Punishing for Learning Disabilities

When a person has a mental illness or learning disability, they are often punished for something they have little control over. Unfortunately, we live in a system that forces everyone to think and behave alike to a large degree.

When a person shows difference in behaviors, the person is often punished for his or her actions. For example, a child goes to school and is punished because he or she interrupted the classrooms flow.

The child has a habit of this and has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), which includes interruptions. Now the child is told repeatedly that his interruptions are not acceptable, yet he manages to listen for a short time and bursts out in an uproar again.

This is a common symptom of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. If the child had control of his brain, he might be capable of listening to instructions. Instead, this child is merely acting out on his own illness and has little control to stop the noise.

This does not mean we should continue putting up with this type of behavior. On the other hand, it does not mean that we must continue to punish this child for acting out on his mental illness.

We need to teach the child that his behaviors are an action of his disorder. We need to tell him that there are solutions and we can work together to find a source of relief.

We need to tell him that a behavior his symptoms force him to act out on is inappropriate and ask him what we can do better to make his behavior less obvious. If you noticed how I wording the sentence above, you would see the key words disorder, his so forth, and we, together.

In no way did I make it apparent to the child that I was punishing him for acting out on his symptoms. This is effective learning and teaching techniques that prevents outbursts.

Since, the child is aware that I understand his problem is not completely in his control, the child is more than likely ready to work with me. The child will see that we are working as a team and not as enemies. In addition, I did not attack the child’s emotions, which when triggered will set off a canon ball.

None of us grow up saying we want a mental disorder that causes everyone else problems. Rather, we grow up observing others around us wondering why we are different.

It is important to stop all this hatred toward the mentally ill and stop treating them as they are like the so-called normal. At one time, the mentally ill were institutionalized in dormitories, similar to prison and thoroughly abused simply because they had a disorder, mental disease and so forth.

How much cruelty can one nation stand? I am appalled that these so-called normal evil beings felt that they were better than someone else was. Unless a person has psychopath, sociopath, schizophrenia in some cases, psychosis or other dangerous disorders, most mentally ill people do not hurt anyone.

In fact, most mentally ill individuals illustrate more humanity than the common ordinary people do. Therefore, we need to stop the punishment and move forward with fruitful tactics to help them learn.

Learning is an art and it requires a creative mind to bring forth intelligence. If the mind’s creative side is leaning toward the back of the brain then it needs readjustments to move it forward. How can we spark the creative mind?

By pushing, the child to socialize with artistic or creative people is a start. We can also help him or her to cultivate creativity by provoking his or her thoughts. We do this by talking to this child similar to the sentence above.

As I pointed out earlier in this article, when we approach a child with concern when need to avoid triggering emotions that will cause uproar. Once more, we need to let the child know that we are working as a team and that he or she is not being punished for his illness, but rather he is being instructed to help find a way to stop the interruptions.