| Dealing with ADHD in the classroom is a challenge | | | | children will tune out before tuning in. |
| for any student with attention deficit hyperactivity | | | | *Changing activities: Once you have accomplished |
| disorder. Realistically, they are in many ways the | | | | the goal of getting your child to focus it may be |
| opposite of what the stereotype for a successful | | | | difficult for them to switch gears. The most |
| student should be. They often misbehave, have | | | | effective way to deal with this situation is to |
| trouble staying quiet, don't follow directions well, | | | | prepare him/her for the change to come |
| tend to forget important facts, and struggle with | | | | beforehand and give incremental reminders along |
| staying focused during tests and lectures. With | | | | the way. When the time comes to switch from |
| challenges like these it is easy to see why a | | | | geography to math help him/her with the change |
| whopping eight out of every ten students with | | | | by having their books and learning material |
| ADHD underachieve academically. | | | | organized so that the change will appear natural |
| As parents there is only so much we can do to | | | | and seamless. |
| help our children succeed in school. Nevertheless, | | | | *Help them with organization: Organization and |
| through vigilance, hard work, and good | | | | dealing with ADHD in the classroom are almost |
| communication with teachers and faculty | | | | synonymous with one another. This is also a one |
| members you can definitely make a difference. | | | | of the traits that carries over into adulthood, so |
| Let's look at a few of the challenges elementary | | | | helping your child learn how to get and stay |
| school aged children face and how as a parent | | | | organized may be one of the best learning gifts |
| you might be able to make a real difference. | | | | you can provide. Young children with this condition |
| *Attention and focus: If you have researched | | | | will probably have a difficult time keeping track of |
| attention deficit disorder you know that | | | | their personal possessions regularly leave their |
| maintaining attention and focus is one of the most | | | | books and homework assignments at home. Their |
| difficult challenges these children face. The most | | | | work station could double for a tornado zone that |
| effective way to get and keep an ADHD child's | | | | Sherlock Holmes would be hard pressed to locate |
| attention is to provide an environment along with | | | | last week's reference material. Use your life |
| subject matter they find stimulating. If these | | | | experiences to help them do better in each area. |
| young children find something interesting it is | | | | A couple of examples would be color coding and |
| amazing who well they can stay focused. On the | | | | pre-packing their homework and books the night |
| other hand school is a mismatched cornucopia of | | | | before the big test. |
| different learning experiences that many ADHD | | | | |