Comments on: The Creative Mind Phenomenon

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:03:05 +0000

Man, I wish you were my mom when I was a kid. As much as I love my mom, and as many things as she got right, it scares the hell out of her to imagine that something as big and powerful and established as the American Educational System might be so deeply and fundamentally flawed. The screaming fights we got into, the “sick” days, the year I developed a mysterious (read: bullshit) illness and got to do all my schoolwork at home, the patterns filled into the bubble sheet on state standardized tests, the vile anger of administrators contrasting with the uncomfortable fascination of other administrators. Now, our fights revolve around my anger and frustration about college. I did it your way and it didn’t work. Why would I try again? Because it’s three little letters next to my name? I don’t put stock in that, and increasingly, the world doesn’t either.

This is becoming a very ranty comment. I apologize. I have so much anger and frustration when I think about my education experience and I’m one of the lucky ones. I never for a second believed that the adult bullies were right – not without really examining the logic. But I did hide under the radar. Because as much as I hated the abusive power trip, being average meant I could avoid that and also the distressing interest. Nothing scares a kid quite so much as the look of surprise and curiosity in an adult. Nothing shakes the world quite so hard as realizing you may be on the same level as they are, and *you* sure as hell don’t have life figured out. If my mom doesn’t really know what the right thing to do is, how the hell am I ever going to?

Be the advocate for your kid. It’s so refreshing to see more bloggers talking about their children and UNDERSTANDING their children. That bond is so critical. Empower your kid to be able to make independent choices (my mom got that bang on), but also try to understand. Do everything you can to understand. And you’re doing that, and that’s amazing. You have a very lucky son.

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:52:28 +0000

It’s about time I tell you how often I refer to this post to keep my strength up. I’m the one that needs to be reminded. I fall too quickly when the school calls and makes me feel something is terribly wrong with my child. They make me feel like I am in denial. It is a head game, it truly is. I love you….Heather, you are my rock in all this. Thank you. I need to refer to this before I lose it on my poor child, and not after. When will I learn to not be so knee jerk reaction when the school calls. How do you do it? How do you stay confident and proud of your child, when I buckle and question myself and my judgement. Oh, they’ve done a great job of brainwashing me, haven’t they? I’m convinced, with every phone call, that MY child has the problem, and I’m the bad mother, and there can be no other answer. You are right…the school does take it’s cues from the parent. I think they like to hit on the vulnerable.

By: 2e Tuesday: The Care and Keeping of a Twice Exceptional Kid. « Child’s Play!

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:19:48 +0000

[...] The Creative Mind Phenomenon A great example of advocating for the child. [...]

By: lynndaly

lynndaly — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:44:19 +0000

I stumbled across this post and I couldn’t agree with you more… because in a small way I was that kid. I ended up having a nervous breakdown when I was 16 and I dropped out of high school. I journaled through it noting that the system wants us to be ginger bread men… all from the same mold just decorated different. I struggled for years trying to find my way. I am now 29. I own and opperate a successful photography studio. My father recently told me that the “school issues” were because I was so advanced mentally that I couldn’t cope with the “regression” that the institution tried to impose. In 3rd grade 5 of us were put in the “gifted and talented” program (an IQ of 130 was required) …. 10 years later 1 had moved away, 1 ran away to California 2 months before graduation but managed to graduate anyway, and the other 2 and I dropped out by 11th grade. Go figure.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:57:00 +0000

“Instead of a phenomenon of pathology in our children, what if it’s a phenomenon of creative minds being born?”
I encourage you to read “The care and Feeding of Indigo Children” by Doreen Virtue. The author of this book shares your thoughts about more and more children being born with a higher level of intellect. My son too has been labeled which encouraged me to think outside the box. I was in tears by page 5 of this book. I was astounished that a complete stranger had such insight to my child. I’m positive that you, as well as anyone else in our situation, will be amazed with each turn of the page.

By: canape

canape — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:26:00 +0000

I hope you can hear how loud I’m cheering for you.

By: Desiree

Desiree — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:34:00 +0000

Fantastic post! Have you read Indigo Children?
http://www.amazon.com/Indigo-Children-Kids-Have-Arrived/dp/1561706086/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-7434990-7041509?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191871733&sr=8-2
Completely reinforces everything you said. Excellent book.
Well done! Keep up the fight!

By: Bananas

Bananas — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 03:33:00 +0000

REALLY great and important post, Heather. I couldn’t agree more.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:33:00 +0000

Great post!

I really feel that a lot of kids fall through the cracks in elementary school and that influences the rest of their lives. I'm one of those people. I am 22 so in the early 90's when ADD became THE thing to diagnose kids with I was said to have add without hyperactivity but the medication made me an emotional wreck (I'm already very sensitive) and I didn't really need the medication. I needed to learn differently. I would get frusterated and upset very easily and give up on math w/the mentality I just wasn't good at it..when I excelled in science and english and the rest.

Unfortunately, schools can't cater to each and every child and figure out what works best for them. They have to have a approve curriculum and teachers are bombarded with 30+ children to teach and keep entertained. My mom was single and working nights, she didn't have the time or resources to get me working at home. Not to mention the mentality that most people had with me that I was just "lazy". No, I wasn't lazy. I could spend hours on the subject that I enjoyed or WANTED to learn but the things I couldn't be "perfect" at I ignored or got so frustrated with I'd give up.

I don't think I'm "gifted", but I think I did not get an education that I deserved and I think the cookie-cut way of teaching/learning doesn't work well for me.

By: Mama Zen

Mama Zen — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:27:00 +0000

I’m a former special education teacher, so I know first hand that learning disabilities are real and a real problem. HOWEVER, I think that a lot of kids exhibit some ADHD symptoms or behavior problems simply because we are increasingly expecting them to exhibit adult-like focus. Kids aren’t wired to be still! Cutting PE and recess to make way for more standardized test prep is one of the worst things that schools have done.