When I was in Grade 5, I was diagnosed with ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. Being a doctor, my mom had noticed the signs of ADD/ADHD in my brother and me, and had us tested to confirm her ‘theory’.
One of the takeaways from my evaluation was that I struggled with working memory, which is how I hold onto and work with the information stored in my short-term memory. It also told us that I struggled with things like multiple-choice assessments, but would be successful with written assessments or essays. It was recommended that I have accommodations in place while in school, such as a scribe (a note-taker), separate setting for tests and exams, and time-and-a-half on said tests.
When I reached Grades 10-12, I began to struggle more with my working memory and my ADHD. My problems with working memory impacted my note-taking in high school, where I would need to hear a sentence two or three times to get the information, while the other students would only have to hear it once. It impacted my ability to focus on listening and writing, where I often had to sacrifice one for the other.
Some of my teachers in high school were understanding and supportive of my accommodations. They would provide me with copies of the notes or slideshows so I wasn’t panicking to follow along. However, many teachers were the opposite. They did not understand why I struggled to take notes, retain the information often delivered too quickly, or perform poorly on the multiple-choice assessments. They did not seem to care about that information, and oftentimes ignored my requests for help or change.
Once I graduated high school and went to university, I was faced with the same struggles. I received accommodations through the university and they applied to every course I took, and 80% of the professors I had were wonderful and followed the accommodations. There were seven professors (during my four-year degree), I remember this distinctly, who were not willing to accommodate me. Despite endless conversations, emails, etc., I was forced to follow the structure they were unwilling to deviate from, which greatly impacted my academic average.
I wanted to be part of the change in education, stepping away from cookie-cutter ideas and ways of practicing to focus more on adapting my class and practice to fit the needs of every student. I don’t want students to experience what I went through: the lack of support, care, or understanding. I want my students to be excited and looking forward to coming to class because it is a place they enjoy being. I want my students to know their teachers care and will advocate for them.
