My reading and math struggles
From ADHD: A Path to Success
Rather than this calculation system coming out of school assignments, it rose out of a curious observation. One night while riding in the back seat of my parent's car-watching search lights bounce off of a low cloud ceiling. I wanted to figure out a way to determine how high the clouds were by measuring the angle of the searchlight and the distance between the searchlight and the spot directly under where the light bounced off the cloud. It was a very practical concern, not a math homework problem that drove my thinking. The first round of calculation was on the fog on the back window of my parent's car. Thank goodness it was a large back window. That happened when I was in the fifth grade.
My newly acquired skills also began to have payoffs outside my bedroom. The formerly dumb kid now had the keys to unlock the rest of the school tasks. Those were the days of Evelyn Woods teaching JFK speed reading, and I became adept at speed-reading. By the end of high school, I had become the fastest reader in the school. This did not mean that all academic hurdles had been solved with one fell swoop, but a giant step had been made. I was easily getting A's and B's, but I still felt like the dumb kid.
I am sure Mr. Hurd, my 8th grade English teacher would have been shocked by my improved grades. In order to take Spanish in high school I had to get permission from Mr. Hurd. When I presented him with the form to sign he took me to a large cloak area in back of the classroom so we could talk privately. I will always remember what he said, "I will sign this because you are a nice kid. But, as soon as it gets too hard, drop it. If you work hard we think you can graduate from high school." Then he signed the form. I was hurt, angry, determined, and confused. A sense of determination welled in me, and stayed with me for years there after. I would show him.
To you, Mr. Hurd, it is "Doctor Weathers."
My newly acquired skills also began to have payoffs outside my bedroom. The formerly dumb kid now had the keys to unlock the rest of the school tasks. Those from Mr. Hurd. When I presented him with the form to sign he took me to a large cloak area in back of the classroom so we could talk privately. I will always remember what he said, "I will sign this because you are a nice kid. But, as soon as it gets too hard, drop it. If you work hard we think you can graduate from high school." Then he signed the form. I was hurt, angry, determined, and confused. A sense of determination welled in me, and stayed with me for years there after. I
