As someone with a son with ADHD I really understand the idea of the 3 ring circus! Great way to get the idea through to the audience. Excellent essay!
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| A 3 Ring Circus |
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Name: Brittany Calcagno College Attending: None A 3 Ring Circus Have you ever been to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, “The Greatest Show on Earth”? Three rings bursting with activity: in the center ring elephants parade in a circle; in the ring to the left a family flies through the air on a trapeze; and, in the ring on the right a man shoots out of a cannon. That’s not all: clowns and animals create all sorts of mischief; snack vendors sell peanuts and cotton candy; and, souvenir vendors swing strings of light and call out their wares. But, in the end, have you taken in the entire show? Or, have you seen something more like trailers and movie clips, bits and pieces of the entire show? Unfortunately, this is what school was like for me, a circus! The teacher would present her lesson in the center ring. The left ring, the window, had the mailman delivering mail, a car driving down the street, and a cat climbing a tree. The ring on the right had the hallway, students walking by, or custodians cleaning. My classmates were the audience, or vendors, calling out, coughing, or dropping a pencil. At the end of the day I would have bits and pieces of the lesson, not the whole show. This was my life as a student with ADHD. Having ADHD presented its challenges. Medication helped me to stay focused, but it was not enough. I needed to learn strategies that would help me get through the day and figure out how I learned best. I had to see the circus one ring at a time, developing coping techniques, study skills, and learning strategies. Through these explorations I developed techniques that work for me. For example, I frequently read assignments and books out loud. This employs multiple modes; reading, speaking, and listening. When I use this technique less of my senses are available for distraction. I‘ve learned to break assignments into long and short term goals, and to help budget my time I use tools like planners and calendars to write down my assignments and activities, as well as, my cell phone and computer to track them, creating multiple reminders. Despite having ADHD, I feel that I have become a better student and learner through exploring the ways I learn best. In reality I had to learn “how to learn”. I am confident that these experiences have better prepared me for college. But most importantly, I have learned that if you work hard enough you can succeed. My personal experiences have made me sensitive to the needs of learners and the diversified ways in which people learn. As a result of these experiences I have developed the desire to teach and have decided to pursue a degree in education. By the way, I love the circus. Though, I prefer The Big Apple Circus. It has only one ring! |
