Need to help your students with ADHD? You’re in the right place! As teachers, we all know what it is like to have THAT child. The one who doesn’t seem to listen. The one who can’t sit still. Perhaps it is the student who goes so slowly that it looks like he or she just doesn’t care. The child who interrupts. The one who could do the work, if only he or she tried. Most or all of us will have students with ADHD, which means we all should understand what they struggle with and how we can help.

I started teaching more than two decades ago, and I’m here to say that I didn’t understand all those sweet kiddos when I started teaching. Yes, I could see the differences, but I thought, surely, if they only tried  harder, they’d get there. If they ate better food, went to bed on time, or just played less video games, they’d be successful.

As a teacher, it’s easier to find outside reasons why the child isn’t successful than it is to look at our teaching practices and ask if there is something we could do better. It’s also really hard to understand why something just will not work with a student, even if it has in the past. The tricky thing about ADHD is that some things will work with some students and not others, and then suddenly, the things that work with a student no longer work. It can get exhausting for us, but imagine how hard that is for the students with ADHD!

Understanding students with ADHD

I’ve heard a lot of opinions from colleagues and friends about ADHD, but as a teacher who did not specialize in learning challenges, it’s clear how lacking our own training and even the continuing professional development on the subject is. Me? I took one special education class that covered so many disabilities and behavioral disorders that it was really easy to confuse them, let alone remember all of the acronyms tossed around in education! ODD, ADHD, IEP, IDEA, ADA, PTSD, SST . . . the list is ridiculous!

Is ADHD a new epidemic?

I see the constant posts online about how ADHD is a new childhood epidemic, how it all comes from parents who are on their smartphones and kids who watch endless tv and play video games nonstop. Look, we all knew kids in the 80s who were more easily distracted or had trouble with excess energy. What we didn’t know until more recently is how many of them went undiagnosed until they were adults!

The question shouldn’t be why so many kids have ADHD now but rather how much did the undiagnosed kids struggle back then. Why do so many people feel the need to prove that ADHD is a brand-new, made up thing, or that it is caused by all of these new gadgets and technology?

We can try to find reasons for ADHD (it’s largely genetic), but the simple fact is we all work with students struggling with this, and it’s our job to help these students as much as we can.

Here are some things to know about students with ADHD:

1.  The decision to medicate or not can be a heart-breaking choice that many parents are very conflicted over.

There isn’t a right choice, and it is no one’s place to judge a family’s decision. It is a very personal decision for every family, and it takes a lot of consideration. Sometimes medications work well for a while, and then suddenly the dose is all wrong. At times, medications can cause terrible side effects. Other times they are amazing and there are no issues at all.

Some parents don’t want to medicate. Other parents want to get to the root of the problem naturally, if possible. Some families combine medication with natural products. Other families regularly meet with a therapist. There are so many ways to tackle ADHD. The road can be long, and the parents need the teachers to understand that they are trying. Even if you don’t see the results immediately, please know they they are trying.

From talking with families with ADHD at school and in my personal life, I have seen the frustration, the apprehension, and the conflicted thoughts. Of course the parents want their children to do well. I’m sure they wish they could get to the bottom of why their child has such trouble with attention, with getting that work done.

It’s possible that they have tried every food elimination diet around. Maybe they’ve taken the vitamins or tried the essential oils. Many have read countless books. All these things may help a little bit, but nothing is going to be an overnight success, and they can’t just “fix” their child so he or she will write more quickly or get it all done in the same time as other kids.

2.  ADHD is not caused by poor discipline at home.

Yes, it seems like some kids with ADHD just need some structure, some rules. Let me tell you, I know plenty of families that still struggle even with solid routines and structure. I’ve known kids who get almost no screen time, and unfortunately, this has not made a huge change in behavior.

I’ve known kids with ADHD who get a lot of physical activity. They go to bed early, and they sleep well. They eat well. The house has clear and consistent rules. When the child doesn’t do work on time, it is not because they have raised a disrespectful child whose intention each morning is to go to school and make his or her teacher miserable. It is because the student needs more time, a quiet space, or a little bit of help staying on task.

3.  Punishing a child for taking too long will not make him or her work faster.

Why would a teacher punish or send a child away because he/she is too slow? If the child is not able to complete work with his/her teacher there, that child will be even less likely to do it when yelled at, shamed, and sent away to work in the classroom of another teacher. All the teacher has done here is lost the child’s trust, and that makes him/her much less likely to want to work for the teacher the next time. Creating fear in a child with ADHD is not going to create productivity.

Some students with ADHD also have a slow processing speed. Learn more here.

If there is a resource room that has been agreed upon by the teachers and family, then allowing the child to work somewhere else might be a good option. If a teacher sends the child to another room because he or she doesn’t want to deal with the student, then the teacher has shut that child down and told him/her that it is a bother to find another way.

4.  Every child with ADHD is different.

Yes, every child you teach will be different. Just as we learn the strengths and weaknesses of all of our students, just as we learn their quirks, we should learn what works for each student. There is not a “quick fix” for ADHD. We can’t just add one or two accomodations such as touch strips to a desk or a wiggle stool and feel like we’ve done our part. If the child is older, you can ask him/her what helps. When you are dealing with a younger child, ask the parents what methods they have. If they don’t have any in place yet, you can try some together.

5.  ADHD does not just affect a child in the classroom.

Do you notice if your students with ADHD have friends? On the playground, do they interact with others or do they wander the alone? Do they play well with friends of the same age? ADHD affects every aspect of this student’s life. While you are seeing the class behavior, it’s important to understand just how hard every task is. Getting up and getting dressed? Eating breakfast? Brushing those teeth? Getting school supplies together? Being on time?

Every morning, that child and his/her parent(s) have a lot of tasks that are just plain harder for a kid with ADHD. Then school happens, then homework time, then bedtime. It can even be so hard for some kids with ADHD to go to sleep. Parents use every tactic in the world to help these amazing, powerful, active brains to calm down. Weighted blankets, essential oils, herbs, special baths. So, when you deal with ADHD in the class, it’s important to remember that this child deals with it everywhere, everyday. It is exhausting, and it is hard for them to understand, so be empathetic. After all, at the end of the day, they are children with sweet, sensitive hearts.

6.  Having ADHD doesn’t mean the child is less smart.

Some kids with ADHD consistently scores in the very top percentile of their age group. They can be advanced readers or really great at math or science. They may need remediation or they may be proficient or even advanced. ADHD is not an indicator of understanding or intelligence! As teachers, it can be really mind-boggling when you know how smart a child is, yet he or she does not produce the quality of work we know is possible.

Struggling to produce written work is very common for students with ADHD. It does not mean the child is dumb or does not understand. What is does mean is that the child will have a harder time than other students showing you his/her ideas, but it does not mean that those ideas aren’t there. It is important to not give up on a student with ADHD or assume he/she is not learning just because that learning looks different. When students learn differently, they need teachers who teach differently.

7.  Students with ADHD want to behave correctly.

A lot of teachers would love to have students with ADHD show up to school ready to sit and work. What we have to know is that some of these kids HAVE to move. It’s like they are driven by an internal motor that will not slow down. If it is irritating to you, think about what the child feels like when he/she cannot stop it but knows that it will cause problems. Some kids do not display hyperactive behaviors, but that may just mean that their mind is extremely busy even if they do not look overly active.

Students with ADHD are not fidgety or slow to annoy teachers. In fact, I’ve had numerous students tell me how they wish they could just be “normal.” Every noise, smell, or movement is a distraction that a student with ADHD feels compelled to investigate. They know what they are supposed to be doing, but actually doing it means ignoring the distraction. Kids with ADHD struggle with impulse control, so even though they know what is expected, they have a much harder time actually getting there.

8.  Multi-step directions are harder for students with ADHD.

If a teacher gives directions while walking through the room passing out papers, he or she might just have to repeat those directions for the students with ADHD. Often, they can remember the first step, but they will forget everything else they are supposed to do. If the teacher is talking and moving and doing other things, they may not even hear the first step.

A student with ADHD may need to be near you and focusing on you to hear your instructions. If there is too much commotion, if you are moving around and doing several things at once, or if you give too many steps, they might not even start on the first one. They might not even hear you. Move close to your inattentive students. Make sure they are with you. Break it down for them if you need to. They can do everything you want them to do, but they can’t do it if they didn’t hear the directions.

So, what can we do?

1.  Provide movement.

This is the number one thing that helped some of my students who struggled to focus. A lot of kids can’t sit still for 3 hours. Really, what child should? But some cannot. In classes with movement and interaction, a change of pace, and fun, engaging activities, he thrives. In classes where students have to sit still in a chair and complete worksheet after worksheet, they may shut off.  They don’t get the work done, the teacher gets mad, they gets frustrated, and it all goes downhill from there.

Read HERE to find some ways to incorporate movement into your classroom.

2.  Praise your students.

A lot of schools have student awards, and I believe in awarding responsible behavior. However, a lot of students with ADHD will never win no matter how hard they are trying, because by nature, they are impulsive, slow to start, slow to finish, and it just seems like they aren’t following the rules. It may not always look like it, but they are trying. When no one recognizes those efforts, even if those efforts don’t look like everyone else’s, that can be really hard.

I’m a huge supporter of student incentives. And no, I don’t feel like we need to celebrate every little thing a student does. However, when a student does well, a quick pat on the back, a sticker, a stamp, or a note on the desk can go a long way. I know this isn’t something I should have to say, but when a child goes home defeated day after day because he or she is trying his/her very best, to the point of exhaustion, but still the student doesn’t hear a kind word . . .  it takes the joy out of learning very quickly.

We can try to build the child up by recognizing his or her accomplishments or effort rather than tear the student down because he or she doesn’t function exactly as the other students do. When I do student awards, I don’t compare students to one another, because they are all so different. I look for progress that the student is making for him or herself.

3.  Provide choice.

We’ve probably all heard the quote that has been attributed to Albert Einstein : The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Well, if we are doing the same tasks over and over, if we aren’t getting the results we wanted from ALL students, then why do we keep doing it that way?

Of course, there will be tasks that all students must do, but if a student struggles to write, can they do a skit? If they can’t sit and read quietly, can they read out loud to a classmate? If copying spelling words down is not effective (because is it really the most effective way for all students anyways?), is there a way that the student can practice the words out loud or with manipulatives? There are many ways to get to the desired goal, and the more options you offer, the more students you’ll get to master that task. You’ll help your students with ADHD, but you’ll see others thrive, too, when they can learn with their preferred learning style.

4.  Work with parents and colleagues.

Parents can be your best ally, and they can also be really difficult to work with. But, in the end, both the teacher and the parent are responsible for the education of the child, so reach out to them. Don’t assume that they are not doing anything at home. Maybe they aren’t . . . but maybe they are doing everything they can while constantly trying to find other ways to help. The point is, we cannot assume. You might find that the parents are a great source of help in finding ways to be successful with the student. If they are not so helpful, then ask your school counselor for strategies that might be effective.

5.  Be caring.

We might not see it, but our words, our sighs of exasperation, or our tone of voice can crush a little heart. The bedtime tears over the day’s events must be heart-breaking. So when we are irritated, when we are fed up, it’s really important to treat the child respectfully. Let’s be the adult, be caring, and know that this sweet child is not trying to make us miserable.

When you do have to correct students with ADHD, you can do so respectfully. A quiet conversation at a convenient time can help you address behaviors much better than yelling at the student in front of the entire class. Building a relationship is important with all students. For students with ADHD, it can be the key to a successful year.

6.  Take time to figure out ADHD.

Because we are often so lacking in professional development for special needs students, we need to take time to understand what is happening. ADHD can look like laziness, misbehavior, or lack of caring, and if we treat it as such, we are missing an opportunity to educate that child. By understanding what makes the ADHD child act that way, we can begin to see from his/her perspective, and we’ll get why our directions, our worksheets, our manner of doing certain things might not be effective for those students.

I love this YouTube channel by Jessica McCabe. She is an adult with ADHD that helps educate people about the struggles of ADHD. Her videos provide some helpful tips for dealing with particular behaviors. This video is a great place to start.

Click here to watch this video from How to ADHD.

Do you have any tips on how to help students with ADHD? Share them below!