|
Now here lies the tricky bit
....... when an ADD child is truly passionate about something, say for
instance learning, then you may have a child that is
extremely focussed. In the classroom, the child is the top student,
very bright & showing signs of a high achiever & maybe giftedness. In the classroom they
have structure, other children doing what they have to, so they have a
visual reference of what to do. Because of their abilities, they
appear very confident, even arrogant at times & can be a class leader.
They can be into everything at school, but at home you hear a
different story; obstinate, unmotivated, badly organised, a chronic
procrastinator & controlling. Because they may have a certain
amount of charisma, the problem areas are often overlooked
unintentionally. So, look at the list above, look in the strategies
section of this site and maybe you can help the child on a
constructive level.
Often it is the opposite to what you
see as a teacher! It is often assumed that it is a parenting
skills problem, but in many cases these kids have been concentrating
so hard at school (their passion) that by the time they get home to
their comfort zone, they have used up their energy to concentrate there
as well. It sounds like a contradiction of terms, especially when the
kids seem to have too much energy when they get home! After school
sport is a great way of "re-energising" their brains by lifting their
dopamine levels, naturally, through exercise.
At other times, these bright kids,
especially those who have not had the outside activities to teach them
social cues, can have social problems and their 'difference' is more
noticeable & quite disabling. Often it leads to anxiety disorders &
depression. This is why it is so necessary that teachers are taught
strategies and the correct language to use for when self esteem &
social problems arise. Preferably it is nipped at the first signs
of a problem before it becomes a full blown issue. The videos on this
site will help you to recognise the signs in the first instance
and to apply preventative discipline such as those
contained in "When the Chips are Down" with
Richard Lavoie.
LD & ADHD Kids are less
likely to ask for help ..... so it is up to you to offer that help!
ADHD is a
complex difference; it is easily missed in the classroom
especially if the child is passing. But passing is not what this is
about .... it is helping kids to not just pass but to prepare
them for life in the future, to be the very best they can be, to draw
out their abilities & to have confidence in themselves. It is a big
ask, for sure, but this is what teaching is truly all about.
Education is not only about teaching a subject but about inspiring
students to learn lifelong.
On the
strategies page you will find various ways of dealing with the
different issues that arise with a diagnosed, and suspected, ADDlet (a
term that is used with affection in the ADHD community!) On the
articles page you will find a link to an article called
"It's Okay To Be Different" that I suggest you read,
especially if you are a high school teacher. Teens like this one too
if they are diagnosed, as they feel someone truly understands them and feel like
they are reading about themselves in many circumstances .... it can
give them an "Ah Ha!" moment. The article by
Dr Edward
Hallowell also explains to teens about their difference. Dr. Hallowell
is also Dyslexic, ADHD & a Professor of Psychiatry! (Look in the
articles section of this site)
Also, one
thing to note here that is extremely important ...... if you have an
ADHD child in your school or life, then there is an extremely strong
chance that you have an ADHD parent who is probably undiagnosed.
These parents are fiercely loyal and can exhibit the "unusual sense of
fairness" trait and can be at times unreasonable, blinded by their
love of their child. By
learning what you can about ADHD in adults, you will ultimately help
the child as you will be able to deal more effectively with the
parents.
(see the articles page).
Call it "preventative action".
|
