by Writing Gal.

Created on: August 10, 2010

The definition of ADHD is Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder and the name is exactly what it implies, lack of attention with too much energy = disruption in the classroom. Students with ADHD in the are often labeled as out of control, or unruly and many times fall through the cracks of needing extra assistance to succeed in an academic environment. Often times, the teacher and parent are not aware that the student/child even has ADHD until behaviors are presented in the classroom; parents often deal with the disruptive behavior at home thinking it is a family situation and the child will outgrow it.

Teachers often describe students with ADHD as having  a “fast motor,” never being able to sit still, often disruptive in class, talking all the time and if they are not talking all the time they are spacing out or clowning around. If a support system is not established prior to the start of school, teachers are left with the one option, removing them from the classroom, so that they can keep some semblance of order for the rest of the students.

This tactic often does not yield positive results as the student with ADHD, who is not yet medicated or treated, simply moves the disruptive behavior from the classroom, to the halls, office, or principals office. Many times they end up in detention for not completing homework assignments, which they often forget to do, forget they had, or forget to turn in. Therefore, what is a teacher to do?

I would love to tell you that there is one easy answer, but there is not. The bottom line is that the teacher needs assistance from the parent, guidance office, and any other professional or academic professional with an understanding of this behavior.

A student with ADHD needs structure, this will help decrease the amount of disruptive behavior. However, a teacher does not usually have the time for this type of structured environment, therefore another tip is redirection. This method may appear time consuming, often it is described as working with a toddler, however the redirection of energy will allow the ADHD student to focus on the subject matter and decrease the focus taken away from the class.

Schedule a parent/teacher meeting and include any other support systems within the school so that everyone is on the same page to help the student succeed.  During this meeting identify the strengths of the student and how best to direct him/her to use these strengths. Brainstorm what is the best method in dealing with the disruption. Identify support systems the school may be able to utilize to support both teacher and student.

A daily dialog between teacher and parent is important, especially once the child is on medication,  there will be a period of adjustment. The teacher may see the student suddenly crash with no energy or actually be more destructive and disruptive during the medication management phase. An understanding or quick lesson in how ADHD is affecting this child and some techniques that help the student succeed will help the student teacher relationship.

Patience cannot be understated and teachers all ready have an enormous amount of patience. The ADHD student is not intentionally being disruptive to cause harm. They have a disconnect that does not allow them to process administration functions as their peers. Try to look beyond the disruptive behavior to the struggling student to help you move through your day. It will improve and the rewards of seeing a student with ADHD succeed far outweigh the challenges.

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