Samantha Sharrow: Teaching and ADHD

Samantha J. Sharrow
Teaching Students Who Have ADHD
Many beginning teachers think that all the students will be the same in their classroom; however, that is not the case. Every child is different. Some may be poor, some may be rich. Some children may be quiet, and some may be loud. Some may be open while others may try to shut you out. Some may be talented and some may need extra help. It is a good idea for students who are preparing to be teachers to become familiar with some difficulties they may encounter in the classroom. A common difficulty, and one many may not even think of, is teaching students with ADHD. Since I am going to be a teacher, I want to discuss how this is a difficult task; I will discuss what ADHD is, how it affects the classroom and what a teacher can do to help students who live with ADHD.
What is ADHD? This is the very first step a teacher should take in helping these students. According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA), ADHD is a condition of the brain that makes it hard for children to control their behavior or pay attention and stay focused. About 2 million children in the U.S. have this condition, which is 3 to 5 percent. If a child has this condition, it becomes apparent within the preschool or early school years. The main characteristics of ADHD consist of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) definition of ADHD is among the same lines as the LDA‘s definition. NIMH claims that this condition is the most common of childhood disorders. Although it is normal for young children to be inattentive and hyper, these behaviors are more severe with those who have this condition.
Imagine a young child who stands out from the rest of your students. It’s not so much that he looks different, but acts different. You notice that while you are giving instructions his mind is wandering somewhere else; not even five minutes after giving the instructions he is asking you to repeat them and show him. His desk is always a mess and he can never seem to find anything. There are days where he blurts things out loud in the classroom, interrupting lessons. He likes to talk a lot, but only about things that interest him at the moment. He is always getting up out of his chair or constantly fidgeting and squirming. He is very impatient. Maybe he even cops an attitude when you become strict with him. Most teachers would classify this as bad behavior. Assuming that the student is just misbehaving and is a trouble maker; overlooking the possibility that it could be something serious, such as ADHD.
There are three types of ADHD: predominantly-hyperactive-impulse, predominantly inattentive (also known as ADD), and combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive. The predominantly hyperactive-impulse subtype consists of having six or more symptoms in the hyperactivity category and less than six in the inattentive categories. The predominantly inattentive is the complete opposite of the predominantly hyperactive-impulse. Children with this subtype are less likely to act out and may be overlooked and their condition is undiagnosed. The combined subtype consists of six or more hyperactive-impulses and six or more inattentive categories. This is the most common subtype of ADHD.
Other disorders often accompany ADHD, such as Tourette syndrome, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. “Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics” (National Institute of Neurological). “Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures” (Medline Plus). “Conduct disorder is a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the rights of others or basic social rules are violated” (Mental Health). “Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress.” Depression is pretty obvious, it is one is feeling down, but for someone with this disorder, it interferes with their daily life and is a serious illness. Bipolar disorder “is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” (National Institute of Mental).
There are many symptoms and effects that follow ADHD. Children may lack the ability to pay close attention to details or they may make careless mistakes. They may also be easily distracted and frequently bounce back and forth from one activity to another; getting bored with an activity relatively quickly. They may have difficulty arranging and finishing tasks and homework. Many children with ADHD will refrain from, or strongly dislike tasks that depend upon mental effort. They struggle to follow instructions, process slower, forget a lot and even lose things that are needed. They may have poor listening skills, daydream often and get confused easily. Children may also be fidgety, squirmy, and hyper. They may chatter a lot, blurt out, and be interruptive and impatient (National Institute of Mental, Learning Disabilities).
Scientists are unsure of what causes ADHD, but studies suggest that genes, environmental factors, such as smoking and drinking, brain injuries, sugar and food additives seem to play a role. Studies show genes as a greater factor then others (National Institute of Mental). According to the University of Michigan Health System, ADHD is caused by differences in the way messages are sent to the brain. “Most substantiated causes appear to fall in the realm of neurobiology and genetics” (LD Online). The LD Online also states that the severity and the “degree of the impairment and suffering” may be caused from environmental factors as well.
Children with ADHD are not required to take medications, although sometimes it is recommended. “When they don't have medications, you have to reel them down from the ceiling and try different strategies to see if they're effective.” I will get into the discussion of strategies within the second essay. “Legally, teachers can't say to parents 'medicate your child,' but you can inform them of patterns and tracking the student's behavior using Connor scales of behavior.” (Jane Stack). Connor scales are forms given to the parents and teachers to fill out about the child’s behavior. This gives the doctor a sight into the behavior, allowing for professional opinions about medication. “It's a medical decision, not an educational decision.” (Jane Stack). Behavior therapy is often considered as an alternative to taking medications, but is not as effective, however (LD Online). Behavior therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on changing unwanted behaviors.
For those who are medicated, there are many varieties of medication. Medications that seem to be the most effective are stimulants. Medicines that most people have heard of are Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta; but there are many others. Some children benefit better with one medication than another might. Most medications are meant to reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity, while advancing “their ability to focus, work, and learn” (LD Online) as well as physical coordination. There are times that the dosage will need to be altered due to the effects it may have on the child. There are also times where other medications for other problems are taken along with the medication for ADHD.
Is ADHD a learning disability? The LDA claims it is not a learning disability but yet “It can be determined to be a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), making a student eligible to receive special education services.” Instead of being under the category of “learning disabilities”, it would be under “health impairs.” Stephen E. Brock, the writer of Identifying, Assessing & Treating ADHD in Schools, refers to ADHD as a psychiatric disorder, not a learning disorder. He goes on to explain that the disorder relates to school because it “is associated with behaviors that interfere with school success.” ADHD is not technically a learning disability but they do coincide with one another (University of); while they are not the same, a learning disability can accompany ADHD.
It is very important that a teacher knows all the possibilities of struggles and difficulties they may encounter within their classroom. Educating themselves about problems, such as ADHD, is the best way to go about this. It gives them an insight on why certain students might act the way they do and give them a heads up. This is also good for parents to know, because then they can see how their children act and are supervised during school. Now that I have discussed what ADHD is and information about what a teacher may deal with, let’s look at how it affects the classroom and how teachers should handle it.
Not only may the child have a hard time paying attention, they may also have a hard time understanding lessons in the classroom, making it harder for the student themselves as well as the teacher. Having a student with ADHD or having more than one student with ADHD can affect the classroom and change the classroom behaviors. Teachers play a huge role in assessing students and if a teacher can recognize these symptoms, it makes it easier for the parents and the teachers to understand some of the child’s actions and the causes behind them. There are many strategies and approaches a teacher can take to work with these children.
How does ADHD affect the classroom? Let’s recap quickly what ADHD looks like:
‘Imagine a young child who stands out from the rest of your students. It’s not so much that he looks different, but acts different. You notice that while you are giving instructions his mind is wandering somewhere else; not even five minutes after giving the instructions he is asking you to repeat them and show him. His desk is always a mess and he can never seem to find anything. There are days where he blurts things out loud in the classroom, interrupting lessons. He likes to talk a lot, but only about things that interest him at the moment. He is always getting up out of his chair or constantly fidgeting and squirming. He is very impatient. Maybe he even cops an attitude when you become strict with him.’
When a student has a disability, or in this case a condition that hinders one’s learning, it affects the classroom in many different ways.
The teacher may need to take actions that may take away time from learning so that one student can understand or be kept on track with what is going on. Classroom management is crucial to teachers because effective classroom management creates an environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn (Kauchak, 350). If the teacher were to simply ignore the fact that the child is not paying attention or doing the work, or is struggling, it not only fails the student but the teacher fails as well. Being a teacher is more than just lecturing students; it is making a difference in a student’s life and in the community. When the teacher has control of making that difference and ignores it, they have failed to do their job. Unfortunately, not every student will be successful in the classroom, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable and that the teacher should just give up on them.
There are also circumstances where these children may need more one on one time with the teacher; this has two outcomes. First, it may cause other students to act out for attention, because they think that one student is being favored. Second, it can benefit the students and the classroom, but take away time from other activities planned for the day.
There are many other ways that ADHD can affect the classroom. Students are being pulled in and out of classrooms at different times of the day for many different reasons, one of which is to attend their special education class or their academic lab where they receive extra help on school work and homework. Possible consequences would be that pulling them in and out of classes can be confusing and makes it harder to pay attention than it already is. Yet, at the same time, it helps a student stay focused without as many distractions and gives them more one on one time; and the lessons are broken down into more comprehendible pieces, and even more interesting ways to keep the students’ attention.
So what can a teacher do to help? The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) states many different things that a teacher should do; the first, as I mentioned earlier, would be to understand the disabilities and ADHD along with the factors that come with it. If a teacher can understand the disorder, it will be beneficial to themselves and the students. They will be able to connect with the student on a more compassionate level (Education World). Caring is an essential element in teaching. “If a teacher doesn’t care about you, it affects your mind. You feel like you’re a nobody, and it makes you want to drop out of school” (Kauchak, 356). This leads me to the next aspect, knowing the students.
Second, a teacher should get to know their students; knowing what challenges they face and knowing what to expect shows that they are a committed and amiable teacher (Education World). This is actually a good thing to do for all students, not just those who have a condition of ADHD. If a student feels comfortable with a teacher, it makes learning and educating much easier. A beginning teacher is always told not to be a student’s friend, but a role model for them; someone they can talk to and someone they knows understands them. We all know it is frustrating when we are not understood, so imagine being a student with ADHD. Students need to feel welcomed and they need personal support (Kauchak, 356).
There are many different ways that a teacher can get to know their students. One way would be to have students write a brief introduction about themselves and share out loud with the class. There are also so many icebreaker games and activities to get the show rolling; students should get the feeling of safety and comfort in the classroom and there’s no better way than to start off by knowing fellow classmates and the teacher. Games such as Two Truths and a Lie, Human Knot, and Telephone are all common icebreaker games. These help the students unwind and relax while getting to know one another. The teacher gets to know the students by listening and watching them. A lot is learned about a person by listening and watching how they act.
Thirdly, get to know the parents and establish a concrete relationship with them, because this will benefit teachers more than one would think. Once a parent knows that you understand what the students are coping with or what challenges and successes they have, the more trust you will have from the parents. Most parents feel as though their children are being singled out in some way when they are getting into trouble in school, but if you establish a relationship with the parents, they will see that you understand what they are going through and you are not trying to exclude the child from anything (helpguide.org).
It is crucial to keep the parents involved on their children’s schooling. The most common ways of establishing a relationship with the parents and keeping in touch with them is to send them letters, emails, phone calls, and invite them in to meetings. One interesting way to show parents you have intentions of getting to know the students is to make a slide show with the introductions the students wrote and show it during open house (Scholastic). Sending home weekly reports on how the student is doing in school is also an effective way of keeping parents informed. All these possibilities can be used to inform about a student’s participation in the classroom or even to just inform the parents what you plan on doing in the agenda.
According to Michael Farrell, writer of The Effective Teacher’s Guide to Behavioral Emotional & Social Difficulties, there are three approaches for teachers: cognitive, behavioral and psychodynamic approaches. The cognitive approach focuses on mental processes. It places emphasis on “internal” phenomena. Behavioral approaches emphasize the observables, such as the student’s thoughts, actions, and motivations. Psychodynamic approach refers to emotional conflicts. These approaches blend in with classroom strategies. So what are some classroom strategies?
There are many strategies that follow up with the cognitive approach. One thing that a teacher could do to shadow the cognitive approach is to make learning fun. Since the cognitive approach is focused on the mental process and the children’s work, this should be the first strategy. No child wants to do boring work, so make them interested in it. Once a teacher gets to know their students, they will be able to decide when it is best to do work that focuses on the most difficult concepts. A teacher wants to do these when the students are awake and energized. Teachers should give directions to one assignment at a time instead of directions to multiple tasks at once. This helps the students stay focused on what it is they need to be doing. While working on classwork, teachers should be sure to vary the pace and type of activity to maximize the student’s attention (ed.gov).
The behavioral approach has fewer strategies than the cognitive approach. The behavioral approach is focused on the child’s thoughts, actions, and motivations. The major strategy in this area is to set high expectations of appropriate classroom behavior. Students need structure and clear expectations in order to keep their symptoms in check. Children have a tendency to forget rules quickly. They also like to test their limits and will push those limits to find the boundaries. Teachers should make strong rules for the classroom; these rules need to be clear and effective from day one (ed. gov). One strategy from the cognitive approach also fits under the behavioral approach, and that is to teach one assignment at a time. Students get overwhelmed easily and keeping them focused helps keep their motivation going.
The psychodynamic approach is basically one big strategy broken into two sections. Since the psychodynamic approach is focused on the emotional conflicts and relationships, the best strategy is to make sure all the students get to know each other, as well as the teacher. This is done by, as mentioned earlier, classroom activities and icebreakers. By establishing healthy relationships in the classroom, teachers create a healthy and happy environment. Students need to feel safe in the classroom and they need to feel comfortable. The other strategy is to structure the student's environment to accommodate his or her special needs. Make the classroom fun and comfortable (Kauchak, 352). This strategy, actually, is essential to all the approaches.
While these strategies are very useful for helping students with ADHD, they are also relevant for every student. There are other strategies that are geared more towards the children who have ADHD. Due to the fact that these students have a harder time focusing and may be overly hyper, it takes a little bit more patience and understanding. As a teacher, they need to study what triggers the hyper activity for that child in their classroom and find ways to de-escalate that situation (Jane Stack). While the teacher is getting to know their students, they are actually studying them. Once they have done this, they will have an idea what strategies will work and when to use them.
While the teacher is studying their students, and studying what triggers the students’ hyper activity, they may notice that they need to minimize the distractions around the classroom. When making a seating arrangement, seat them away from the windows and doors; maybe even seat them closest to the teacher’s desk. Another distraction is noise. Loud noises can over excite them and trigger that hyper activity. Before an event, such as a play, prepare them by explaining to them the social and environmental structure of the event (Jane Stack). By preparing the student, they may be able to have better control of their behavior.
If the student is having a hard time focusing on his or her school work, get overlays for their books. These overlays cover one page so that the student can focus on what is in front of them. Using colored plastic notebook dividers help just as well, especially green and blue. These two colors are the most helpful to help them concentrate on their work (Jane Stack). The blue aura means: “balanced existence, sustaining life, eased nerve system, transmitting forces and energy.” The green aura means: “restful, modifying energy, natural healing ability” (Thiaoouba). Another strategy for helping a student focus more is to use visuals. A visual schedule may help them keep on track. Color coding activities may also help keep the student concentrated (Jane Stack).
One of the most successful strategies in helping a student with ADHD focus, or better yet, refocus, is to build in a break in their schedule to let them unwind and calm down. There are many ways to do this, a few being computer time, listening to music, or even physical activity. If it is physical activity that helps them calm down, build it into the schedule. Expending energy is always a great way to refresh oneself. Another strategy is to practice calming activities. Things such as feel good fabrics can help calm a student down. For example, Velcro, Felt, silk, maybe the material of their blanket. Teachers may even hold the students hand and have the student look at them, making eye contact, to make sure there was an understanding.
This is only a handful of the strategies that may be used in the classroom. There are plenty more. These strategies mentioned may not work for every student with ADHD; as mentioned earlier, every student is different. While one strategy may work for one student, it may not have any effect on another student, or possibly it could make it worse. This is why it is essential to study your students and get to know them, along with establishing a relationship with the parents, so that you can bounce ideas off of one another about how to go about helping the student cope with it.
Life in school and life at home may be different for most students, but every teacher can make a difference in a student’s life. That is why it is so important for teachers to show they care about their students and get to know them; to let them know they’re there. Teachers should keep in mind that every child is different and they are going to stumble upon difficulties every day. The first step to becoming a great teacher is preparing themselves and acknowledging that fact. Teachers will have to face many difficulties, ADHD being one of them. They should keep in mind that every child is different; but also keep in mind that every child has the potential for success and that is the teachers job: to help the students succeed, no matter the circumstances.
 
Works Cited

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