Blog #4: Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented Schools to Asset Based Models - Shannon Renkly and Katherine Bertolini

 Reflection

   

As someone who grew up with undiagnosed ADHD until a teacher finally took notice in middle school and recommended testing, the concepts in the reading were things I experienced first hand. ADHD. For many students with ADHD, the traditional school experience is the embodiment of the deficit model—a system that primarily focuses on what a student can’t do, such as sitting still, following multi-step directions, or maintaining linear focus.

The text highlights the painful reality that underachieving students are often dismissed as "not trying hard enough." This is a harmful stigma for those with ADHD, who are often exerting double the effort of their peers just to function normally. When the article mentions that a deficit perspective "covers up the abilities of students," it mirrors my own experience of feeling that my creativity and high-energy problem-solving were incompetence because they didn’t fit the standard. 

The most relatable part of the research is the emphasis on internal assets like positive identity and commitment to learning. I found that my academic trajectory changed completely based on the "teacher expectations" mentioned in the text. When teachers recognized my needs and helped me with tools to organize, alternative seating, or creative, hands-on lessons, it made me feel valued and capable rather than inadequate. Teachers who identified my "jewels" replaced my fear of failure with an excitement to learn. Their acceptance and compassion created an environment where learning felt possible. As the article suggests, when a teacher convinced me that high expectations were attainable, I stopped viewing my ADHD as a permanent barrier and started seeing it as a set of unique traits.

    

I experienced firsthand the thriving behaviors that emerge when an adult focuses on strengths over weaknesses. When I felt seen for my competencies rather than my "at-risk" behaviors, my engagement skyrocketed. My academic performance completely changed, I went from being a student who struggled to focus to one who enjoyed being in class and had straight A’s for the remainder of middle school and all of high school. This is something I am proud of myself for, but I can’t say this could have been possible if it weren't for teachers that helped me feel that I was capable of it. There are many strategies and resources available to teachers for students with ADHD, but I feel in elementary school these could be great common practices for most young students.