ADHD or Just a Mile a Minute

After my last blog entry, I realized how easy it is to start with one topic and then start going off onto many tangents that originate from that one topic.Could it be that I too suffer from ADHD?
Before the ranks of the 'politically correct' start their squacking, let me remind them that my own son has been diagnosed with ADHD.
So I ask myself, is it genetic? My nephew is also ADHD. His father(my brother )is questioning if he himself wasn't ADHD/ADD when he was young.
I believe that all of us (especially mothers) have a certain level of ADHD. They just call it by nicer word, 'multitasking'. Ask any mother of a small child, what she is able to do all at once. When you are on the go all the time keeping up with kids,the house, your job, your marriage, the finances,etc etc, I believe that we all have to be a little ADHD. It always reminds me of the plate twirlers in the circus,trying to keep the plates rotating so they don't fall. I can be focused on doing one thing or project, and then in a flash, I find myself doing something else that is TOTALLY different from what I was just doing. Usually because of interruption or urgency coming from others. I end up sometimes with 5 things going on at the same time, yet I find it hard to fully finish them to my satisfaction.Sometimes the plates come to a crash on the floor.
I can change the subject of a conversation in a heartbeat, going from Metheral genetics to alternative cures for cancer within one paragraph.
So to all of my faithful blog readers, I salute you!!!

Educational Inclusion in Rio de Janeiro/ Educacao e Inclusao no Rio de Janeiro

Today I will go and try to register my 12 year old son (who has cerebral palsy and ADHD)at school. I tried the homeschooling thing with all of the books and support of the school in Canada, but unfortunately his biological father had a fit and reported me to Social Services here in Brazil. As it turns out, it is illegal to homeschool your child, but at the same time, there exists little to no support for children with moderate learning difficulties.

Nevertheless, the Brazilian Constitution states very clearly that schools are required to accept children like my son. He has so far been refused at Escola Parque in Gavea and Santa Marcelina. Their reasons? Don't have educators or Individualized Plans for children with disabilities. Lack of 'infrastructure'as they like to put it. These are private institutions that charge an arm and a leg for tuition, books and materials are not included in the price and the children must wear full uniforms.When one pays private school in the neighborhood of $400 CDN per month(minimum wage is just over $200 CDN per month),there are more than 30 students per class,two to three classes per grade,teachers earning around $600 CDN per month (unfortunately yet another proof that education is in total ruin here) its hard to imagine that these schools cannot afford to hire specialists to address learning issues. Children here are graded only on what they get on their exams...Yes, ten year olds with ulcers. University preparatory courses at every corner, milking parents even more so that their precious offspring can get into tuition free universities. Needless to say, the creativity in cheating on these exams is something that should be studied by the CIA and FBI...

This is when I miss my home of Calgary. Children are integrated no matter what. Other criteria is taken into consideration in grading children. IF Brazil wants to compete on an international level, they must begin by integrating all of society into the educational system.

Yah right,and that is really going to happen soon......

Hoje eu vou tentar de matricular meu filho de 12 anos (portador de paralisia cerebral e TDAH)num escola.Eu tentei de fazer 'homeschooling'(educacao em casa)com tudo apoio das escolas e profisionais do Canada, mais o pai biologico dele tive um chilique e me denunciou no Conselho Tutelar. Aparentemente, e contra lei de ensinar seu proprio filho em casa, mas o mesmo tempo,nao existe nenhum apoio nas escolas para estudantes com dificuldades de aprendizagem.

O Lei de Inclusao (4º, inciso III do texto da Lei nº. 9.394/96,) aqui no Brasil exige bem claramente que as escolas, tanto publico ou particular, devem aceitar criancas com meu filho. Ate agora, ele ja foi recusado na Escola Parque e na Santa Marcelina. A desculpa deles?? Nao tem estrutura pedagogica e planejamento individualizado para esses criancas..Essas escolas sao particular e as mensalidades sao na faixa de 750 ate 1200 reais por mes (sem contar os valores astronomicos de material, livros e uniformes nao calculado nesse preco). As vezes tem 30 alunos por sala, tem 2 ou 3 turmas por serie, profesoras ganhando bem mal(mais uma prova da calamidade educacional nesse pais)acho muito dificil de acreditar que os donos desses escolas nao podem contratar especialistas para dar apoio para esses criancas. Criancas sao avaliada so com notas das provas..Sim,existe criancas de 10 anos com ulceres,cursinhos para passar vestibular para puder passar para uma faculdade publica. O pressao e tanto que os alunos inventa maneiras de colar que sao impresionante e deveria ser base de pesquisa para o FBI e CIA.

E nesses momentos que eu sinto saudade de minha cidade natal, Calgary. Intergracao sem estresse. Criteria de avaliacao que leve em conta mais que esta numa prova. SE o Brasil quer competir num nivel internacional, tem que comecar de integrar os alunos com deficiencias dentro de escolas regulars.

Quero ver o dia que isso vai acontecer...vou pegar uma cadeira bem confortavel..