According to both US and Canadian statistics, 5% of the population has AD/HD and 95% does not. Coincidentally according to both US and Canadian statistics 5% of the population is self employed or an employer and 95% of the population works as an employee. I have a suspicious mind; I noticed it's the same 5% in both countries.
So I got to thinking, does school teach people to be leaders or followers, owners or employees? Is AD/HD a leadership trait or a follower trait? Is AD/HD an employee trait or an owner trait? What do you think?
Let's take a look at a schools mantra. Hands folded, feet together, eyes forward, quiet as a church mouse, falling in step with others, join the herd and don't get out of line. Who would do best with those orders, a follower or a leader? An employee or an owner; a dependant personality or someone independent?
Take Donald Trump, would he jump right in and gladly become part of the sheep herd or go on his own? Did Donald Trump have trouble in school? Yes!
Let's take a look at some people that we've heard had trouble in school as well: Albert Einstein, Babe Ruth, Kirk Douglas, Harry Belafonte, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Henry Winkler, Marilyn Monroe, Tom Cruise, Ann Bancroft, Steve McQueen, Tom Smothers, Walt Disney, Henry Ford, Vincent van Gogh, Gen. George Patton, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby, Stevie Wonder, Pete Rose, Beethoven, Magic Johnson, George Burns, George C. Scott, Steven Spielberg, John Lennon, Danny Glover, James Stewart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Dustin Hoffman, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Pablo Picasso, Jim Carrey, Jerry Lewis, Charlie Chaplin, Terry Bradshaw and Albert Einstein (Who flunked 6 th grade math).
If you're having trouble with the school (notice I didn't say the school was having trouble with you?) then you're in very good company. The military has Officers Training School. This is where a person, who just knows he or she is a leader, who thinks independently will go for formal training to come out leading troops into combat as an Officer. Now why don't we have that in school?
Do you know that according to the World Health Organization, in education America is 27 th in math and 29 th in science compared to the rest of the world? We're even behind Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. We have Polish jokes over here, I wonder if they have American jokes over there? How many Americans does it take to screw in a light bulb... Ouch!
When you combine math and science, we're 28 th . If a bright student is having problems with a system that is in 28 th place, who most likely is the real problem? The bright student or the 28 th place educational system?
Let's take a look at the traits of a leader or business owner: Resilient, creative, innovative, inquisitive, independent, persistent, visionary, risk taker, individualistic, great improviser, unstoppable dynamo, thinks outside the box, a born leader, abstract thinker, doesn't take no for an answer and high IQ.
Now let's take a look at the traits of someone with AD/HD: Resilient, creative, innovative, inquisitive, independent, persistent, visionary, risk taker, individualistic, great improviser, unstoppable dynamo, thinks outside the box, a born leader, abstract thinker, doesn't take no for an answer and high IQ.
Notice any similarities? There goes my suspicious mind again. Are people with AD/HD born to be working for themselves or an employer of others? We have Officers Training School; do we need Leaders and Owners School? Well Duh!
During English class we read books like, Of Mice and Men or The Tale of Two Cities . We then write up a book report to see if we get what the author is saying, to test our comprehension. What application do these types of books have for success? Not one success coach in the world recommends these books. Not one. How about having success books in English class and writing a book report and see if the student can comprehend what the author is saying "about how to be successful!" Two success books per year, is 8 success books during high school! Just think how that would change the dynamics of the student body.