How many of us have ADD kids that have mastered the "I'm paying attention" look? We know that, underneath, they are miles and miles away. They may even express satisfaction in their ability to appear attentive to their teachers while they go on a mini-vacation of the mind.
These kids can easily fly under the radar, as they present the outward demeanor of the model student.
As a special education teacher, I can vouch for how difficult it can be for a regular education teacher to catch on to these great actors and actresses.
Sometimes it's best to be proactive in letting the teachers know that he or she s very accomplished in this skill.
I know--I am the mother of a wonderful ADD middle school daughter, who has become an expert at "the look".
I am not a great actress, but I certainly mastered the I'm paying attention look. It blows me away that some kids nowadays haven't learned to master it yet. Yes, my unmedicated husband is an expert at the look. And my son is just starting to do it now. It takes the pressure off them, but it really makes life more difficult for those trying to help them. I don't think that most teachers know that this occurs however. And I believe it to be very very common, especially among those teenage years and up.