gfS, I respect your feelings about being a maths teacher, the efforts you made to interest your students, and your obvious enthusiasm for the task. But if you did indeed engage their interest and concentration, then not one of them was suffering from an Attention Deficit Disorder, by very definition. I have taught literally thousands of pupils over a long period, and in that time have come across only half a dozen at most who had serious disorders. They could not and would not have been able to sustain calm behaviour in lessons. I had a good reputation for quiet and effective classroom discipline, but there are some unfortunate children who are mentally unwell and need intervention by medical professionals. I cannot comment on whether this should include drugs, Ritalin or otherwise, as that is beyond my competence. By the way, (a propos of nothing) why do you feel the need to type so often in such vehement capital letters? Do you have Posting Emphasis Disorder?