If you have trouble focusing, then you are not alone. Perhaps you are simply not interested in a particular subject at school or a task that you have to perform, but if you find that this happens more often than not…you could have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

"I’m bored," whispered Tyrone to his friend Jenny.

"Well, you are supposed to be paying attention and taking notes," snapped Jenny.

Tyrone turned to the other side and began a conversation with his friend Charlie, who told him to be quiet. Ms. Nelson, his sixth grade teacher gave him a stern look that meant to be quiet. Tyrone started to bounce his knee up and down very fast and tap his pencil on his paper. Tyrone began looking around the classroom and out the window.

"Tyrone. Pay attention," whispered Jenny in a firm voice. "You are always asking me later for my notes. Why don’t you copy what is on the blackboard and listen for a change?" Jenny looked over at Tyrone’s messy notebook and scribbled notes. Just then he blurted out an answer to a question and just as quickly was back to bouncing his knee and looking out the door where some students were passing by.

"Tyrone, you need to be more organized and focused. You are very smart if you just would try a little harder. Organize your notebook, take good notes and try to listen instead of talking all of the time, and without being called on," Said his teacher.

Tyrone was beyond frustrated and simply hated school. It was not for everyone and he didn’t know why his parents and teacher refused to accept that. He was so annoyed and tired of hearing all the time about how smart he was and how he was not trying hard enough. It seemed to him that no matter how hard he tried, he could never do any better or compete with the other students.

But that was just the point his teacher, Ms. Nelson, was trying to make. She wanted Tyrone to get help because he was smart. He just needed to find study skills that worked for him. She recognized the warning signs for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Due to her older brother having it, and going through the same things when he was in school, she understood the immense helplessness and total frustration that Tyrone must be feeling.

As a good teacher would, Ms. Nelson decided to help Tyrone realize his potential. Tyrone needed to know that it was not his fault or lack of intelligence causing him problems in school. She was also going to be more creative with her teaching. She would use methods that she learned from a teacher workshop. These techniques are useful when assisting students with learning disabilities. The teacher must identify learning tools that would fit a student’s specific needs.

She knew the other students would enjoy a more exciting class as well. Tyrone agreed to give his teacher a chance to show him how learning could be made easier and more fun. She thinks he was just excited when he heard her mention games. But hey, whatever works!