ADD Student

Posts Tagged ‘learning’

Everyone can remember a class clown or two from their school years. You may even know an adult version.

Class clowns are often kids with ADHD who use humor as a defensive device. The kid with poor grades and awkward social skills could quite easily find himself on the fringes of the classroom when it comes to popularity.

Being the class clown, providing entertainment to the class, can make him more likable. Awkward or non-existent social skills become less important, because the child is always perceived as the silly clown, looking for another laugh.

Like a lot of clowns, though, the class clown might be laughing on the outside but crying on the inside.

All kids know that grades are important. The ones who shrug them off as no big deal do so because they have trouble earning good grades. Pretending not to care seems to make it hurt less.

If you have a class clown, you need to take some action:

If you haven’t already, consider testing for ADHD and/or learning disabilities.

Consider medication as an option. There are many ADHD medications available; it takes trial and error to find the right one and the right dose.

If you decide not to medicate, you will have to be more vigilant when it comes to things like diet, sleep habits, and exercise. Some people do respond to treating ADHD naturally, but it does take some work.

Consider tutoring and extra help in order to reinforce learning.

Work with the teacher to establish proper behavior in the classroom. Dr. Ruth A. Peters recommends a simple system. Each day, the teacher tapes a 3 x 5 card with 5 stars on it to the child’s desk. At any time of the day, if behavior is not under control, the teacher will walk by quietly and cross off one star.

Dr. Peters suggests that if the behavior occurs after a period of diligent work, to let the child keep the star.

At the end of the day, the teacher initials the card and sends it home with the child. If there is at least one star remaining on the card, the day should be counted as a success. A card with no stars means a loss of a privilege for a day.

According to Dr. Peters, this method can be very effective in maintaining good behavior. After two weeks of good behavior, step the card down to 4 stars. Continue on in this manner until there is only one star on the card or the system is no longer needed.

Above all, let your child know that while it’s OK to be appreciated for your sense of humor, it shouldn’t come at a personal cost.

I used to teach a class for UAW workers at Daimler Chrysler. The class was designed to prepare them for a skilled trades exam and included a lot of math and some physics.

I vividly remember one gentleman I worked with who was having trouble understanding percentages. It seemed that the concept was too much a concept to him and not rooted in anything he could relate to.

That is, until we found some common ground.

I pointed out another student. “See this guy? Let’s say he owes you $100 and he’s just paid you $40. What percent did he pay and what percent does he still owe you?”

It was like I had turned on a light. His face lit up and he got the answer right away. Not only that, but he understood the concept as well and could apply it to more complicated problems.

Talk theory and he doesn’t understand. Talk about money you owe him and now it’s personal; he gets it.

The same thing is true for your ADD Student. Often what they need is to have an idea demonstrated to them in a way that they understand and can relate to.

Want to teach percentages to a teen aged girl? Take her to a sale at the mall. If she can get that cute outfit for 20% off, she’ll be doing math in no time. You could probably work in a little supply and demand lesson in there as well.

There are all kinds of real life lessons that can be used for making theory come alive. Got a sports fan? All kinds of math there – percentages, statistics, supply and demand – I’m sure there’s more.

Need to understand Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew”? Rent “10 Things I Hate About You” with Julia Stiles and a very young Heath Ledger.

Physics or science in general giving your child a hard time? Check out some of the cable channels like the Discovery Channel, or the Science Channel. Myth Busters is a very entertaining show that is just full of physics and science.

You might need to help your student relate what they read in a textbook to what they see on TV, but in the end, the lesson will stick with them.

Take advantage of all the resources we have at our disposal to help make learning relevant for your child.

When I first decided to become an ADD Coach, it was to help kids who have ADHD do better in school. I did it for several years and found it both frustrating and rewarding.

My life circumstances have changed and I no longer do coaching, but I thought I would give you a little information about it in case you have considered it.

Coaching can be a very effective way to help students with ADHD be more successful in school but it can also be a very long and slow process.

Most coaches who work with ADHD do not specialize in students and learning and most of them work over the phone.

I personally have found that it is more difficult to engage a teen or adolescent over the phone. In addition, one of the most important keys to successful ADHD coaching is motivation to change. I find that in many cases, the parents are motivated but the child is not.

When you are looking for help for your ADD Student, the best place to start is to get an idea of where the problem actually is.

Are their grades poor in math because they don’t understand it or is it because they have so many missing assignments? Are they getting good grades on their tests but not in the class overall? Is it a problem regardless of the class or is it just one or two classes?

Talk to your child and their teachers to get a better idea of what’s going on so that you can begin to formulate a solution.

If the problem is academic – they don’t understand math – then a tutor may help. You might want to find one that is knowledgeable about ADHD; that could be a huge help.

If the problem is losing assignments or managing time, you might want to consider a personal organizer. Again, knowledge of ADHD is helpful.

If they are doing well on assignments but not tests, it may be test anxiety. You can work with them to teach them some skills to help, or you could see a professional.

Psychologists and social workers are often good people to seek out to help with behavioral changes, and may be covered by your health insurance too.