Stephen Tonti Ted Talk: ADHD as a difference in cognition, not a disorder.

ADD and ADHD diagnosis' are becoming more and more common and medication is often the answer to "fix" students with these "disorders." Stephen Tonti is a young man who was diagnosed with ADHD in the second grade. In the above video, he provides his audience with a glimpse and a better understanding of what it is like to have ADHD. This understanding is very beneficial for teachers who are likely to come across students like Stephen and will need to know how best to teach them. 

Stephen discusses how it is hard for him to focus on the "mundane" things in life, however when his curiosity is peaked, he is able to hyperfocus. What does this tell us as teachers? We need to know our ADHD students well and provide learning opportunities that will peak their interest... this is something we should strive to do for all of our students. 

Stephen says, "We are attention different, not attention deficit." He urges his audience that society needs to have a healthier attitude towards ADHD and not view it as a negative or something that needs fixing. He says, "ADHD can't be fixed, it can only be sedated," and describes the effects of medication as an added weight or pressure. He provides an example of this, quoting a report a teacher had made of his friend Adam, who also has ADHD:  "Adam is less motivated, less animated and less involved in class activities. But at least he is quiet now." It is so disheartening that this teacher would rather have a "quiet" student, as opposed to a motivated, involved and animated student. This brings me to Stephen's next quote: "Learning differently requires teaching differently." Rather than changing our students through medication to make them "quiet" for class, maybe it is the teachers who need to change. Perhaps moving from the traditional teacher-led classroom to a student-led, democratic classroom would have been a great fit for Adam, and very beneficial for his classmates as well.

 I will conclude this post with a final quote from Stephen: "Our society has to embrace cognitive diversity." I hope that watching this video has given you a new perspective on how you will accommodate students with ADD or ADHD in your classroom. I know it has certainly given me a  lot to think about. Ultimately, the decision to medicate a child with these cognitive differences is up to the parents. However, as a caring teacher, I will be sure to let parents know that I am willing to create a learning environment that is able to meet their child's needs without the use of medication and with the parents support. I think that is the best that we can do. What do you think?

Until my next post, 
~Miss A