For a little more than 30 years, I was a teacher of young children. More than half of that time was spent working in special education. I have taught hundreds of kids with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder.
I know a lot about this topic. I recognize these issues when I see them right in front of me.
I figured out something during all those years while I was trying to get kids to focus and listen and learn. I figured out that it wasn’t really the attention or learning disability that held kids back. I realized early on that the kids who were willing to put in the effort were able to overcome their challenges and go on to be successful students.
It was the kids who thought they were too cool to listen to teachers who never made any progress. I was lucky enough to have known only a few of those kids, but I recognize the style.
I recognize the kids who would say, “This is boring! This is dumb. I don’t need to know this.” I recognize the students who thought that all they had to do was be charming and they would miraculously start getting A’s.
Oh, yes. I know that pattern when I see it.
The New York Times reports that advisors to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump recognize the pattern, too.
Some of the insiders in the Trump campaign told the Times that they tried to prepare their guy for the debate. They brought in a podium, and tried to have him run some practice sessions. They wanted him to think about possible questions and his potential answers.
The advisors, who requested anonymity so that the boss wouldn’t Tweet about them in the middle of the night, said that Trump was unable to stay focused on the topic at hand. He kept talking about other things, chatting with people in the room and just blowing off the whole exercise.
Trump was unable to keep his mind on the upcoming debate. He couldn’t clear his head long enough to think about the most important event in his multi-year effort to get himself into the Oval Office. He shrugged off recommendations that he limit his comments to the debate. He complained of boredom when his staff tried to prepare him for the difficult questions that they knew he would face.
Brave, foolhardy souls that they are, these advisors now say that will try to prepare Trump more fully for the next debate. They plan to somehow get him to think about what he’s doing and to follow their advice.
I have some suggestions for them, if anyone in the Trump campaign decides to contact me. My ideas involve the use of a sticker chart and a promise of extra recess if he does his work.
It used to work for me.
Listen to Trump explaining why he’s too cool for school.
Featured image by Max Goldberg via Flickr. Available through Creative Commons Attribution Generic 2.0 License.
