I am a senior in college right and getting my degree in Elementary Education. There are so many things that I want to know about before starting to teach in the fall but from what I’ve seen, there is a problem with teachers and parents over diagnosing their kids with ADD or ADHD. I would just like to know if anyone has any good ideas, strategies, or techniques that can be used to help a student with ADD or ADHD in the classroom. (the response can also be directed towards that might just have trouble paying attention and sitting still but haven’t been diagnosed with anything)
Re: Teaching Students with ADD or ADHD
Avoiding the same-old, same-old as a teacher can benefit all the children and your ADD/ADHD children. Too much of traditional teaching is really directed at keeping children still in their chairs precisely what’s difficult for the ADHD child and what allows the ADD to be so inattentive.
Plans lessons with some verve to them. Treat school as a wonderful place of discovery or at least make your classroom that way. Too many modern classrooms have become an assembly line like place handing out worksheets and collecting homework.
It helps to have smaller class sizes but a teacher with a personality who likes children and who isn’t afraid to communicate that to them helps every child but also the ADD kids. Be different. Plan plays. Allow art activities in the room. Be a presence in the classroom and have a personality.
Treat your classroom like a stage and you’re the MC. Would anyone on a stage be a droll and boring as many teachers are? Is it any wonder that ADD kids lose focus and ADHD kids get ansty?
Be warm and inviting of their attention and they respond accordingly. Plan interesting lessons with room for their real involvement - not just worksheets and homework.
Read Mel Levine’s Educational Care book. It’s a little dry but it offers good suggestions.
Good luck.
Re: Teaching Students with ADD or ADHD
ADD and ADHD students must be taught new concepts in short spans of time. I have been working with several special education teachers for many years and the best thing that they have taught me is to learn that short instructional periods work the best. I am a regular education teacher, but quite often I have ADD and ADHD students in my class as resource only serves in the subjects of language arts and math. I change my activities in my classroom about every 10 to 15 minutes. I teach in a 90 minute block. The frequent changes also serve to keep the regular kids interested and on their toes.
Go to LD In Depth for articles that will answer your “FAQ.”