ADHD - Week 4

Welcome to the final week of our blog series on ADHD! I have enjoyed writing about this topic and providing tips for families and parents. I hope you all have learned from this as well and are implementing some of the suggested positive changes in your households.

In our final lesson today, we are going to discuss classroom environment and homework. A student with ADHD can present unique challenges in the classroom. Inattention, hyperactivity or impulsive behavior can be the source of frustration for both teachers and parents, but there are ways to improve the educational experience of students with ADHD.

A few suggestions when working in a classroom setting are:

• Work on the most difficult concepts early in the day
• Give directions to one assignment at a time instead of directions to multiple tasks all at once
• Vary the pace and type of activity to maximize the students attention
• Structure the student's environment to accommodate his or her special needs

Tailoring the environment can be as simple as seating the student away from potentially distracting areas (such as doors, windows, computers, etc.) or pairing them with another student who is working on a shared assignment.

When it comes to homework, it's important to set reasonable goals for student. It's also important to reward the student for their good behavior. Whether that is a trip to the treasure chest, a pretty sticker or a high-five, it's a recognition that they did what they were supposed to do. Set simple goals like these:

• Bring completed homework to class
• Write homework in assignment book with X or fewer reminders
• Return homework the next day signed by parent
• Have all needed materials for homework in backpack at the end of the day

Again, these are simple yet important tasks that reinforce the importance of structure within the classroom. For more information, check out helpguide.org. It's a non-profit resource with a lot of great tips on ADD/ADHD and School.

As always, thank you for reading. This blog series has been a lot of fun and I hope to do more in the future. Please feel free to leave comments and ask questions. Have a wonderful week!

All the best,

Renee