I am wondering if any credentialed teachers with ADD can give me some ideas as to how they both managed to get through their credential program and how they manage in the day to day classroom environment.

My story is similar to many I have already read here, which is a comfort of sorts. I am 32 and have been dealing with the effects of ADD for nearly as long as I can remember. Of course, such a thing as ADD "didn't exist" when I went through school, even though I displayed all of the traits, shy of the "hyperactive" part. I have done many self evaluations and am convinced of my condition. I asked my doctor about it only once a long time ago, when I was first becoming aware that I not only had it as a child and never knew, but am still dealing with it. He really wasn't aware of what was needed to make a diagonsis, and so I have not followed up any further with him (suprise, suprise). I have insureance through my wife who is the only one bringing in a decent income, but even with that I can't afford the medication et al. that I need to correct my "faulty wiring".

Currently I am persuing a teaching credential, specializing in High School Social Studies. This past semester of student teaching has been a near disaster, as I've tried to manage my problem on my own, only to do things half way and place myself into a rut, both of which are frustrating my master teacher to no end. And as he has no clue as to my problem, he hasn't exactly been supportive.

I haven't told him my problem because I have nothing, like a doctor's note, to back it up with, and it simply sounds like I'm just making excuses for my less than stellar performance. I didn't inform my last master teacher either, but maybe he suspected my delema because he was always throwing activity books and such my way to help me compensate for lack of ideas. My current master teacher either doesn't have these things to give me (which is likely), or he's keeping them to himself. He has been on my case about SOMETHING ever since I started there, but never seemed to recognize my problem enough to offer me any help, like the last one did.

So, again, I ask the question to any who have gone through this process and survived, how did you manage it and what advice can you give me? I'm pretty sure I will have to repeat this past semester because of this problem, and I can't afford to, among the many other things I can't afford. I'm both lost as to what to do and angry at myself and all around me for having this problem with no real help to manage it.

Any useful advice would be greatly appriciated.