If I'd been allowed to work at my own pace; there's been some understanding for my environmental needs (I can do classroom/group, just fine, but I need peace an

If I'd been allowed to work at my own pace; there's been some understanding for my environmental needs (I can do classroom/group, just fine, but I need peace and quiet when I'm working by myself); and I'd been provided some actual social oversight and guidance, instead of the "Lord of the Flies" dominance of the student peer group (staff were largely divorced from all but pedagogy, and my parents -- plopped down in front of the TV every night -- were no help at all). Well, I think I would have done a lot better. That is to say, you can throw all the money and toys and methods you want at it. What you need, is people actually paying attention. And paid to pay attention. So that they are not overwhelmed with workload nor how they are going to pay their own bills and take care of their own families. In other words, invest in the people providing the education. Choose them wisely, and empower them. The rest is just various forms of b.s.