kids also pay attention. Mooney objects to this moralizing of paying attention, as well. It is important to understand that children with ADHD are not really lacking in the ability to pay attention. Rather they pay too much attention to things going on around them. The difficulty arises in filtering, shifting and maintaining attention on one thing when they are being pulled in so many directions with lots of thoughts, activities and sounds going on around them. This trait is a liability in some environments (like school), but is a gift in other environments (as an entrepreneur, doctor in an emergency room, police officer, an inventor, etc). Mooney points out that these traits that often make successful adults make “difficult” children.
Nurture a Child’s Strengths
When a child grows up feeling less than, stupid, lazy and defective, life can feel pretty hopeless. It is our job as adults to help children understand that they are not these negative labels and that the future holds wonderful possibilities for them.Be an advocate for your child and love him (or her) unconditionally. Help your child find his passion and joy. Work together to develop coping strategies for dealing with the difficulties he experiences with organization, impulsiveness, attention, etc. If you are a teacher, it is particularly important for you to recognize the value of empowering these students. Actively build a relationship with your students. Find what is right with each student, then cultivate and nurture these strengths. As Mooney emphasizes -- change the environment in the classroom, not the kid. Develop strategies and skills that help students experience success.
Positive Mentors
Children who have positive mentors in their lives, who encourage and believe in the child’s abilities, tend to be more successful and content in life. Connect your child with positive role models who also have ADHD. Mooney’s Project Eye-To-Eye does this by bringing ADHD college and high school students into the lives of ADHD elementary school students as role models, tutors, and mentors.Late Bloomers
Realize that children with ADHD are often late bloomers who learn in their own time and at their own pace. Mooney’s mother was an intense advocate in his life who believed in his abilities. Her favorite book to read to him was Leo the Late Bloomer, a story of a lion who struggled and then bloomed beautifully in his own time.Redefine Intelligence
Broaden your definition of intelligence. Being smart doesn’t have to mean you are an excellent speller and reader, or that you are a math whiz. Being smart can also include being artistic or a good storyteller. It can mean being good at sports and able to read what is going on strategically within the soccer field, being social and understanding of people’s feelings and emotions. All these activities require intelligence.Understand Your Child’s Courage
For children with ADHD, it takes great energy to simply get through the school day. Your child may work on a paper for two hours, yet for a student without these learning differences the paper may take 30 minutes.Acknowledge your child’s hard work. Understand how resilient he must be to hit the wall over and over again with academics or socially with friends. Still with these frustrations, your child is able to pick himself up and continue. Know that this is courageous. Know that this resiliency will serve your child well as an adult. Resilient adults are successful adults. Your child (and if you are a teacher, your student) needs to hear that you believe in him and are aware of his hard work and persistence.
How have you helped your child (or student) succeed with ADHD? Share your tips.
To learn more about Jonathan Mooney visit jonathanmooney.com
Source:
Jonathan Mooney. Presentation/Seminar – Learning Outside the Lines. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. March 24, 2009.
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