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Tips For Teachers

Being a teacher carries many responsibilities and it can be frustrating and can take a lot of work to teach a class of students. Many times, students might make up excuses in an attempt to get out of homework or tests. Because of this, teachers are not willing to trust a student, especially one with RSD since the student may miss many days in school.
So here are a few tips on how to help out your student with RSD:

Don't offer unwanted advice. I might think that I am helping, but I would not try to suggest a treatment or a "miracle cure." RSD can be difficult to treat and it can be frustrating when people continually offer advice.
If I ask my student a question like, "How do you feel?" I will stick around to hear the answer instead of hurrying off. If I do not have the time to listen to my student, then I will not ask him/her the question to begin with.
I would not accuse my student of trying to get out of a test or homework, especially if that student worked hard to make good grades before RSD. I would try to understand that RSD affects the student's concentration because of side effects from several meds and the severe, unrelenting pain from RSD.
Don't draw attention to the student in front of other friends. In other words, I would try not to get impatient with my student if a test is missed or extra help is needed with class work because this is embarrassing and frustrating to the student in front of other classmates.
I would believe my student's pain. If I see my student laughing or talking with other classmates, I would realize it is because the student is happy, not healthy. There is a vast difference between these two words.
I need to remember that my student is trying to cope with his/her health problems and school only adds to the student's stress. If the student starts to get healthier, he/her will be able to focus more on school. In the meantime, I need to be patient with my student.