[Hadley]

I’ve spent the past 6-weeks reading articles and listening to podcasts and I began to wonder at my abysmal academic history compared to so many highly educated people, doctors even, writing these articles, and books, and speaking publicly about ADHD they suffer themselves. I began to wonder the same thing as you, wanderquest, but from an opposite position.

The OP, along with the varying replies to it gave me relief. I am not the only one doubting myself. And while yes there are many success stories, the paths travelled to them are many and different and each in it’s own way, gruelling. And not all succeed.

Myself, I know from my mother that I began scholarly pursuit with ejection from pre-school. I went into a rage the teachers couldn’t handle and they sat me in the hallway until my mother returned to take me home, permanently for that year. Mom also told me that in my early elementary school years the teachers where convinced that I was mentally retarded and would never be able to attend a regular school, nor read or write. I have only a few memories of the time. Hiding under a teachers desk listening to music to calm myself. Becoming lost because I couldn’t pay attention to bus stops. Just glimpses of a confused and lost boy with a foggy brain.

While the fog never lifted I did eventually graduate grade 8, but only because the R.C. school system doesn’t fail anyone. And I did read and write just fine.

From there I tried secondary school but I didn’t fit. Eventually I just stopped going to classes.

In 1981 I attended, for a time, a (boarding style) school. A really good teacher noted I worked better when off to the library for research on my own. I was given permission to work apart from the class and to move at my own pace, which was much faster than the other students. I excelled. I earned my only secondary school credits there and I was named the school’s top junior student.

Home again I was enrolled back in my old high school. I was again lost, and although my mother pushed me until I turned 16 and left school to find work, I never completed another secondary school class.

I realise I’m late to the post party but I really wanted to say thank you, to the OP and to those who responded, for sharing your experiences.

REPORT ABUSE

[Author]

Posts