Hi Kathy,
You raised many issues, though I'd just like to pick up on your mention of the all to common accusation by teachers of students; Your lazy/ Your not trying hard enough/ Your not concentrating ... .
But even worse still, these days, is that rather than recognising a learning problem, and introducing an appropriate strategy. Students are simply defined as having a behaviour problem.
Where not trying hard enough, and lack of concentration are conveniently labelled as ADD/ attention deficit disorder.
With Drugs being seen as the solution to the learning difficulty?
Given that Drugs wont help in anyway with Dyscalculia, Dyslexia or numerous other Learning Disorders. Students, despite trying their hardest, are still continually accused of not trying hard enough.
Overtime, these ongoing accusations often quite naturally cause students to react with some hostility.
Where conveniently ADD is upgraded to ADHD, with hyper-activity introduced into the answer.
Having been diagnosed as ADHD, responsibility is then left to the Drug Corporations to come up with a solution to the learning problem.
The education system can effectively pass the responsibility on to someone else.
Yet, their is also the backup to this, where the Parents are accused on not developing suitable behavioural control in their children.
Of course Parents can question why the School has not attempted to more precisely define their child's learning difficulty, and put in place an effective remedial program. So long as they can afford to pay for a Lawyer to present their position.
But perhaps an even worse consequence, is that rather than recognising the neurological diversity in the ways of learning, that exist. This diversity is classed as 'disorders'. Which in turn results in many students finishing school with the confidence in their capacity to learn, totally destroyed!
Where I would conclude by saying that the overarching objective of schooling, should be to instill in every student, confidence in their capacity to learn. To help each student recognise their own unique way of learning, so as to enable them to realise their own full potential.
Rather than being 'shamed' with a learning disorder, we should all feel empowered by the uniqueness of our learning diversity!
Genuine recognition of this diversity, can only lead to greater diversity in understanding. Where currently unknown and unrealised potential can be tapped into.
Geoff.
