This 14year old could drive me nuts. Have been trying to set up signals with him to rectify misbehavior and redirect his focus. Signals last maybe a day or two and then the signals become a bone of contention and actually make matters worse. Student is on three separate medications at this time. Will gladly read any advice.
adhd/bipolar
Thank you for your return. I am trying to keep in close touch with the parents in monitoring medications. Dosages have recently been altered and the med for the bipolar has just been added within the last two weeks. I realize it takes time to get the dosage up to where it needs to be but I was just looking for a quick fix for the time being. Again, thanks.
Wow. You and this student are dealing with a lot. I wouldn’t think there would ever be a single strategy that would work with a bipolar student. The very definition of a bipolar is that they swing from high to low. What phase is he in? Manic or depressive? As he cycles through, in the ideal world we’d change our teaching strategy to meet where he’s at.
Not living in that ideal world,though, if he were my student I’d be willing to settle for fewer distractions so I could more successfully teach my class. It doesn’t sound as if his medication(s) for ADHD are working well. He’s not supposed to be bouncing all around unable to control himself if his dosage is correct. Do his parents and/or his prescribing doctor know he’s still unable to control himself? When was the last time his ADHD medication was increased? I too often find my own middle school students on the same dose they were taking as very young children and small wonder it doesn’t help them anymore now that they’re 50 lbs heavier than they were. Medication levels are geared to our body weight - I’d check to see when his medication was last increased and open that conversation with his parents.
Good luck.