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Through a Child’s Eyes

My creative mind would wander. I would imagine a sea of friendly mermaids who would

foster me as their own. A school of fish swims by me and the beautiful golden-haired mermaids.

I look up at the surface of the blue glistening water as air bubbles escape my mouth. Suddenly, I

hear my name being called. My head shifts dramatically towards the board, I hear the giggles of

my classmates as I escape fantasy and enter reality. My teacher asks me a question about the

homework. My stomach drops and my face turns red as I look down at my empty paper. I get

distracted by the doodles of stick figure mermaids and fish with smiles. I come back to the

realization that I don’t have the answer. Embarrassed, I see my teacher write something on her

paper. I am a fourth-grader. As a child with with a learning disability, the busy classroom

environments made me feel lost, misunderstood, and unintelligent. My negative feelings about

myself continued throughout my entire elementary and middle school career. In the sixth grade, I

was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). For once I was relieved

that there was a name for how I was feeling about my lack of attentiveness and random bursts of

creative thought, but I was angry. I was angry that I was not given the help I now know I needed.

I would have benefited from front row seating, one on one help, or the use of graphics and

manipulatives. I felt alone.

This lead to my research question “What kind of activities, presentation, and school

accommodations benefit students with learning disabilities?” Classroom environments and

supportive adults change everything for a student with a learning disability who feels lost and

unintelligent compared to the rest of his or her peers. I was curious to know what teachers can
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do to help students who are struggling with a learning disability. This lead to my extensive

research in classroom environments and accommodations for academically vulnerable students.

Learning disabilities come in different shapes and sizes, they affect every age group,

every race and ethnicity, and it does not discriminate between male or female. Every learning

disability is on a spectrum. One person’s learning disability will be completely different than

another person diagnosed with the same disorder. Another thing to keep in mind is that people

who have learning disabilities on a minor spectrum may not show signs until they are older. This

may make it harder to succeed in school during adolescence. Training teachers and adults to spot

struggling students may lead to diagnosing a student earlier in their educational career and

developing the appropriate education plan for success. There are a multitude of learning

disabilities. A few of the many are ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia. The first one is Attention

Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. There are three types of ADHD subtypes; one is “inattentive”

subtype, which makes it difficult for students to keep their attention on a task unless they are

particularly drawn to it (Wender). The second subtype is “hyperactive,” the child with this

subtype always seem to be restless and talkative. The last subtype is a combination of both

inattentive subtype and hyperactive subtype, this is called “combination (Kutscher).” The second

disability is Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a very common learning disability affecting five to seventeen

percent of the population. It is a neurological condition which makes it difficult for students to

read. It comes with poor spelling skills and an inability to rhyme and learn new words. Lastly,

Dyscalculia is a learning disability that affects a person mathematically. People with dyscalculia

suffer solving basic mathematical equations, place value, and time (The Five Most Common

Learning Disabilities Seen in Schools Today). Although these three disabilities are common
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among students, they may go undiagnosed for years. Rarely, they may go undiagnosed

completely for a few reasons: lack of notice by adults, a child not showing obvious symptoms, or

even gender.

Women and girls are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD because of the stigma that

ADHD is a “male disorder.” In my case I was not diagnosed until the start of middle school

although I had clear difficulties focusing throughout elementary school. This is because it is not

looked for in girls as much as it is in boys, possibly because boys are assumed to be louder and

more physical. Girls are more likely to be “people pleasers” and cover up the symptoms of their

disabling incompetencies by studying extra hard or pretending like nothing is wrong. Teachers

are also not trained in spotting what ADHD looks like in girls. “ ‘Most people have a

misperception that ADHD is a disorder of hyperactive elementary school-aged boys,’ says

Patricia Quinn, M.D, a developmental pediatrician in Washington, D.C., and a leading expert in

gender aspects of ADHD.” There are also high patterns of women with ADHD being diagnosed

with anxiety or depression and still suffering with the lack of help for their ADHD. (Sigler)

Although it may seem like there is no hope, women and girls are starting to speak up about their

misdiagnoses and talking about their symptoms of ADHD more than ever.

Myths arise through a lack of education or experience with having a learning disability. A

common myth among learning disabilities is that people with learning disabilities are

unintelligent or incapable of learning, but this is highly untrue. “Students with LD [learning

disability] must be average or above in intelligence as measured by an individual IQ test and

have a significant discrepancy between their ability and achievement. In fact, studies indicate
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that as many as 33% of students with LD are gifted. Students with LD can learn and succeed in

college. It takes proper recognition, intervention and lots of hard work.” Another misconception

about learning disabilities is that people who have them, use it as an excuse to be irresponsible

and lazy. “Learning disabilities are caused by neurological impairments, not character flaws. LD

is a permanent disorder that interferes with acquiring, integrating, and demonstrating verbal and

nonverbal abilities.” People with learning disabilities process information differently (Hidden /

Invisible Disabilities). Students with learning disabilities often go their entire lives feeling dumb

or unaccomplished compared to their peers. Kids with learning disabilities excel in sports and

art. The lack of funding for art, music, drama, and sports programs in schools hurts kids with

learning disabilities who find tranquility in doing these activities.

All students, including those with and without disabilities in learning can benefit with

having a multi-style learning environment. Classroom environments and learning styles may

significantly change the way students grasp material, and especially for students who have

learning disabilities. However, the public school system does not fully accommodate in the

classroom for students who learn differently from others. This gives students with learning

disabilities an unfair disadvantage. Classrooms are crowded, busy environments with no close

observation of students. This negatively affects students who need one-on-one learning. Another

problem with the traditional learning method is that classrooms are driven by clock time which

rarely lets students who are struggling, operate at their own tempo which is a risky start to falling

behind for many. Teachers may also aim to treat students with learning disabilities just like the

other students, this is called the “fairness doctrine” and it is toxic to the learning of those students

that do need an extra push or a few extra reminders during the day (Garnett). Teachers may
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struggle to differentiate between giving students who struggle, a helping hand versus making

them seem like an outcast to the class. A teacher is a parent outside of the home. Students need

the love and support of a parent but the tools and guidance of a teacher to succeed academically.

Classroom arrangements also play a part in the way students learn. “As teachers we must

accommodate our room designs to fit our students. The educational experience for all the

students in our classroom begins with the attention to details of learning styles and with the

teacher’s desire to make that experience the best it can be for every student (Dewitz).” Many

factors come into place when discussing classroom arrangement. There are four keys to making

sure classrooms accommodate all students. These are desk placement, seating, visuals, and

cleanliness. Desk placement is crucial for learning disabled students. Being seated near the front

of the classroom where the lesson takes place significantly helps both the teacher and the student.

The teacher can monitor progress and understanding and the student gets more one-on-one

during lessons. Type of seating also finds a place in classroom accommodating. “According to a

study done at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington, kids

with and without ADHD who that have used therapy balls found it actually helped them to be

better behaved and have improved listening skills.” Visuals participate a lot in the way the front

of a classroom looks. Visuals are important but can also be overwhelmingly distracting for many

students with learning disabilities. Visuals should be available but not excessive and out of the

vision of those with learning disabilities. A clean classroom is the last key to accommodating

learning disabled students. A classroom that is messy feels confusing and unorganized. Students

overall preferred a clean room. Having a room that is in control also keeps kids calm and de-

stressed (Dewitz). To a person who does not have a learning disability these things may seem
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miniscule and of little importance, but for someone with a learning disability, they are significant

in the learning process.

The person I interviewed is Joan Swan McClure. She is my personal tutor and also my

mentor for my Senior Project. I chose her because she has 25 years of experience working in a

classroom environment. She is a mentor to me outside of senior project and I look up to her as an

experienced and trusted adviser. As I walked into Joan’s house, I was greeted by the barks of her

fluffy snow-white dog named “Gracie.” Joan invites me in and we sit down at her dining room

table. I sat under the twelve o’clock sunlight shining through the skylight. We got settled down

with some hot tea and began our interview. Joan began by talking about her teaching career. “My

favorite aspect of teaching is working with children and being involved in my students’ lives.”

Joan was a school teacher for 25 years, teaching second and third grade children, then first grade

through sixth in Resource. She returned as a resource specialist for three to four years after she

retired from her teaching career. She felt that the most difficult aspect of teaching was working

with parents who do not put their child’s education first. She said that if she could change

something about her teaching she would focus more on recognizing the different needs between

introverted and extroverted students and allow them their space when needed. Joan grew up in

the Los Angeles suburbs in California. She graduated with a business degree from the University

of Southern California and got her teaching credentials and then later got her Masters and

resource credential from Fullerton State University. After having her first child she realized her

passion and love for children. Since my project is focussed around learning disabilities, one of

my questions asked ‘what do you believe is the biggest misconception about kids with learning

disabilities?’ She said that she believes the biggest misconceptions people have about kids with
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learning disabilities is that they are lazy and that they are not capable of achieving much. Joan

also said that the school system should adjust to smaller class sizes and more teacher’s aides in

classrooms to help students with learning disabilities more efficiently. Joan clearly has a love for

her individual students and a passion for teaching. She is an inspiring mentor to the tens of kids

she has taught and tutored over the years.

The second person I chose to interview is my mother. My mother, Priscila Whitacre

works at Pine Hollow Middle School. She is a teacher’s assistant and she works with kids who

have disabilities. Her main challenge is keeping calm and handling tantrums. Overall she loves

her job and finds it challenging but exciting. Everyday is a new day. My mother believes that

schools should provide more one on one teaching and smaller classrooms to enable kids with

learning disabilities to succeed in their academics.

I chose to volunteer at Bancroft Elementary School and Pine Hollow Middle School.

While I was there I learned the differences of both elementary school and middle school

classrooms. I worked with kindergarteners at Bancroft Elementary School. I helped set up an art

project and I also read with them. Sadly, it only lasted a few hours but I enjoyed all my time

there. Ms. Sohi is an amazing teacher and she made my time in her kindergarten classroom,

worthwhile. I volunteered more of my time at Pine Hollow Middle School. I worked with kids

who have disabilities. We played games and I helped grade student’s work. I observed that there

were around five groups with teacher assistants who help students get their work done. Each

student has a binder and a set of goals to complete in a semester, and every student is at a

different level of achievement. Everyday, each student receives a ‘token’ after completing their

work which allows them to get free time, or five minutes on the computer. There is also a ‘calm

down room’ where students can manage their extreme emotions on a swing or reading books.
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Pine Hollow has an excellent program for students with disabilities. I had a great feeling of

accomplishment after volunteering my time with the students.

Having a learning disability can be a hard mountain to climb, but having the right

mindset and support system makes it easier to take on in the big picture. The tools that can help

students with learning disabilities succeed are supportive teachers, mentors, and parents,

classroom accommodations including desk placement, seating, visuals and cleanliness, and

support from the student’s school and district. A few inspiring people who rose above their

learning disability are Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur who found Virgin

Airlines. “Due to dyslexia, his teachers considered him “stupid and lazy.” Today, he regards his

cognitive condition as his ‘greatest strength.’” Others include, Albert Einstein, a theoretical

physicist who is now known to be one of the smartest men of his lifetime, Bill Gates, a

billionaire who founded Microsoft, Michael Phelps, a gold medalist Olympic swimmer, and

Cher, a worldwide known pop singer who has won many awards including a Grammy Award, an

Emmy Award, an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards. (GreatSchools Staff).

Throughout my research I found that I am, indeed, not alone through the journey of dealing with

a disability. I find strength in the voices of those who speak up about theirs. I hope to teach

educators about the value of classroom arrangements and learning styles. The biggest lesson I

learned through this is that disabilities are all a matter of how one perceives it. If you are

successful at one single thing, you are needed by somebody.

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