OUR SONS WERE LABELED BEHAVIOR DISORDERED

HERE ARE THE STORIES OF OUR LIVES

by

Joy-Ruth Mickelson

"Dr. Mickelson opens up, in compelling ways, new possibilities for conversations that allow all of us, as educators, to reconsider what too often seems as the right approach to diagnosis, prescription, and placement of children who do not easily fit into "regular" classrooms. The book, a carefully composed narrative inquiry, is rich with stories carefully interwoven with theory and research."

—D. Jean Clandinin, University of Alberta

"Mickelson has written a compelling book, skillfully weaving her own story and the stories of mothers of boys labeled Behavior Disordered. This is work that not only invites the reader into the world of the mothers and their lives with their sons, but is also an invitation into literature, history, philosophy, and art. Mickelson makes public the ongoing decisions involved in such narrative inquiry, highlighting central issues of representation and power, and genuine respect for participants."

—Celia Oyler, Teachers College, Columbia University

We are all aware of problems within the school lives of ADHD/BD students—problems of labeling, inclusion vs. non-inclusion; negative attitudes of professionals, and lack of beneficial outcomes. Dr. Michelson’s new book provides us with the missing piece of these children’s lives--a beautifully written, strikingly authentic and empathic glimpse into the lives of BD labeled boys, as seen through the eyes of their mothers. The author spent a year in personal dialogues with four mothers. Her unorthodox presentation of letters addressed to the women lets us hear their voices clearly as they share their stories in words, actions, feelings, and experiences of negotiating through "the system." The culmination of this unique narrative inquiry study has challenged the deficit model of families of BD/ADHD children and sets a course for the composition of a more educational script where the emphasis is on collaboration between schools, families, and related professionals. This work demonstrates the ability of mothers to rewrite the destructive and disastrous narratives imposed upon their children.

For both new and experienced researchers and students of education, this book will be of great interest to professors of ed, and pre- and in-service teachers. It will be extremely relevant for courses in teacher ed, ed psych, special ed, psych, social work, sociology, women’s studies, and research methodology.

Throughout both her private and professional lives—as a teacher, school psychologist, and medical & school social worker—Dr. Mickelson has been involved with children, their families, and their schools. She has a doctorate in Ed Psych from U of Alberta., received the Horowitz Teacher Education Scholar Award in 1995 & 1996, and is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Research for Teacher Education & Development where she is happily engaged in research and mentoring.

2000/224 pp. ISBN: paper 1-891928-05-8 $24.95

cloth 1-891928-06-6 $48.00