Prophet Muhammad's Promise to Christians by Muqtedar Khan Muslims and Christians together constitute over fifty percent of the world and if they lived in peace, we will be half way to world peace. One small step that we can take towards fostering Muslim-Christian harmony is to tell and retell positive stories and abstain from mutual demonization. In this article I propose to remind both Muslims and Christians about a promise that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) made to Christians. The knowledge of this promise can have enormous impact on Muslim conduct towards Christians.. Muslims generally respect the precedent of their Prophet and try to practice it in their lives. In 628 AD, a delegation from St. Catherine's Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which I reproduce below in its entirety. St. Catherine's Monastery is located at the foot of Mt. Sinai and is the world's oldest monastery. It possess a huge collection of Christian manuscripts, second only to the Vatican, and is a world heritage site. It also boasts the oldest collection of Christian icons. It is a treasure house of Christian history that has remained safe for 1400 years under Muslim protection. The Promise to St. Catherine's Monastery: "This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)." The first and the final sentence of the charter are critical. They make the promise eternal and universal. Muhammed asserts that Muslims are with Christians near and far straight away rejecting any future attempts to limit the promise to St. Catherine alone. By ordering Muslims to obey it until the Day of Judgment the charter again undermines any future attempts to revoke the privileges. These rights are inalienable. Muhammed declared Christians, all of them, as his allies and he equated ill treatment of Christians with violating God's covenant. A remarkable aspect of the charter is that it imposes no conditions on Christians for enjoying its privileges. It is enough that they are Christians. They are not required to alter their beliefs, they do not have to make any payments and they do not have any obligations. This is a charter of rights without any duties! The document is not a modern human rights treaty but even thought it was penned in 628 A.D. it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person. I know most readers, must be thinking so what? Well the answer is simple. Those who seek to foster discord among Muslims and Christians focus on issues that divide and emphasize areas of conflict. But when resources such as Muhammad's promise to Christians is invoked and highlighted it builds bridges. It inspires Muslims to rise above communal intolerance and engenders good will in Christians who might be nursing fear of Islam or Muslims. When I look at Islamic sources, I find in them unprecedented examples of religious tolerance and inclusiveness. They make me want to become a better person. I think the capacity to seek good and do good inheres in all of us. When we subdue this predisposition towards the good, we deny our fundamental humanity. In this holiday season, I hope all of us can find time to look for something positive and worthy of appreciation in the values, cultures and histories of other peoples. Dr. Muqtedar Khan is Director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware and a fellow of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. |
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Prophet Muhammad’s Promise to Christians
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention 2009 poster on TTC (Toronto Subway)
I was sitting on the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) subway train this morning reading my Toronto Star newpaper when I looked up the Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention 2009 poster was in front ot me. It was a wonderful surprise, to see Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Dr Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) and Dr Abdal Hakim Jackson pictures on the poster. I have to say this is my Toronto!! |
Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention
Dec. 25th - 27th, 2009 - Buy Tickets!
SOS: Saving the Ship of Humanity
http://www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com/
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Witchcraft in Toronto
Police have dusted off an old chapter of the Canadian Criminal Code and charged a woman with posing as a witch, allegedly to defraud a Toronto lawyer of more than $100,000. Vishwantee Persaud, 36, is accused of conning veteran criminal lawyer Noel Daley by saying she was the embodiment of his deceased sister, whose spirit would guide him to financial success....... "There's got to be a couple dozen provisions that absolutely make no sense in the modern era." Alan Young, Osgoode Hall Law School Section 163 (1b) – It's illegal to print, publish, distribute, sell or possess a crime comic – those popular 1940s comic books with graphic depictions of violence and illicit doings. Section 49 (a) – It's illegal to commit an act with "intent to alarm Her Majesty." This offence carries a prison sentence that can't exceed 14 years. Section 143 – Each time a victim of theft puts up a poster advertising a reward with "no questions asked" for the return of a stolen item, they are breaking a federal law. Section 339 (1) – Anyone found guilty of "fraudulently" taking driftwood found in a lake or stream can be imprisoned for up to five years. Sections 32-33 and 64-69 — These provisions require raucous groups to disperse within 30 minutes after being read the declaration commonly known as the Riot Act or else run the risk of facing life in prison. |
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
TTC Elevators and Escalators - Dec 09, 2009
TTC elevators serve more than 25 of the system's 69 subway and Scarborough RT stations. These elevators are specially designed for people in wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, with other mobility devices or baby strollers. Almost half (30 of 69 stations) of the subway/rt system will be fully accessible. The TTC also operates and maintains 294 escalators throughout the subway/rt system...... T |
Don't believe me? Too bad you weren't around the other morning when my two kids and I took the subway to run errands.....
Porter: TTC traumatic with 2 kids, stroller and lots of stairs - Catherine Porter
Toronto Star
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Ontario Deprivation Index - The Poverty Measurement
WHAT ITEMS ARE INCLUDED?
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Street kids' toughness only skin deep
By: Carol Goar A |
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Uncover the lamp, and let it shine-November 29, 2009
By David Warren, The Ottawa Citizen
Uncover the lamp, and let it shine-November 29, 2009
Another year has passed, in the liturgical calendar, and it is again "Christian New Year." Let's begin by simply mentioning the fact that today, Sunday, is the first in Advent. And I mean: mentioning it, because it is politically incorrect......
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Toronto Zoo's baby gorilla named Nassir - Nov 18, 2009
Nov 18, 2009
Toronto Zoo's baby gorilla named Nassir - Nov 18, 2009
Charles is a western lowland gorilla at the Toronto Zoo and on Wednesday morning he chose his son's new name by picking a plate filled with his favourite treats. The zoo decided to have a naming contest for the baby gorilla and solicited names from the public.
They were inundated with thousands of name suggestions, then whittled that pile down to five: Nassir, Neo, Nico, Nigel or Nsambu.
Then came the idea to attach one name to each of five plates of special foods, each plate exactly the same.
Charles would then be invited to pick a plate of treats — and his son's new name at the same time.
On Wednesday morning, the proud daddy chose the plate with Nassir's name attached.
Nassir means protector.
The baby gorilla was born in September and has been a top attraction at the zoo ever since.
The name contest drew more than 5,000 suggestions. The only rule was that the name had to start with the letter N in honour of the baby's mother Ngozi.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/18/toronto-gorilla.html?ref=rss
Toronto Zoo's baby gorilla named Nassir - Nov 18, 2009
Charles is a western lowland gorilla at the Toronto Zoo and on Wednesday morning he chose his son's new name by picking a plate filled with his favourite treats. The zoo decided to have a naming contest for the baby gorilla and solicited names from the public.
They were inundated with thousands of name suggestions, then whittled that pile down to five: Nassir, Neo, Nico, Nigel or Nsambu.
Then came the idea to attach one name to each of five plates of special foods, each plate exactly the same.
Charles would then be invited to pick a plate of treats — and his son's new name at the same time.
On Wednesday morning, the proud daddy chose the plate with Nassir's name attached.
Nassir means protector.
The baby gorilla was born in September and has been a top attraction at the zoo ever since.
The name contest drew more than 5,000 suggestions. The only rule was that the name had to start with the letter N in honour of the baby's mother Ngozi.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/18/toronto-gorilla.html?ref=rss
They helped each other the TTC RT
I was at the subway station waiting when all of a sudden the blind man appeared. He looked a little lost and I thought to myself there is no way he will able to board the train on his own. After a few seconds I went up to him to offer some help and he politely refused so I then went ahead into the train and sat down and started to get something to read. I looked up and saw the blind man pushing another man in a wheelchair. They got into the train right before the door closed.
Allah does find a way for the disabled.
Allah does find a way for the disabled.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Toronto Zoo's baby gorilla named Nassir - Nov 18, 2009
Charles has chosen — and his baby's name is Nassir
Charles is a western lowland gorilla at the Toronto Zoo and on Wednesday morning he chose his son's new name by picking a plate filled with his favourite treats. The zoo decided to have a naming contest for the baby gorilla and solicited names from the public.
They were inundated with thousands of name suggestions, then whittled that pile down to five: Nassir, Neo, Nico, Nigel or Nsambu.
Then came the idea to attach one name to each of five plates of special foods, each plate exactly the same.
Charles would then be invited to pick a plate of treats — and his son's new name at the same time.
On Wednesday morning, the proud daddy chose the plate with Nassir's name attached.
Nassir means protector.
The baby gorilla was born in September and has been a top attraction at the zoo ever since.
The name contest drew more than 5,000 suggestions. The only rule was that the name had to start with the letter N in honour of the baby's mother Ngozi.
They were inundated with thousands of name suggestions, then whittled that pile down to five: Nassir, Neo, Nico, Nigel or Nsambu.
Then came the idea to attach one name to each of five plates of special foods, each plate exactly the same.
Charles would then be invited to pick a plate of treats — and his son's new name at the same time.
On Wednesday morning, the proud daddy chose the plate with Nassir's name attached.
Nassir means protector.
The baby gorilla was born in September and has been a top attraction at the zoo ever since.
The name contest drew more than 5,000 suggestions. The only rule was that the name had to start with the letter N in honour of the baby's mother Ngozi.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
World hunger shames us all-Nov 14 2009
For the first time in history, chronic hunger afflicts more than 1 billion people, including 200 million children. "Every six seconds a child dies of hunger," says Jacques Diouf. That ought to shame Canadians and others in the developed world, because it doesn't have to be so....
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/725109--world-hunger-shames-us-all
Name for Baby Gorilla at the Toronto Zoo
The shortlist, all starting with "N" to honour its mother, includes Nassir, Neo, Niko, Nigel and Nsambu. ....
How will he decide? By turning to his stomach for help.
The five names will be posted on pails, each filled with one of Charles' favourite treats. His keepers are still deciding what foods to put out, to ensure neutrality among all the names. So when Charles finally picks a pail, he won't just be choosing his mid-morning snack.
How will he decide? By turning to his stomach for help.
The five names will be posted on pails, each filled with one of Charles' favourite treats. His keepers are still deciding what foods to put out, to ensure neutrality among all the names. So when Charles finally picks a pail, he won't just be choosing his mid-morning snack.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Atkinson Series - Alanna Mitchell - Nov 2009
Alanna Mitchell, a Toronto-based writer and journalist who specializes in global science issues, spent much of the past year investigating the controversial push to use brain science to improve education. She travelled to England, France, Australia and the U.S. as part of her 2008 Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy
- "The message to teachers is that they need to be a bit of a scientist too," says Shanker. "What we want teachers to understand is that there's no such thing as a lazy child or a bad child. There's always a biological story. The key is to ask why, why, why?"
- As a society, we're forcing millions of teens to spend hours every day in a schooling system with methods we can't justify and ends we don't honestly comprehend for jobs we can't even conceive of, he says.
- And as others have documented, given the high rates of teen dropouts, addiction, violence, mental health issues and learning differences, the system we're forcing them to participate in is broken.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Accused mother 'loved son so much' - Oct 27th
Wife was 'depressed,' says distraught father of slain autistic boy, 15
"She should never have been charged with first-degree murder," said Khor, fighting back his tears. "This is impossible. ... She loved her son so much."
Friday, October 16, 2009
Maintain #Kinship
Those who maintain kinship with the detached, who continue to provide for those who let them down and willingly forgive their oppressors, shall indeed excel both in this world and the next.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by 'Uqbah bin Amir
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Undernourished surpass 1 billion: UN- October 14, 2009
Decline in aid, agriculture investment blamed on growing numbers
The ranks of the world's hungry has surpassed one billion, and declining aid and investment in agriculture are expected to steadily increase the number of undernourished people for more than a decade, according to a United Nations food agency report.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/10/14/world-hunger-un-food-agriculture212.html?ref=rss
The ranks of the world's hungry has surpassed one billion, and declining aid and investment in agriculture are expected to steadily increase the number of undernourished people for more than a decade, according to a United Nations food agency report.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/10/14/world-hunger-un-food-agriculture212.html?ref=rss
Saturday, October 10, 2009
TTC to fine riders who put feet up
TTC to fine riders who put feet up
Its about time!! Just wondering how TTC will nail these people. There has to be TTC patrol on the trains. Lets see how it plays out.
Most time the other passengers are not brave enough to say anything because the offenders look like they always want to start a fight.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/10/09/ttc-fines-increase836.html?ref=rss
Its about time!! Just wondering how TTC will nail these people. There has to be TTC patrol on the trains. Lets see how it plays out.
Most time the other passengers are not brave enough to say anything because the offenders look like they always want to start a fight.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/10/09/ttc-fines-increase836.html?ref=rss
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Islam Ottawa, Canada - Aug 19,2009
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Special+report/1913408/story.html
"We don't have a plan, we don't have a strategy or well-defined goals. Much of the tension in the community would ease just if we are working together."
"We don't have a plan, we don't have a strategy or well-defined goals. Much of the tension in the community would ease just if we are working together."
His message was clear: Quit complaining, especially about how things were better in your home country. "Happiness is a decision. I think we can make the right decision in Canada. You are living in the world's best country. Millions would like to be here."
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Canada near top in quality of life- Oct 06 2009
The UN's verdict is in: Canadians have the fourth-best quality of life in the world, behind top-rated Norway, Australia and Iceland.The UN's verdict is in: Canadians have the fourth-best quality of life in the world, behind top-rated Norway, Australia and Iceland.
At the bottom of the quality of life scale is destitute Niger. Only a cut above is Afghanistan, in spite of billions of dollars of development money that has been earmarked for the war-torn country. It was rated for the first time this year, after decades of conflict that made it impossible to collect vital data.
1. Norway
2. Australia
3. Iceland (likely to drop in next survey since 2007 data was analyzed prior to global economic crisis)
4. Canada (has one of the most open immigration policies around)
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan (longest life expectancy at 82.7 years on average)
11. Luxembourg
12. Finland
13. United States
14. Austria
15. Spain
16. Denmark
17. Belgium
18. Italy
19. Liechtenstein (highest GDP per capita at $85,383)
20. New Zealand
21. United Kingdom
BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT
92. China (moves up seven places from last year, rise credited to improvements in education as well as income levels and life expectancy.)
THE BOTTOM THREE
180. Sierra Leone
181. Afghanistan (life expectancy of 43.6 years, only Asian country in the bottom 10)
182. Niger
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/705955--canada-near-top-in-quality-of-life
Monday, October 5, 2009
Why are black people turning to Islam? - Oct 5,2009
Why are black people turning to Islam?
Some are following their heroes, others looking for meaning in their lives. One thing's for sure – the numbers are growing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/oct/05/black-muslims-islam
Some are following their heroes, others looking for meaning in their lives. One thing's for sure – the numbers are growing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/oct/05/black-muslims-islam
A Few Hadith That Will Change Your Life Forever
A Few Hadith That Will Change Your Life Forever
1. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "This world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the unbeliever." [Muslim]
2. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "The Fire is surrounded by indulgence (pleasures) of appetites and Jannah is surrounded by things people dislike." [Agreed upon]
3. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, (PBUH), said, "A man follows the religion of his close friend, so each of you should be very careful about whom he takes as a close friend." [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]
4. Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Anyone who safeguards for My sake what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, I will safeguard Jannah (Paradise) for him." [Agreed upon]
5. Anas reported that the Prophet, (PBUH), said, "None of you can truly be said to believe until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself." [Agreed upon]
6. An-Nu'man ibn Bashir reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "The metaphor of the believers in their mutual love, mercy and affection is that of the body. When one limb of it (the body) complains, the rest of the body collapses with sleeplessness and fever." [Agreed upon]
7. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "The strong man is not the one who throws people in wrestling. The strong man is the one who has control of himself when he is angry." [Agreed upon]
8. Jarir ibn 'Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "If someone does not show mercy to people, Allah will not show mercy to him." [Agreed upon]
9. Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib said, "I memorised from the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH): 'Abandon anything that gives you doubt for what gives you no doubt. Truthfulness is peace of mind and lying is doubt." [At-Tirmidhi]
10. Abu Umama Sudayy ibn 'Ajlan al-Bahili said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), speaking in the Hajj of Farewell. He said, 'Fear Allah, pray your five prayers, fast your month (of Ramadhan), pay the Zakat on your property and obey your leaders and you will enter Jannah of your Lord." [at-Tirmidhi]
11. Jabir also reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "No Muslim plants something without what is eaten from it being sadaqa for him. Even what is stolen from it is sadaqa for him. And no one visits it without that being sadaqa for him." [Muslim]
12. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "All of my community will enter Jannah except those who refuse." He was asked, "Who are those who refuse, Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Those who obey me will enter Jannah and those who disobey (disregard my sunnah) me refuse." [al-Bukhari]
13. Abu Hurayra, reported that the Prophet, (PBUH), said, "Whoever has done an injustice to his brother with regard to his honour or anything else should seek to be absolved by him before the day when there will be neither dinar nor dirham. If he has right actions, they will be taken from him to counterbalance the injustice he did, and if he does not have any good actions, some of the bad actions of his friend will be taken and he will be made to carry them." [al-Bukhari]
14. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should honour his guest. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak well or be silent." [Agreed upon]
15. Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Anyone who desires the expansion of his provision or to have the best of his life prolonged, should maintain ties of kinship (blood-relationship s).'" [Agreed upon]
In a related Hadith, 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported: "The Prophet, (PBUH), said, 'A person who maintains ties of kinship is not someone who only does so with those who maintain ties with him. A person who maintains ties of kinship is someone who restores them when they have been cut off.'" [al-Bukhari]
16. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "It is better for one of you to take a rope and carry firewood on his back than for him to go to a man to beg from him who then gives to him or refuses to." [Agreed upon]
17. Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Which of you loves the property of his heir more than he loves his own property?" They said, "O Messenger of Allah, there is none of us who does not love his own property more." He said, "His property is what he sends ahead (i.e. gives in the way of Allah), and the property of his heir is what he keeps back (i.e. the property he will leave if he died tomorrow)." [al-Bukhari]
18. Abu Mas'ud 'Uqba ibn 'Amr al-Ansari al-Badri reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Anyone who shows the way to something good has the same reward as the person who does it." [Muslim]
In another Hadith, Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Anyone who calls people to guidance has the same reward as that received by those who follow it, without that decreasing their reward in any way. Anyone who calls people to misguidance, is attributed with wrong actions the same as those who follow it, without that decreasing their wrong actions in any way." [Muslim]
19. On the authority of Sahl bin Saad Al-Saedi, who said : A man came to the prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act which, if I do it, [will cause] Allah to love me and people to love me." He said: "Renounce the world (i.e. give-up or control your worldly desires) and Allah will love you; and renounce what people possess (i.e. keep off people's property) and people will love you." [Ibn Majah]
20. Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The deeds are considered by the intentions, and a person will get the reward according to his intention (i.e. whether to please Allah or fellow men). So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration will be for Allah and His Messenger; and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his emigration would be for what he emigrated for"..
Why Women Cry Author Unknown
Why Women Cry Author Unknown
A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?"
"Because I need to" she said.
"I don't understand," he said.
His mother just hugged him and said, "And you never will."
Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"
"All women cry for no reason," his dad answered carelessly.
The little boy, still wondering why women cry, finally asked the old wise shaikh (scholar). "He surely knows the answer", he thought.
"Ya Shaikh! Why do women cry so easily?"
The Shaikh answered:
"When Allah (God) made the woman she had to be special. He made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.
He gave an inner strength to endure both childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.
He gave her a toughness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.
He gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child hurts her badly.
He gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart. He gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.
And lastly, He gave her a tear. This is hers and only hers exclusively to use whenever she needs it. She needs no reason, no explanation, its hers.
You see my son, the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the beauty of her face, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."
A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I need to" she said.
"I don't understand," he said.
His mother just hugged him and said, "And you never will."
Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"
"All women cry for no reason," his dad answered carelessly.
The little boy, still wondering why women cry, finally asked the old wise shaikh (scholar). "He surely knows the answer", he thought.
"Ya Shaikh! Why do women cry so easily?"
The Shaikh answered:
"When Allah (God) made the woman she had to be special. He made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.
He gave an inner strength to endure both childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.
He gave her a toughness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.
He gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child hurts her badly.
He gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart. He gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.
And lastly, He gave her a tear. This is hers and only hers exclusively to use whenever she needs it. She needs no reason, no explanation, its hers.
You see my son, the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the beauty of her face, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."
Teachers Ontario Schools - Oct 05, 2009
There is such a demand for good teachers in the Ontario public school system. The Ontario College of Teachers need to recognize immigrants skills. Many of of the immigrants may have valuable skills which could be an asset to the school system.
http://www.thestar.com/article/705382
http://www.thestar.com/article/705382
Canada 4th in UN ranking - Oct 4t 2009
Canada was listed fourth, well ahead of the United States which was in 13th place.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Young people's ignorance of religion worries experts
Young people's ignorance of religion worries experts
Be a Firm Friend
Firmness of heart is needed for achievement,
but a firm friend does not lack friends.
Be a firm friend, that you may find friends innumerable;
for without friends you will be left helpless.
Generally the wolf seizes his prey at the moment
when a year-old sheep has strayed alone from the flock.
-Mathnawi [VI 497-498;500]
Superfluous speech
Do away with superfluous speech, and sacrifice what you hold dear, that His grace may utter praise of you and the heaven be envious of your exalted estate.
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
We shall test your faith
We shall test your faith by means of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and crops, but give good tidings to those who endured with courage, who in hardship say, "To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return."
-Qur'an, Al Baqara, Surah 2:155-56
Saturday, October 3, 2009
As He Provides for the Birds
As He Provides for the Birds
If you rely upon Allah, trusting him completely, He certainly would provide for you as He provides for the birds. The birds set out hungry in the morning, yet return satisfied at dusk.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Umar bin al-Khattab
If you rely upon Allah, trusting him completely, He certainly would provide for you as He provides for the birds. The birds set out hungry in the morning, yet return satisfied at dusk.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Umar bin al-Khattab
Pride
Pride
Do not strut on the earth filled with pride, for you cannot rend the earth asunder, nor can you reach the mountains in height.
Qur'an, Al-Isra, Surah 17:37
Do not strut on the earth filled with pride, for you cannot rend the earth asunder, nor can you reach the mountains in height.
Qur'an, Al-Isra, Surah 17:37
Canada's different classes of citizens
Canada's different classes of citizens
"Not only Muslims but even fair-minded mainstream commentators have concluded that there are different classes of citizens in Canada today."
In Canada there appear to be different classes of citizens as far as the minority ruling conservative government is concerned. An old nursery rhyme popular among American children has the following words:
If you're white, you're alright;
If you're brown, stick around;
If you're black, get back.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Zoo's prized primate delivers an heir
Type your summary here
http://www.thestar.com/article/702430
Zoo's prized primate delivers an heir
This article caught my attention because the gorrilas are so human like, yet it was shipped in a box ??
Type rest of the post here
Sep 29, 2009 04:30 AM
Noor Javed Staff Reporter
A little more than a year ago, Ngozi was taken from her family in Seattle and shipped in a box to the Toronto zoo for one reason – to produce the city's next generation of gorillas.
The young gorilla fulfilled her purpose, giving birth to a tiny bundle of primate joy this month.
Now, weeks later, she is the only one who knows if it is a boy or a girl. The first-time mother has held on to the infant so closely that her keepers have yet to determine its gender.
The keepers had been waiting for news of a baby since Ngozi first met Charles, a gorilla old enough to be her father and the alpha male of the Toronto lair, in the fall of 2008.
It was believed the union of the two would produce a genetically strong offspring. The keepers monitored them closely: timing her cycle, her monthly trysts with Charles and his apparently waning interest in siring another child.
Once Ngozi became pregnant, the keepers – like overprotective parents – held off sharing the news during the nine-month gestation.
"We don't want anything released until we know the baby is happy and healthy," said one of her handlers.
The keepers have planned an "event" on Wednesday to celebrate the new addition to the Charles-Ngozi family.
They will likely fill in the blanks that remain: When did the baby arrive? How was the birth? How is Ngozi doing? Is this likely to be the last entry in Charles's extraordinary breeding record?
And the bigger question: How are Charles's other wives taking it?
Until now, 10-year-old Ngozi has struggled to find her place as the youngest wife in the family, learning to stay out of Samantha's and Josephine's way. The two females have mostly ignored her.
The latest news is bound to drastically change the family dynamic. Charles, who was inconsistent in his affection toward Ngozi, could be smitten with the new child.
Or perhaps, having already sired four others, he will be ready to retire into peace and quiet – happy to be relieved of the pressure to perform.
In any case, Ngozi can rest easy – she has done what she was brought here to do.
//
http://www.thestar.com/article/702430
Zoo's prized primate delivers an heir
This article caught my attention because the gorrilas are so human like, yet it was shipped in a box ??
Type rest of the post here
Sep 29, 2009 04:30 AM
Noor Javed Staff Reporter
A little more than a year ago, Ngozi was taken from her family in Seattle and shipped in a box to the Toronto zoo for one reason – to produce the city's next generation of gorillas.
The young gorilla fulfilled her purpose, giving birth to a tiny bundle of primate joy this month.
Now, weeks later, she is the only one who knows if it is a boy or a girl. The first-time mother has held on to the infant so closely that her keepers have yet to determine its gender.
The keepers had been waiting for news of a baby since Ngozi first met Charles, a gorilla old enough to be her father and the alpha male of the Toronto lair, in the fall of 2008.
It was believed the union of the two would produce a genetically strong offspring. The keepers monitored them closely: timing her cycle, her monthly trysts with Charles and his apparently waning interest in siring another child.
Once Ngozi became pregnant, the keepers – like overprotective parents – held off sharing the news during the nine-month gestation.
"We don't want anything released until we know the baby is happy and healthy," said one of her handlers.
The keepers have planned an "event" on Wednesday to celebrate the new addition to the Charles-Ngozi family.
They will likely fill in the blanks that remain: When did the baby arrive? How was the birth? How is Ngozi doing? Is this likely to be the last entry in Charles's extraordinary breeding record?
And the bigger question: How are Charles's other wives taking it?
Until now, 10-year-old Ngozi has struggled to find her place as the youngest wife in the family, learning to stay out of Samantha's and Josephine's way. The two females have mostly ignored her.
The latest news is bound to drastically change the family dynamic. Charles, who was inconsistent in his affection toward Ngozi, could be smitten with the new child.
Or perhaps, having already sired four others, he will be ready to retire into peace and quiet – happy to be relieved of the pressure to perform.
In any case, Ngozi can rest easy – she has done what she was brought here to do.
//
David Bagshaw was a problem child.
Profile of a killer: A problem child with painful past
Impulsiveness, defiance started early in life of Stefanie Rengel's killer
Sep 29, 2009 04:30 AM
Peter Small
Courts Bureau
From his earliest years, David Bagshaw was a problem child.
At age 2, he showed signs of aggression.
By 5, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and placed on Ritalin.
He got into frequent fights.
Although of high average intelligence, he did poorly in school, where his anger, impulsiveness and defiance of authority earned him dozens of suspensions.
But it was a marked departure for Bagshaw, at age 17, to stab schoolgirl Stefanie Rengel six times and leave her to die in the snow on New Year's Day 2008, psychiatrists say.
In fact, it's likely that if he had not met 15-year-old Melissa Todorovic, who relentlessly goaded him into murdering Rengel, the victim would still be alive today, they say.
"Absent either individual, the offence would in all probability not have occurred," wrote Dr. Lisa Ramshaw, a forensic psychiatrist appointed by the court.
"It was their dynamic," the combination of extreme mutual jealousy and possessiveness, his gullibility and her obsession with killing 14-year-old Rengel that created the perfect conditions for murder, Ramshaw said.
On Monday, Justice Ian Nordheimer sentenced Bagshaw as an adult for first-degree murder – and gave him a life term with no eligibility for parole for 10 years.
It was the close of another chaotic chapter in a life that began normally enough when he was born Jan. 5, 1990, at Scarborough Centenary Hospital.
His mother, Cindy Bagshaw, had diabetes and toxemia during the pregnancy. His father, Ronald Bagshaw, is a technician with a major electronics company.
From the start, their only child never walked but always ran, never napped, was hyper and talked "50 mph," the boy would later report.
Cindy Bagshaw had a heart attack when he was 3 and suffered from ill health thereafter.
In daycare, Bagshaw had behavioural problems. They increased in kindergarten. His many suspensions started in Grade 1, making his attendance sporadic.
Bounced from school to school, he was twice expelled from Gordon A. Brown. Bagshaw recalls giving "the finger" to a teacher and saying "F--- you" to the principal at one school.
From Grade 3, he was placed in the first of several behavioural classes.
At East York Collegiate, where he attended high school, he was assigned a special education mentor-teacher. He had trouble maintaining focus, controlling his anger and following the rules.
He has been variously diagnosed as having Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder.
When he was 12 or 13, his mother accused his father of assault, which the father denied. The matter was resolved through a one-year peace bond and Ronald Bagshaw moved out. David did not take the separation well. His loyalties were caught between parents, and he split his time between homes, psychiatrists report.
He and his mother had serious conflicts. In 2002, she reported that he was verbally abusive and always angry. He was accused of assaulting her.
In his first year of high school, his mother suffered several strokes and could not take care of herself properly. He was forced to run the household.
From 14 to 16, he moved in with his father, but was kicked out for bad behaviour. He lived at a group home for five months.
Despite family difficulties, David reports that he always felt loved.
His father remains supportive. But his mother died of a heart attack a month after the murder.
His first romantic attachment was to Rengel when he was 15 and she was 12. The courtship was non-sexual, and Rengel's mother broke it up within weeks after he left a crude message on the family answering machine.
Relationships followed with four or five other girls. He started dating Todorovic in March 2007. They quickly became sexual.
Bagshaw told a psychiatrist their relationship was "fun for a while." But it was also marked by possessiveness and mutual jealousy.
At Sprucedale Youth Centre, where he is being held, Bagshaw has responded well to treatment. He shows a capacity for empathy, psychiatrists say.
Given the right supports, they say, Bagshaw is a promising candidate for rehabilitation.
But prosecutor Robin Flumerfelt has a different view: Bagshaw is a dangerous killer who for months plotted Rengel's death with Todorovic and must be monitored for life. The judge agreed with the Crown.
http://www.thestar.com/article/702418
Impulsiveness, defiance started early in life of Stefanie Rengel's killer
Sep 29, 2009 04:30 AM
Peter Small
Courts Bureau
From his earliest years, David Bagshaw was a problem child.
At age 2, he showed signs of aggression.
By 5, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and placed on Ritalin.
He got into frequent fights.
Although of high average intelligence, he did poorly in school, where his anger, impulsiveness and defiance of authority earned him dozens of suspensions.
But it was a marked departure for Bagshaw, at age 17, to stab schoolgirl Stefanie Rengel six times and leave her to die in the snow on New Year's Day 2008, psychiatrists say.
In fact, it's likely that if he had not met 15-year-old Melissa Todorovic, who relentlessly goaded him into murdering Rengel, the victim would still be alive today, they say.
"Absent either individual, the offence would in all probability not have occurred," wrote Dr. Lisa Ramshaw, a forensic psychiatrist appointed by the court.
"It was their dynamic," the combination of extreme mutual jealousy and possessiveness, his gullibility and her obsession with killing 14-year-old Rengel that created the perfect conditions for murder, Ramshaw said.
On Monday, Justice Ian Nordheimer sentenced Bagshaw as an adult for first-degree murder – and gave him a life term with no eligibility for parole for 10 years.
It was the close of another chaotic chapter in a life that began normally enough when he was born Jan. 5, 1990, at Scarborough Centenary Hospital.
His mother, Cindy Bagshaw, had diabetes and toxemia during the pregnancy. His father, Ronald Bagshaw, is a technician with a major electronics company.
From the start, their only child never walked but always ran, never napped, was hyper and talked "50 mph," the boy would later report.
Cindy Bagshaw had a heart attack when he was 3 and suffered from ill health thereafter.
In daycare, Bagshaw had behavioural problems. They increased in kindergarten. His many suspensions started in Grade 1, making his attendance sporadic.
Bounced from school to school, he was twice expelled from Gordon A. Brown. Bagshaw recalls giving "the finger" to a teacher and saying "F--- you" to the principal at one school.
From Grade 3, he was placed in the first of several behavioural classes.
At East York Collegiate, where he attended high school, he was assigned a special education mentor-teacher. He had trouble maintaining focus, controlling his anger and following the rules.
He has been variously diagnosed as having Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder.
When he was 12 or 13, his mother accused his father of assault, which the father denied. The matter was resolved through a one-year peace bond and Ronald Bagshaw moved out. David did not take the separation well. His loyalties were caught between parents, and he split his time between homes, psychiatrists report.
He and his mother had serious conflicts. In 2002, she reported that he was verbally abusive and always angry. He was accused of assaulting her.
In his first year of high school, his mother suffered several strokes and could not take care of herself properly. He was forced to run the household.
From 14 to 16, he moved in with his father, but was kicked out for bad behaviour. He lived at a group home for five months.
Despite family difficulties, David reports that he always felt loved.
His father remains supportive. But his mother died of a heart attack a month after the murder.
His first romantic attachment was to Rengel when he was 15 and she was 12. The courtship was non-sexual, and Rengel's mother broke it up within weeks after he left a crude message on the family answering machine.
Relationships followed with four or five other girls. He started dating Todorovic in March 2007. They quickly became sexual.
Bagshaw told a psychiatrist their relationship was "fun for a while." But it was also marked by possessiveness and mutual jealousy.
At Sprucedale Youth Centre, where he is being held, Bagshaw has responded well to treatment. He shows a capacity for empathy, psychiatrists say.
Given the right supports, they say, Bagshaw is a promising candidate for rehabilitation.
But prosecutor Robin Flumerfelt has a different view: Bagshaw is a dangerous killer who for months plotted Rengel's death with Todorovic and must be monitored for life. The judge agreed with the Crown.
http://www.thestar.com/article/702418
Thursday, August 13, 2009
MP storms out of Muslim constituents' wedding after he was segregated from his wife
Jim Fitzpatrick should have shown respect to the people who invited him to the Muslim wedding. This was the wishes of the host. It was private ceremony not a public affair. In many Muslim weddings men and women are in seperate rooms. It is not a bad thing.
MP storms out of Muslim constituents' wedding after he was segregated from his wife
source
Type rest of the post here
MP storms out of Muslim constituents' wedding after he was segregated from his wife
source
Type rest of the post here
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
July 4th at Washington DC Metro Station.
Muslims on July 4th at Washington DC Metro Station.
It was their Independence Day in 2009. There were about 200 people waiting to buy tickets at the Metro Station. Everyone was heading to downtown Washington DC for the celebrations. The purchasing of tickets was all done through self serving machines. We finally reached the top of the line to purchase our tickets for the conference. The instructions didn’t seem very straight forward. Or, maybe we were a little overwhelmed using a machine with a credit card to buy Metro tickets. I tried to follow the instructions but couldn’t understand.
I approached the gentleman in the booth for assistance. I had a Hijab on and they were dressed in jackets for the conference. I had a worried look as I approached him because I needed help urgently, since it was already 8:15 am and the lecture by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid will be starting at 9 am.
The gentleman in the booth smiled and said, “Don’t look so worried; what can I do for you?” I said, “I need help with the ticket machine”. He came over calmly and walked us through slowly with the steps. I started to think back if the same customer service would have been available on the TTC in Toronto. I don’t think in my 22 years in Toronto that I have seen this kind of service on the TTC. We purchased our tickets by credit card and got the receipts. We were happy and were about to step unto the escalator to the train.
“Now that I’ve taught you something, you teach me something“, he asked. We all looked puzzled but I said, “sure”. “I heard that Quran does not allow interest, but you just used a credit card to pay for your tickets?”, he questioned. “Islam does forbid interest, but we always pay our entire bill out by the due date”, we explained to him. We have not paid interest on a credit card for more than 20 years now. In fact the credit card company pays us back for using their card. Having a credit card is really nice for the convenience, but it does encourage some unnecessary spending sometimes. We had a few minutes discussion on the harm of interest and what it actually did to the economy recently.
We found out that this really nice American gentleman was Christian and believed in Christ the Savior. I mentioned to him that I am sure there are verses in the Bible that are against interest also. He didn’t know either if they existed or not.
“I really like the way you women dress, so modestly”, he said. “I would like my woman to dress like that too; the women look so beautiful”. My son and husband were totally engrossed in the conversation also. The station was filling up more with customers. Many needed help and he didn’t notice what was going on because he wanted to ask us more questions about our religion. We must have been talking with him for about 10 minutes and forgotten that we had a lecture to get to by 9 am. I looked around and told him that we should go now because we will be late and many people are waiting. He said, “Yes”. Then he asked whispering, “What do you think about Obama?”. “He is good, 100 times better than George Bush, and he is a Christian, then he must be God fearing”, I said. “He is no God fearing Christian, he is a politician and he lives in the White House”, he told us.
We wanted to tell him more about Islam but we were getting late, he had his duties to attend to and we were not that comfortable talking about the topic in this public area. On the train we wanted to go back and give him our contact information, but we decided if Allah wants to guide him, it will happen. My son mentioned that we can meet him when we come back in the evening. That was not possible because we planned to stay at the conference until after 9 pm. We even talked about telling Imam Zaid about him and asked him to go and find him at the Metro station.
May Allah help that really nice gentleman to find Islam in his life. InshaAllah, one day his woman (wife) will have a hijab on.
I approached the gentleman in the booth for assistance. I had a Hijab on and they were dressed in jackets for the conference. I had a worried look as I approached him because I needed help urgently, since it was already 8:15 am and the lecture by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid will be starting at 9 am.
The gentleman in the booth smiled and said, “Don’t look so worried; what can I do for you?” I said, “I need help with the ticket machine”. He came over calmly and walked us through slowly with the steps. I started to think back if the same customer service would have been available on the TTC in Toronto. I don’t think in my 22 years in Toronto that I have seen this kind of service on the TTC. We purchased our tickets by credit card and got the receipts. We were happy and were about to step unto the escalator to the train.
“Now that I’ve taught you something, you teach me something“, he asked. We all looked puzzled but I said, “sure”. “I heard that Quran does not allow interest, but you just used a credit card to pay for your tickets?”, he questioned. “Islam does forbid interest, but we always pay our entire bill out by the due date”, we explained to him. We have not paid interest on a credit card for more than 20 years now. In fact the credit card company pays us back for using their card. Having a credit card is really nice for the convenience, but it does encourage some unnecessary spending sometimes. We had a few minutes discussion on the harm of interest and what it actually did to the economy recently.
We found out that this really nice American gentleman was Christian and believed in Christ the Savior. I mentioned to him that I am sure there are verses in the Bible that are against interest also. He didn’t know either if they existed or not.
“I really like the way you women dress, so modestly”, he said. “I would like my woman to dress like that too; the women look so beautiful”. My son and husband were totally engrossed in the conversation also. The station was filling up more with customers. Many needed help and he didn’t notice what was going on because he wanted to ask us more questions about our religion. We must have been talking with him for about 10 minutes and forgotten that we had a lecture to get to by 9 am. I looked around and told him that we should go now because we will be late and many people are waiting. He said, “Yes”. Then he asked whispering, “What do you think about Obama?”. “He is good, 100 times better than George Bush, and he is a Christian, then he must be God fearing”, I said. “He is no God fearing Christian, he is a politician and he lives in the White House”, he told us.
We wanted to tell him more about Islam but we were getting late, he had his duties to attend to and we were not that comfortable talking about the topic in this public area. On the train we wanted to go back and give him our contact information, but we decided if Allah wants to guide him, it will happen. My son mentioned that we can meet him when we come back in the evening. That was not possible because we planned to stay at the conference until after 9 pm. We even talked about telling Imam Zaid about him and asked him to go and find him at the Metro station.
May Allah help that really nice gentleman to find Islam in his life. InshaAllah, one day his woman (wife) will have a hijab on.
Monday, August 3, 2009
They helped each other
They helped each other
I was at the subway station waiting when all of a sudden the blind man appeared. He looked a little lost and I thought to myself there is no way he will able to board the train on his own. After a few seconds I went up to him to offer some help and he politely refused so I then went ahead into the train and sat down and started to get something to read. I looked up and saw the blind man pushing another man in a wheelchair. They got into the train right before the door closed.
Allah does find a way for the disabled.
Type rest of the post here
I was at the subway station waiting when all of a sudden the blind man appeared. He looked a little lost and I thought to myself there is no way he will able to board the train on his own. After a few seconds I went up to him to offer some help and he politely refused so I then went ahead into the train and sat down and started to get something to read. I looked up and saw the blind man pushing another man in a wheelchair. They got into the train right before the door closed.
Allah does find a way for the disabled.
Type rest of the post here
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
`Very, very frustrating' search for ADHD support
ADHD
`Very, very frustrating' search for ADHD support
May 16, 2009 04:30 AM
Andrea Gordon
Family issues reporter
Margo Brunning knew something wasn't right when her son started school. Mitchell struggled to hold a pencil. He was constantly distracted and in trouble. He couldn't decode words or grasp other stepping-stones to reading. And as learning got harder, he became more disruptive.
The boy's Toronto school said he was too young for an assessment, so the family paid for private testing. It revealed Mitchell had ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), causing inattention, impulsive behaviour and difficulty sitting still.
But the relief of finally knowing what was wrong soon turned to dismay, Brunning says. Because even though ADHD interfered with her son's ability to learn, the diagnosis didn't automatically entitle him to supports at school.
Unlike learning disabilities, autism or other conditions that qualify as "exceptionalities," an ADHD diagnosis, by itself, does not give students the legal right to accommodations though special education in Ontario.
"It's very, very frustrating and it's a constant struggle," Brunning says.
The lack of formal recognition means that when it comes to teaching children with the disorder, there is no consistency among teachers, schools and school boards, says Heidi Bernhardt, national director of the Centre for ADD/ADHD Advocacy Canada (caddac.ca).
Mitchell is now 14 and his mother has spent eight years fielding calls and complaints about his behaviour and school work, fighting for supports in the classroom, and paying for tutoring and other outside help. She explained strategies to teachers: seating him at the front of the class; if he was restless, sending him to the office on errands or out for a drink of water; breaking down instructions into bite-sized chunks he could remember.
She stressed that constant punishment only makes things worse for kids with ADHD, who struggle with self-control; that positive reinforcement is critical.
She says her son, a competitive skier, is bright, with strong verbal reasoning skills. He likes school. With the right strategies and supports, he can succeed and function in a way that doesn't disrupt the classroom. But to get those, "you have to be in their face."
ADHD kids tend to be intelligent, or often gifted. But experts say the trajectory for those who don't get school supports can be grim, leading to a cycle of frustration, acting out, punishments and being labelled as bad or lazy. Self-esteem plummets; they may be socially ostracized or bullied.
There is mounting scientific evidence about how ADHD reflects delayed brain development, says Rosemary Tannock, senior scientist of psychiatry research at the Hospital for Sick Children and a leading expert on ADHD.
"It interferes with a child's learning in school, friendships and their ability to follow the rules," says Tannock, an OISE professor and one of the founders of teachadhd.com, a website for teachers.
She cites a U.S. longitudinal study in the 1990s that found over a four-year period, kids with ADHD saw reading and math scores decline by 8 to 10 per cent. Scandinavian research yielded similar results.
Bernhardt says the school system's failure to acknowledge or accommodate the disorder reflects a widespread lack of understanding.
ADHD has been recognized for decades as a medical, neurobiological disorder and is the most prevalent mental health problem among children, affecting between 5 and 12 per cent of school-age kids, which means several students in every classroom.
"But there's still a reluctance to view ADHD as a cognitive deficit that impacts learning," Bernhardt says. "People see it as a behaviour problem."
Teachers aren't trained to recognize and cope with it, even though it can cause havoc in classes. Instead, most focus on the behaviour that erupts when students can't pay attention and learn, and treat that as the source of the problem, rather than a symptom.
Bernhardt says it's "ludicrous" that, when it comes to getting help in school, a child with ADHD is better off having another physical, behavioural or learning disability as well, "which then gives them the right to request accommodation and extra help."
This is not the case in provinces like Alberta, which supports kids with ADHD and provides training and resources for teachers and extensive online material.
Kids with ADHD need a combination of clinical treatment, classroom supports and behaviour strategies, says Dr. Umesh Jain, Toronto child psychiatrist and chair of the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance (caddra.ca), an association of physicians and researchers.
He says medication that increases a child's ability to pay attention is often, but not always, part of treatment. It can help kids concentrate so they can learn coping skills, develop new habits and change their behaviour, he says. But it needs to be accompanied by strategies in classrooms and at home.
"The misguided belief is that medication solves the child's problems," he says. "I have parents say `I feel like I'm being held hostage by the school because they won't give my child any accommodations.'''
Jain says children with ADHD are often creative high-achievers who have the potential to be "the powerhouses of society" if they are properly taught and supported.
Bernhardt says when the teaching and school supports aren't there, parents feel pressured to resort to higher doses of medication, simply so kids can function in school. She says countries that focus more on accommodating students have lower rates of medicating.
Experts say many school accommodations don't cost money or even require a formal plan, but can be adopted for entire classrooms. Teaching tactics include: breaking down instructions into small chunks, pausing and repeating; reinforcing verbal material with visual and written versions; leaving material on the board; giving a restless child a task or allowing them to move around; taking five minutes at the end of the day to help them organize homework.
Tannock recently completed a study with teachers in Owen Sound schools who adopted the strategies for breaking down information and instructions in their classrooms. Teachers reported less stress, inattention and hyperactivity across the board.
Brunning agrees that simple strategies can make a big difference.
"When the teacher doesn't understand, it's brutal. But when they do, and especially if a core teacher communicates strategies to other teachers and people in the office, things can go pretty smoothly."
Truth vs fiction
Myth: ADHD is a childhood disorder. Fact: It is a lifespan disorder; 60 per cent of those diagnosed as children continue to be impaired in adulthood.
Myth: ADHD is a Western phenomenon. Fact: It is worldwide, with higher incidences in Southeast Asia and parts of Europe than reported in Canada.
Myth: Kids with the disorder are always hyper. Fact: ADHD is an attention disorder. Often it includes hyperactivity, but not always.
Myth: It primarily affects boys. Fact: Many girls go undiagnosed because they may be inattentive in a less noticeable way that resembles "daydreaming." By adulthood, the male-female ratio is almost equal.
Myth: It is a behaviour disorder. Fact: It is a medical disorder.
Myth: ADHD is caused by too much sugar, TV or computer time, lax parenting or lack of exercise. Fact: The cause is neurobiological; the scientific evidence is recognized by all major medical associations and government health agencies.
Myth: Kids with ADHD can't pay attention.
Fact: The nature of the disorder is they cannot regulate their attention, so it may change quickly. They are capable of focusing, particularly on stimulating activities.
Sources: Canadian ADHD/ADD
Resource Alliance
Comments
a huge problem
I have a grade 9 art class of 26. 14 of them have special needs. I have 75 minutes a day to deliver curriculum content and if I break that down into a fair distribution of my time that's not a lot of time per student. Add in the special needs of all 14 identified students and I am swamped. Of that 14, 4 of them are ADHD, 3 have safety plans because of behaviour, 1 must be contantly monitored as his behaviour is so violent that the police are involved, 4 are unable to read handouts, 1 can't even spell his own last name and the rest have processing issues...and I have absolutely no training in how to deal with special needs students. The students who are "normal" are usually left to figure things out on their own because I end up spending my time helping students understand a project, stay on task, ask them to stop throwing paint, & transcribe answers for those who can't write. This is a fairly average classroom. How am I supposed to do meet everyone's needs every day?
Submitted by 123456abcde at 6:49 PM Monday, May 18 2009
People in general are extremely ignorant regarding ADD
As Adult with ADD in the 1970's you were place in special classes with mentally challenge kids. People said and criticized you inability to stay focus. ADD or ADHD is a disability both federal and provincial fail to recognize this. In order to function fully we need medication or minds are just going float around. Teachers today need further training on this issue and how to spot it. There is too many teachers that will just single out a student because of lack of training and understanding. Latter in life employers need also be more understanding. That is why ADHD must be recognized has a disability to prevent discrimination.
Submitted by revelations at 9:58 AM Monday, May 18 2009
Accommodations are made
It was somewhat disheartening to read the frustration felt by families of those children having ADHD. I work for the DCDSB in Durham and in my role of program support teacher, we work very hard with our families in supporting all the needs of our students. We do not have to wait for a formal identification before we are able to put accommodations in place that support the learning needs of students. Our mission is to work TOGETHER with families, Board Personnel, outside support (i.e.medical and other) in order to BEST understand and address those needs. A.M.Sacco
Submitted by amo at 6:58 PM Sunday, May 17 2009
@ jjsmith
I see where you're coming from, but you obviously don't understand what's going on here. A badly-behaved, poorly raised child is one thing, and there are a lot of them out there. But there's a big difference between a kid who won't behave, and a kid who literally *can't* behave. I have ADD; because I am a girl and not hyperactive, I wasn't diagnosed until I was 18. So I spent nearly 13 years of schooling catching $h*t from everybody because I literally could not pay attention in class, or get my assignments done even if I wanted to. High School was one long, lonely nightmare. When you don't know what's "wrong" with you, it can be really terrifying, especially when you get labeled as lazy, insolent and bizarre by everyone around you.
Submitted by hiboucornu at 11:49 AM Sunday, May 17 2009
measures beneficial for all
My son has a diagnosed ADHD. High school was a torture for him, university was a pure enjoyment and now he is a grad student in one of the most prestigious universities of US. As an university instructor I see that certain practices mandatory at university could be beneficial for all students but are crucial for those with ADHD. Unfortunately all my attempts to point this out were dismissed by the school administration: "We are not university!" *** School courses usually do not have a clear marking scheme announced before or during the first class; students have no way to see their current marks as recorded by the teacher. *** Home assignments usually are not placed on the course website (most of the courses do not have websites). Students (especially those with ADHD) tend to forget their home assignments. Sometimes they are missing the class and have no means to recover assignments except asking classmates (this is a usual advice of the teachers aka invitation to plagiarism .
Submitted by Red Herring at 3:56 AM Sunday, May 17 2009
Cost of ignoring ADHD = Some teaching resources for ADHD students
Unfortunately Adults and children with ADHD are 2nd class citizens in Canada. People with learning disabilities get accommodations, but people with ADHD don't. As an adult ADHD coach & blogger, I have people across Canada constantly complaining to me that they can't find a doctor who knows enough about ADHD to diagnose or treat them. ADHD students are more likely to repeat a grade 42% vs 13% control group, get suspended 60% vs 19%, be expelled 14% vs 6% and drop out 32% vs 0. http://bit.ly/hoiKV With these real problems, why aren't provincial governments taking ADHD seriously? For parents of students with ADHD I've got 5 pages of links to articles and ebooks on teaching students with ADHD on my website http://bit.ly/16oxmR Also important to realize ADHD is the #2 genetically inherited condition in the world, 80%. If a child has it the parents should be screened for it. Men unfortunately are usually are in denial longer than women.
Submitted by Pete Quily at 8:57 PM Saturday, May 16 2009
If you identify you must accommodate.
That was the reason one of my vice principals gave me for not running an IEP on a disruptive student. A school only has so many resources. If everyone is identified for everything, the schools will need more money. On the other hand, my administration once let me run a class with a full class size of 3 and a daily average of two students. One of the two was an in identified special student who needed individual attention. He had a great semester with me and I think it changed his high school trajectory. There are people who care in the education system, and they do what they can. It all comes down to how much they can do with what they are given. If there are people out there with a magic bullet, then fine, but abandoning a child to flounder in a system not designed for their needs would be cruel. Sure a lot of us who grew up before these things became known suffered and got by. That didn't make it right then, and it certainly doesn't make it right now.
Submitted by normhead at 8:56 PM Saturday, May 16 2009
Be Realistic
Every parent should be the primary educator for their child. Never give this responsibility over to anyone else. Fact: there may be 30 other students in the classroom and the special needs of the ADHD/ADD student are very difficult to arrange, especially for one child. Fact: The Ontario school system does have a system in place, it is called the IEP and this is based on performance. Fact: as is all life situations, the child will need and must be taught to be responsive to taking personal responsibility for adapting to their individual challenge.
Submitted by muskokaphotog at 11:27 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
final comments...
In my experience, some students also take advantage of their diagnosis of ADHD/ADD, to the detriment of the others trying to learn. They need to be willing to work within the accommodations - not just killing time in the classroom trying to avoid suspension. This can be better addressed in a classroom of 15, instead of 20 - that personal attention is absolutely vital to helping an ADHD student, especially one whose frustrations have grown until they get to you. If the disorder has slipped through the cracks and diagnosis doesn't happen until high school, they will come to class feeling that they are stupid or bad, which isn't true. But diagnosis can happen faster in elementary schools if teachers aren't overworked and don't have crowded classrooms.
Submitted by witchelemental at 10:24 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
objection
As a teacher of eight years, I received thorough training in recognition and support strategies while in teacher's college at Trent and Queens, in their Con-Ed program. Professional development in schools do frequently provide retraining and discussion on PD days; the board I work for does provide IEPs for students with ADHD, after diagnostic tests (and before, if it is suspected, a Non-Identified IEP can be prepared for the student). To say that there is a failure to acknowledge or accommodate is wrong - it would be more accurate to say that despite promises of lower class sizes, the teacher-student ratio is still too high to enable or facilitate positive interactions for teachers and ADHD / ADD students.
Submitted by witchelemental at 10:14 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
Because of the lack of training for teachers my son was not diagnosed until he was 14 yrs old. His kindergarten teacher said he didn't pay attn; he did not follow instruction; his Gr. 1 teacher had me have his hearing tested. She believed he chose to not pay attention. A special ed teacher in high school suggested we have him tested for ADHD; she believed it was a simple blood test. After extensive testing we found that he was ADHD with a slight learning disability. I wrongly assumed that the professionals in our school system might catch something like that in early years. School was a constant struggle. After 4 years of HS teachers no longer returned my calls nor did they do their part as was laid out in his education plan. Yet they expected my son to do his part. He is 23 years old - a 'late bloomer' but I know that he will come into his own. He has many talents and he makes me laugh when I need it most. He is a gentle soul with a big heart.
Submitted by LK at 10:02 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
ADHD is difficult for all concerned
I sympathize with the kids and parents who are dealing with the difficulties linked to ADHD. But I want them to try to imagine the chaos in a class of 37 with 4 kids with ADHD, one with Asperger's, one with hearing loss, two with receptive language disorders, and 3 traumatized kids living in foster care. Most teachers do the best we can -- honestly. There's only so much one adult can accomplish with those conditions and no support. I've read many articles to learn strategies for these disorders and conditions, attended workshops, and taken special ed courses ($1000 each) to try to succeed, but sometimes it feel overwhelming from my perspective too. Every class needs an EA.
Submitted by what the what? at 9:02 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
`Very, very frustrating' search for ADHD support
May 16, 2009 04:30 AM
Andrea Gordon
Family issues reporter
Margo Brunning knew something wasn't right when her son started school. Mitchell struggled to hold a pencil. He was constantly distracted and in trouble. He couldn't decode words or grasp other stepping-stones to reading. And as learning got harder, he became more disruptive.
The boy's Toronto school said he was too young for an assessment, so the family paid for private testing. It revealed Mitchell had ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), causing inattention, impulsive behaviour and difficulty sitting still.
But the relief of finally knowing what was wrong soon turned to dismay, Brunning says. Because even though ADHD interfered with her son's ability to learn, the diagnosis didn't automatically entitle him to supports at school.
Unlike learning disabilities, autism or other conditions that qualify as "exceptionalities," an ADHD diagnosis, by itself, does not give students the legal right to accommodations though special education in Ontario.
"It's very, very frustrating and it's a constant struggle," Brunning says.
The lack of formal recognition means that when it comes to teaching children with the disorder, there is no consistency among teachers, schools and school boards, says Heidi Bernhardt, national director of the Centre for ADD/ADHD Advocacy Canada (caddac.ca).
Mitchell is now 14 and his mother has spent eight years fielding calls and complaints about his behaviour and school work, fighting for supports in the classroom, and paying for tutoring and other outside help. She explained strategies to teachers: seating him at the front of the class; if he was restless, sending him to the office on errands or out for a drink of water; breaking down instructions into bite-sized chunks he could remember.
She stressed that constant punishment only makes things worse for kids with ADHD, who struggle with self-control; that positive reinforcement is critical.
She says her son, a competitive skier, is bright, with strong verbal reasoning skills. He likes school. With the right strategies and supports, he can succeed and function in a way that doesn't disrupt the classroom. But to get those, "you have to be in their face."
ADHD kids tend to be intelligent, or often gifted. But experts say the trajectory for those who don't get school supports can be grim, leading to a cycle of frustration, acting out, punishments and being labelled as bad or lazy. Self-esteem plummets; they may be socially ostracized or bullied.
There is mounting scientific evidence about how ADHD reflects delayed brain development, says Rosemary Tannock, senior scientist of psychiatry research at the Hospital for Sick Children and a leading expert on ADHD.
"It interferes with a child's learning in school, friendships and their ability to follow the rules," says Tannock, an OISE professor and one of the founders of teachadhd.com, a website for teachers.
She cites a U.S. longitudinal study in the 1990s that found over a four-year period, kids with ADHD saw reading and math scores decline by 8 to 10 per cent. Scandinavian research yielded similar results.
Bernhardt says the school system's failure to acknowledge or accommodate the disorder reflects a widespread lack of understanding.
ADHD has been recognized for decades as a medical, neurobiological disorder and is the most prevalent mental health problem among children, affecting between 5 and 12 per cent of school-age kids, which means several students in every classroom.
"But there's still a reluctance to view ADHD as a cognitive deficit that impacts learning," Bernhardt says. "People see it as a behaviour problem."
Teachers aren't trained to recognize and cope with it, even though it can cause havoc in classes. Instead, most focus on the behaviour that erupts when students can't pay attention and learn, and treat that as the source of the problem, rather than a symptom.
Bernhardt says it's "ludicrous" that, when it comes to getting help in school, a child with ADHD is better off having another physical, behavioural or learning disability as well, "which then gives them the right to request accommodation and extra help."
This is not the case in provinces like Alberta, which supports kids with ADHD and provides training and resources for teachers and extensive online material.
Kids with ADHD need a combination of clinical treatment, classroom supports and behaviour strategies, says Dr. Umesh Jain, Toronto child psychiatrist and chair of the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance (caddra.ca), an association of physicians and researchers.
He says medication that increases a child's ability to pay attention is often, but not always, part of treatment. It can help kids concentrate so they can learn coping skills, develop new habits and change their behaviour, he says. But it needs to be accompanied by strategies in classrooms and at home.
"The misguided belief is that medication solves the child's problems," he says. "I have parents say `I feel like I'm being held hostage by the school because they won't give my child any accommodations.'''
Jain says children with ADHD are often creative high-achievers who have the potential to be "the powerhouses of society" if they are properly taught and supported.
Bernhardt says when the teaching and school supports aren't there, parents feel pressured to resort to higher doses of medication, simply so kids can function in school. She says countries that focus more on accommodating students have lower rates of medicating.
Experts say many school accommodations don't cost money or even require a formal plan, but can be adopted for entire classrooms. Teaching tactics include: breaking down instructions into small chunks, pausing and repeating; reinforcing verbal material with visual and written versions; leaving material on the board; giving a restless child a task or allowing them to move around; taking five minutes at the end of the day to help them organize homework.
Tannock recently completed a study with teachers in Owen Sound schools who adopted the strategies for breaking down information and instructions in their classrooms. Teachers reported less stress, inattention and hyperactivity across the board.
Brunning agrees that simple strategies can make a big difference.
"When the teacher doesn't understand, it's brutal. But when they do, and especially if a core teacher communicates strategies to other teachers and people in the office, things can go pretty smoothly."
Truth vs fiction
Myth: ADHD is a childhood disorder. Fact: It is a lifespan disorder; 60 per cent of those diagnosed as children continue to be impaired in adulthood.
Myth: ADHD is a Western phenomenon. Fact: It is worldwide, with higher incidences in Southeast Asia and parts of Europe than reported in Canada.
Myth: Kids with the disorder are always hyper. Fact: ADHD is an attention disorder. Often it includes hyperactivity, but not always.
Myth: It primarily affects boys. Fact: Many girls go undiagnosed because they may be inattentive in a less noticeable way that resembles "daydreaming." By adulthood, the male-female ratio is almost equal.
Myth: It is a behaviour disorder. Fact: It is a medical disorder.
Myth: ADHD is caused by too much sugar, TV or computer time, lax parenting or lack of exercise. Fact: The cause is neurobiological; the scientific evidence is recognized by all major medical associations and government health agencies.
Myth: Kids with ADHD can't pay attention.
Fact: The nature of the disorder is they cannot regulate their attention, so it may change quickly. They are capable of focusing, particularly on stimulating activities.
Sources: Canadian ADHD/ADD
Resource Alliance
Comments
a huge problem
I have a grade 9 art class of 26. 14 of them have special needs. I have 75 minutes a day to deliver curriculum content and if I break that down into a fair distribution of my time that's not a lot of time per student. Add in the special needs of all 14 identified students and I am swamped. Of that 14, 4 of them are ADHD, 3 have safety plans because of behaviour, 1 must be contantly monitored as his behaviour is so violent that the police are involved, 4 are unable to read handouts, 1 can't even spell his own last name and the rest have processing issues...and I have absolutely no training in how to deal with special needs students. The students who are "normal" are usually left to figure things out on their own because I end up spending my time helping students understand a project, stay on task, ask them to stop throwing paint, & transcribe answers for those who can't write. This is a fairly average classroom. How am I supposed to do meet everyone's needs every day?
Submitted by 123456abcde at 6:49 PM Monday, May 18 2009
People in general are extremely ignorant regarding ADD
As Adult with ADD in the 1970's you were place in special classes with mentally challenge kids. People said and criticized you inability to stay focus. ADD or ADHD is a disability both federal and provincial fail to recognize this. In order to function fully we need medication or minds are just going float around. Teachers today need further training on this issue and how to spot it. There is too many teachers that will just single out a student because of lack of training and understanding. Latter in life employers need also be more understanding. That is why ADHD must be recognized has a disability to prevent discrimination.
Submitted by revelations at 9:58 AM Monday, May 18 2009
Accommodations are made
It was somewhat disheartening to read the frustration felt by families of those children having ADHD. I work for the DCDSB in Durham and in my role of program support teacher, we work very hard with our families in supporting all the needs of our students. We do not have to wait for a formal identification before we are able to put accommodations in place that support the learning needs of students. Our mission is to work TOGETHER with families, Board Personnel, outside support (i.e.medical and other) in order to BEST understand and address those needs. A.M.Sacco
Submitted by amo at 6:58 PM Sunday, May 17 2009
@ jjsmith
I see where you're coming from, but you obviously don't understand what's going on here. A badly-behaved, poorly raised child is one thing, and there are a lot of them out there. But there's a big difference between a kid who won't behave, and a kid who literally *can't* behave. I have ADD; because I am a girl and not hyperactive, I wasn't diagnosed until I was 18. So I spent nearly 13 years of schooling catching $h*t from everybody because I literally could not pay attention in class, or get my assignments done even if I wanted to. High School was one long, lonely nightmare. When you don't know what's "wrong" with you, it can be really terrifying, especially when you get labeled as lazy, insolent and bizarre by everyone around you.
Submitted by hiboucornu at 11:49 AM Sunday, May 17 2009
measures beneficial for all
My son has a diagnosed ADHD. High school was a torture for him, university was a pure enjoyment and now he is a grad student in one of the most prestigious universities of US. As an university instructor I see that certain practices mandatory at university could be beneficial for all students but are crucial for those with ADHD. Unfortunately all my attempts to point this out were dismissed by the school administration: "We are not university!" *** School courses usually do not have a clear marking scheme announced before or during the first class; students have no way to see their current marks as recorded by the teacher. *** Home assignments usually are not placed on the course website (most of the courses do not have websites). Students (especially those with ADHD) tend to forget their home assignments. Sometimes they are missing the class and have no means to recover assignments except asking classmates (this is a usual advice of the teachers aka invitation to plagiarism .
Submitted by Red Herring at 3:56 AM Sunday, May 17 2009
Cost of ignoring ADHD = Some teaching resources for ADHD students
Unfortunately Adults and children with ADHD are 2nd class citizens in Canada. People with learning disabilities get accommodations, but people with ADHD don't. As an adult ADHD coach & blogger, I have people across Canada constantly complaining to me that they can't find a doctor who knows enough about ADHD to diagnose or treat them. ADHD students are more likely to repeat a grade 42% vs 13% control group, get suspended 60% vs 19%, be expelled 14% vs 6% and drop out 32% vs 0. http://bit.ly/hoiKV With these real problems, why aren't provincial governments taking ADHD seriously? For parents of students with ADHD I've got 5 pages of links to articles and ebooks on teaching students with ADHD on my website http://bit.ly/16oxmR Also important to realize ADHD is the #2 genetically inherited condition in the world, 80%. If a child has it the parents should be screened for it. Men unfortunately are usually are in denial longer than women.
Submitted by Pete Quily at 8:57 PM Saturday, May 16 2009
If you identify you must accommodate.
That was the reason one of my vice principals gave me for not running an IEP on a disruptive student. A school only has so many resources. If everyone is identified for everything, the schools will need more money. On the other hand, my administration once let me run a class with a full class size of 3 and a daily average of two students. One of the two was an in identified special student who needed individual attention. He had a great semester with me and I think it changed his high school trajectory. There are people who care in the education system, and they do what they can. It all comes down to how much they can do with what they are given. If there are people out there with a magic bullet, then fine, but abandoning a child to flounder in a system not designed for their needs would be cruel. Sure a lot of us who grew up before these things became known suffered and got by. That didn't make it right then, and it certainly doesn't make it right now.
Submitted by normhead at 8:56 PM Saturday, May 16 2009
Be Realistic
Every parent should be the primary educator for their child. Never give this responsibility over to anyone else. Fact: there may be 30 other students in the classroom and the special needs of the ADHD/ADD student are very difficult to arrange, especially for one child. Fact: The Ontario school system does have a system in place, it is called the IEP and this is based on performance. Fact: as is all life situations, the child will need and must be taught to be responsive to taking personal responsibility for adapting to their individual challenge.
Submitted by muskokaphotog at 11:27 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
final comments...
In my experience, some students also take advantage of their diagnosis of ADHD/ADD, to the detriment of the others trying to learn. They need to be willing to work within the accommodations - not just killing time in the classroom trying to avoid suspension. This can be better addressed in a classroom of 15, instead of 20 - that personal attention is absolutely vital to helping an ADHD student, especially one whose frustrations have grown until they get to you. If the disorder has slipped through the cracks and diagnosis doesn't happen until high school, they will come to class feeling that they are stupid or bad, which isn't true. But diagnosis can happen faster in elementary schools if teachers aren't overworked and don't have crowded classrooms.
Submitted by witchelemental at 10:24 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
objection
As a teacher of eight years, I received thorough training in recognition and support strategies while in teacher's college at Trent and Queens, in their Con-Ed program. Professional development in schools do frequently provide retraining and discussion on PD days; the board I work for does provide IEPs for students with ADHD, after diagnostic tests (and before, if it is suspected, a Non-Identified IEP can be prepared for the student). To say that there is a failure to acknowledge or accommodate is wrong - it would be more accurate to say that despite promises of lower class sizes, the teacher-student ratio is still too high to enable or facilitate positive interactions for teachers and ADHD / ADD students.
Submitted by witchelemental at 10:14 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
Because of the lack of training for teachers my son was not diagnosed until he was 14 yrs old. His kindergarten teacher said he didn't pay attn; he did not follow instruction; his Gr. 1 teacher had me have his hearing tested. She believed he chose to not pay attention. A special ed teacher in high school suggested we have him tested for ADHD; she believed it was a simple blood test. After extensive testing we found that he was ADHD with a slight learning disability. I wrongly assumed that the professionals in our school system might catch something like that in early years. School was a constant struggle. After 4 years of HS teachers no longer returned my calls nor did they do their part as was laid out in his education plan. Yet they expected my son to do his part. He is 23 years old - a 'late bloomer' but I know that he will come into his own. He has many talents and he makes me laugh when I need it most. He is a gentle soul with a big heart.
Submitted by LK at 10:02 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
ADHD is difficult for all concerned
I sympathize with the kids and parents who are dealing with the difficulties linked to ADHD. But I want them to try to imagine the chaos in a class of 37 with 4 kids with ADHD, one with Asperger's, one with hearing loss, two with receptive language disorders, and 3 traumatized kids living in foster care. Most teachers do the best we can -- honestly. There's only so much one adult can accomplish with those conditions and no support. I've read many articles to learn strategies for these disorders and conditions, attended workshops, and taken special ed courses ($1000 each) to try to succeed, but sometimes it feel overwhelming from my perspective too. Every class needs an EA.
Submitted by what the what? at 9:02 AM Saturday, May 16 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Why did Matthew miss 39 days of school?
SUSPENSIONS
Why did Matthew miss 39 days of school?
Apr 25, 2009 04:32 AM
Apr 25, 2009 04:32 AM
Comments on this story (22)
Andrea Gordon
Family issues reporter
Grade 7 has been a banner year for 12-year-old Matthew Leaton. His project on earthquakes was a winner of the science fair at his Brampton middle school. In February, he was chosen to make a presentation at the assembly honouring Black History Month.
And eight months into the school year, he has been suspended only once.
It's a big turnaround in a tumultuous school life. Matthew has been suspended "too many times for me to remember off the top of my head," says his mother, Nancy.
Matthew, a redhead with an infectious chuckle who loves to talk about maps and aeronautics, has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. He also has a learning disability and anxiety.
But over the four years it took to get a complete diagnosis, Matthew floundered in the public school system without appropriate supports. He has been in five schools with an array of teachers, in both regular classrooms and those for kids with behaviour problems. Frustrated and without tools, he sometimes exploded, talked back and got in fights; he was frequently disciplined.
During Grade 5, the family counted 39 missed days of school. Sometimes it was suspensions; other times, Nancy was called and asked to pick up her son or to keep him home. Matthew has been excluded from field trips and isolated from other kids in "time-out rooms."
His self-esteem plummeted. He told his mother, a retired teacher, that he was so bad, he wished he were dead.
Even when things were at their worst, "I still wanted to go to school," Matthew says. But he was constantly afraid he would do something wrong.
On a recent April evening, his blue eyes are bright as he shows a visitor his science fair display on structures built to withstand earthquakes. He chatters about the presentation he made during an assembly at Greenbriar Senior Public School about baseball legend Jackie Robinson and black hockey player Willie O'Ree, his twice-weekly evenings at Air Cadets and how he is learning to play drums.
Educators, advocates and many parents say Matthew's years of being bounced from one class to another, and punished, are not uncommon. Children with learning disabilities, mental health issues or neurological disorders like autism wait months, sometimes years, for assessments to identify their learning needs. Then they wait again to get supports they're legally entitled to.
In the meantime, they can't cope and may run away from classrooms, swear, hit or act out in other ways. They get disciplined or suspended, gain a rep as a "bad kid," feel marginalized, then the cycle repeats.
"There is significant frustration," says Martha Mackinnon, a former teacher and now lawyer and executive director of the non-profit legal aid clinic Justice for Children and Youth.
"School boards say they don't have the resources (to support special ed students) but their reaction is too often a disciplinary response, and too many kids end up getting suspended."
The deck is stacked against parents, who often feel too overwhelmed and stonewalled to fight back against the rules and bureaucracies of school boards, says Mackinnon, who trains and advises lawyers working on behalf of students and families.
School boards, meanwhile, are faced with balancing the rights of frustrated children in need of support – who may act out by hitting or threatening – "with rights of staff and other students to be in a safe learning and working environment," says Debra Krutila, superintendent of special education support services at Peel District School Board. Matthew has attended schools in the Peel board.
Tony Pontes, the board's superintendent of staff development and school support services, says practices have improved since safe schools legislation was amended a year ago, giving principals and teachers more discretion in handling student behaviour.
"We've seen a significant shift away from suspensions as automatic or mandated," Pontes says. Principals have discretion to consider alternatives, options for preventing and de-escalating situations, and mitigating circumstances such as whether a child is capable of self-control or of understanding his or her actions.
The previous legislation was based on a zero-tolerance approach to discipline. The Ontario Human Rights Commission found it was disproportionately punishing special needs students.
And, in fact, under zero tolerance, students at the Toronto District School Board who had been formally identified as needing special ed services – representing 10 per cent of all students – accounted for 23 per cent of suspensions in 2007/08.
Across Ontario, in 2006-07, students formally identified with special ed needs represented 9 per cent of the student population but accounted for 21 per cent of tudents who were suspended and 22 per cent of those expelled
And the problem is likely much worse than these numbers suggest. Students with unidentified learning problems and mental health issues account for many suspensions not formally linked to special needs. And advocates note suspension statistics don't include "off-the-books" disciplinary measures, when parents are requested to take children home or to agree to "voluntary suspensions" that don't go on the student record.
"I've never been so discouraged as by what I'm seeing now," says Georgina Rayner of Toronto, a volunteer who has spent 25 years advocating for families of special needs kids.
Rayner says discipline by punishment doesn't work for kids in crisis and particularly those with neurological disorders who don't easily grasp the connection between action and consequence.
"Behaviour is a form of communication. Something is wrong if a kid is acting out and we have to find out what it is. Instead, we have a system that says, `Until the kids behave, we don't want to (deal with) them.'"
Jeff Kugler, a former teacher and principal who is now executive director of the Centre for Urban Schooling at OISE/U of T, says lack of resources means the situation "couldn't be more dire" for many students.
He says the province needs to invest in more teachers with special ed training, educational assistants and aides, and child and youth workers. Without that, "teachers are put in the awful situation of having to support these kids, and they can't, and that's how the cycle unfolds."
Toronto psychologist and OISE professor Judith Weiner agrees.
"I work with parents of kids with ADHD. At the last workshop, we had a pile of parents in tears describing this type of situation."
One father works from home because he gets called every second day to pick up his child. In another case, a child needing support could only stay until recess each morning.
"I firmly believe we can't afford not to provide the supports," Weiner says. "It's not just in the interests of the child, but of society. Otherwise, these kids will grow up illiterate, they'll grow up with mental health issues or they'll end up in the criminal justice system."
Margot Nelles, founder of the Asperger's Society of Ontario, estimates she spends 85 per cent of her time helping parents whose kids are in crisis at school. "We're talking about kids who are emotionally traumatized," she says. "Our education system is failing these children."
Parents like Nancy Leaton – who also has two daughters in university – say they are viewed as "problem parents" because they fight hard for their kids' rights. Relationships can quickly turn antagonistic.
Kugler says that's when principals need to set a constructive tone – by conceding that resources are inadequate but vowing to do what they can anyway to help a struggling child, in partnership with parents.
He says Matthew's story is headed toward a happier ending than most. This year, the boy is one of 10 students in a class for kids with autism spectrum disorder. He also attends a social skills group through a local health centre.
His teacher, Carole Ann MacDonald, says he is thriving and joins regular classes for some of his subjects.
MacDonald, who understands her students because she also has autism, teaches them strategies for coping with frustration and conflict. They talk about triggers and learn through role-playing and drama.
Matthew says that sometimes, when he's been really mad, he has hit a classmate. "Usually what happens is, 20 minutes later, we're friends again."
But he lists off new coping skills: deep breaths; removing himself to the relaxation room just off his classroom; seeking out his special ed teacher to talk.
Learning is less stressful, too, now that Matthew has assistive technology such as an FM system so he can hear the teacher through headphones over the background noise, and a laptop for typing to accommodate his weak fine motor skills.
"It's really sad" when kids with special needs aren't given enough support and then get punished, MacDonald says. Especially because, with the right strategies and accommodations, many can succeed.
"I can't think of one of my students who doesn't have the ability to go to university one day," she says.
"We, as a society, need to be able to see that having a disability doesn't mean people can't do things. It just means doing them differently."
http://www.thestar.com/article/622139
Why did Matthew miss 39 days of school?
Apr 25, 2009 04:32 AM
Apr 25, 2009 04:32 AM
Comments on this story (22)
Andrea Gordon
Family issues reporter
Grade 7 has been a banner year for 12-year-old Matthew Leaton. His project on earthquakes was a winner of the science fair at his Brampton middle school. In February, he was chosen to make a presentation at the assembly honouring Black History Month.
And eight months into the school year, he has been suspended only once.
It's a big turnaround in a tumultuous school life. Matthew has been suspended "too many times for me to remember off the top of my head," says his mother, Nancy.
Matthew, a redhead with an infectious chuckle who loves to talk about maps and aeronautics, has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. He also has a learning disability and anxiety.
But over the four years it took to get a complete diagnosis, Matthew floundered in the public school system without appropriate supports. He has been in five schools with an array of teachers, in both regular classrooms and those for kids with behaviour problems. Frustrated and without tools, he sometimes exploded, talked back and got in fights; he was frequently disciplined.
During Grade 5, the family counted 39 missed days of school. Sometimes it was suspensions; other times, Nancy was called and asked to pick up her son or to keep him home. Matthew has been excluded from field trips and isolated from other kids in "time-out rooms."
His self-esteem plummeted. He told his mother, a retired teacher, that he was so bad, he wished he were dead.
Even when things were at their worst, "I still wanted to go to school," Matthew says. But he was constantly afraid he would do something wrong.
On a recent April evening, his blue eyes are bright as he shows a visitor his science fair display on structures built to withstand earthquakes. He chatters about the presentation he made during an assembly at Greenbriar Senior Public School about baseball legend Jackie Robinson and black hockey player Willie O'Ree, his twice-weekly evenings at Air Cadets and how he is learning to play drums.
Educators, advocates and many parents say Matthew's years of being bounced from one class to another, and punished, are not uncommon. Children with learning disabilities, mental health issues or neurological disorders like autism wait months, sometimes years, for assessments to identify their learning needs. Then they wait again to get supports they're legally entitled to.
In the meantime, they can't cope and may run away from classrooms, swear, hit or act out in other ways. They get disciplined or suspended, gain a rep as a "bad kid," feel marginalized, then the cycle repeats.
"There is significant frustration," says Martha Mackinnon, a former teacher and now lawyer and executive director of the non-profit legal aid clinic Justice for Children and Youth.
"School boards say they don't have the resources (to support special ed students) but their reaction is too often a disciplinary response, and too many kids end up getting suspended."
The deck is stacked against parents, who often feel too overwhelmed and stonewalled to fight back against the rules and bureaucracies of school boards, says Mackinnon, who trains and advises lawyers working on behalf of students and families.
School boards, meanwhile, are faced with balancing the rights of frustrated children in need of support – who may act out by hitting or threatening – "with rights of staff and other students to be in a safe learning and working environment," says Debra Krutila, superintendent of special education support services at Peel District School Board. Matthew has attended schools in the Peel board.
Tony Pontes, the board's superintendent of staff development and school support services, says practices have improved since safe schools legislation was amended a year ago, giving principals and teachers more discretion in handling student behaviour.
"We've seen a significant shift away from suspensions as automatic or mandated," Pontes says. Principals have discretion to consider alternatives, options for preventing and de-escalating situations, and mitigating circumstances such as whether a child is capable of self-control or of understanding his or her actions.
The previous legislation was based on a zero-tolerance approach to discipline. The Ontario Human Rights Commission found it was disproportionately punishing special needs students.
And, in fact, under zero tolerance, students at the Toronto District School Board who had been formally identified as needing special ed services – representing 10 per cent of all students – accounted for 23 per cent of suspensions in 2007/08.
Across Ontario, in 2006-07, students formally identified with special ed needs represented 9 per cent of the student population but accounted for 21 per cent of tudents who were suspended and 22 per cent of those expelled
And the problem is likely much worse than these numbers suggest. Students with unidentified learning problems and mental health issues account for many suspensions not formally linked to special needs. And advocates note suspension statistics don't include "off-the-books" disciplinary measures, when parents are requested to take children home or to agree to "voluntary suspensions" that don't go on the student record.
"I've never been so discouraged as by what I'm seeing now," says Georgina Rayner of Toronto, a volunteer who has spent 25 years advocating for families of special needs kids.
Rayner says discipline by punishment doesn't work for kids in crisis and particularly those with neurological disorders who don't easily grasp the connection between action and consequence.
"Behaviour is a form of communication. Something is wrong if a kid is acting out and we have to find out what it is. Instead, we have a system that says, `Until the kids behave, we don't want to (deal with) them.'"
Jeff Kugler, a former teacher and principal who is now executive director of the Centre for Urban Schooling at OISE/U of T, says lack of resources means the situation "couldn't be more dire" for many students.
He says the province needs to invest in more teachers with special ed training, educational assistants and aides, and child and youth workers. Without that, "teachers are put in the awful situation of having to support these kids, and they can't, and that's how the cycle unfolds."
Toronto psychologist and OISE professor Judith Weiner agrees.
"I work with parents of kids with ADHD. At the last workshop, we had a pile of parents in tears describing this type of situation."
One father works from home because he gets called every second day to pick up his child. In another case, a child needing support could only stay until recess each morning.
"I firmly believe we can't afford not to provide the supports," Weiner says. "It's not just in the interests of the child, but of society. Otherwise, these kids will grow up illiterate, they'll grow up with mental health issues or they'll end up in the criminal justice system."
Margot Nelles, founder of the Asperger's Society of Ontario, estimates she spends 85 per cent of her time helping parents whose kids are in crisis at school. "We're talking about kids who are emotionally traumatized," she says. "Our education system is failing these children."
Parents like Nancy Leaton – who also has two daughters in university – say they are viewed as "problem parents" because they fight hard for their kids' rights. Relationships can quickly turn antagonistic.
Kugler says that's when principals need to set a constructive tone – by conceding that resources are inadequate but vowing to do what they can anyway to help a struggling child, in partnership with parents.
He says Matthew's story is headed toward a happier ending than most. This year, the boy is one of 10 students in a class for kids with autism spectrum disorder. He also attends a social skills group through a local health centre.
His teacher, Carole Ann MacDonald, says he is thriving and joins regular classes for some of his subjects.
MacDonald, who understands her students because she also has autism, teaches them strategies for coping with frustration and conflict. They talk about triggers and learn through role-playing and drama.
Matthew says that sometimes, when he's been really mad, he has hit a classmate. "Usually what happens is, 20 minutes later, we're friends again."
But he lists off new coping skills: deep breaths; removing himself to the relaxation room just off his classroom; seeking out his special ed teacher to talk.
Learning is less stressful, too, now that Matthew has assistive technology such as an FM system so he can hear the teacher through headphones over the background noise, and a laptop for typing to accommodate his weak fine motor skills.
"It's really sad" when kids with special needs aren't given enough support and then get punished, MacDonald says. Especially because, with the right strategies and accommodations, many can succeed.
"I can't think of one of my students who doesn't have the ability to go to university one day," she says.
"We, as a society, need to be able to see that having a disability doesn't mean people can't do things. It just means doing them differently."
http://www.thestar.com/article/622139
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