By Mimi Rothschild
In 2007 it seems as if everyone is close to a child that has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but what exactly is ADHD/ADD? How do you know if your child is suffering from this disorder? How do you teach a child with ADD/ADHD, especially if they are homeschooled?
Learn the answers to all these questions and more in the helpful article below which I came across last night. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!
ERIC EC Digest #E569, September 1998
Defining Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)
Attention deficit disorder is a syndrome characterized by serious and persistent difficulties in the following three specific areas:
Attention span
Impulse control
Hyperactivity (sometimes)
ADD is a chronic disorder that can begin in infancy and extend through adulthood. It can have negative effects on a child’s life at home, in school, and within the community. It is conservatively estimated that 3 to 5% of our school-age population is affected by ADD.
The condition previously fell under the headings “learning disabled,” “brain damaged,” “hyperkinetic,” and/or “hyperactive.” The term attention deficit disorder was introduced to describe the characteristics of these children more clearly.
Diagnosing ADD/ADHD
According to the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., rev., American Psychiatric Association, 1994), to arrive at a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, the clinician must note the presence of at least six of the nine following criteria for either Attention Span or Hyperactivity/Impulsivity.
Attention Span Criteria
Pays little attention to details; makes careless mistakes.
Has short attention span.
Does not listen when spoken to directly.
Does not follow instructions; fails to finish tasks.
Has difficulty organizing tasks.
Avoids tasks that require sustained mental effort.
Loses things.
Is easily distracted.
Is forgetful in daily activities.
Hyperactivity Criteria
Fidgets; squirms in seat.
Leaves seat in classroom when remaining seated is expected.
Often runs about or climbs excessively at inappropriate times.
Has difficulty playing quietly.
Talks excessively.
Impulsivity Criteria
Blurts out answers before questions are completed.
Has difficulty awaiting turn.
Often interrupts or intrudes on others.
Establishing the Proper Learning Environment
Seat students with ADD near the teacher’s desk, but include them as part of the regular class seating.
Place these students up front with their backs to the rest of the class to keep other students out of view.
Surround students with ADD with good role models.
Encourage peer tutoring and cooperative/collaborative learning.
Avoid distracting stimuli. Try not to place students with ADD near air conditioners, high traffic areas, heaters, or doors or windows.
Children with ADD do not handle change well, so avoid transitions, physical relocation (monitor them closely on field trips), changes in schedule, and disruptions.
Be creative! Produce a stimuli-reduced study area. Let all students have access to this area so the student with ADD will not feel different.
Encourage parents to set up appropriate study space at home, with set times and routines established for study, parental review of completed homework, and periodic notebook and/or book bag organization.
Giving Instructions to Students with ADD/ADHD
Maintain eye contact during verbal instruction.
Make directions clear and concise. Be consistent with daily instructions.
Simplify complex directions. Avoid multiple commands.
Make sure students comprehend the instructions before beginning the task.
Repeat instructions in a calm, positive manner, if needed.
Help the students feel comfortable with seeking assistance (most children with ADD will not ask for help). Gradually reduce the amount of assistance, but keep in mind that these children will need more help for a longer period of time than the average child.
Require a daily assignment notebook if necessary:
Make sure each student correctly writes down all assignments each day. If a student is not capable of this, the teacher should help him or her.
Sign the notebook daily to signify completion of homework assignments. (Parents should also sign.)
Use the notebook for daily communication with parents.
Giving Assignments
Give out only one task at a time.
Monitor frequently. Maintain a supportive attitude.
Modify assignments as needed. Consult with special education personnel to determine specific strengths and weaknesses of each student.
Develop an individualized education program.
Make sure you are testing knowledge and not attention span.
Give extra time for certain tasks. Students with ADD may work slowly. Do not penalize them for needing extra time.
Keep in mind that children with ADD are easily frustrated. Stress, pressure, and fatigue can break down their self-control and lead to poor behavior.
Modifying Behavior and Enhancing Self-Esteem
Providing Supervision and Discipline:
Remain calm, state the infraction of the rule, and avoid debating or arguing with the student.
Have pre-established consequences for misbehavior.
Administer consequences immediately, and monitor proper behavior frequently.
Enforce classroom rules consistently.
Make sure the discipline fits the “crime,” without harshness.
Avoid ridicule and criticism. Remember, children with ADD have difficulty staying in control.
Avoid publicly reminding students on medication to “take their medicine.”
Providing Encouragement:
Reward more than you punish, in order to build self-esteem.
Praise immediately any and all good behavior and performance.
Change rewards if they are not effective in motivating behavioral change.
Find ways to encourage the child.
Teach the child to reward himself or herself. Encourage positive self-talk (e.g., “You did very well remaining in your seat today. How do you feel about that?”). This encourages the child to think positively about himself or herself.
Other Educational Recommendations
Educational, psychological, and/or neurological testing to determine learning style and cognitive ability and to rule out any learning disabilities (common in about 30% of students with ADD).
A private tutor and/or peer tutoring at school.
A class that has a low student-teacher ratio.
Social skills training and organizational skills training.
Training in cognitive restructuring (positive “self-talk,” e.g., “I did that well”).
Use of a word processor or computer for schoolwork.
Individualized activities that are mildly competitive or noncompetitive such as bowling, walking, swimming, jogging, biking, karate. (Note: Children with ADD/ADHD may not do as well as their peers in team sports.)
Involvement in social activities such as scouting, church groups, or other youth organizations that help develop social skills and self-esteem.
Allowing children with ADD to play with younger children, if that is where they fit in. Many children with ADD have more in common with younger children than with their age-peers. They can still develop valuable social skills from interaction with younger children.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., rev.) (DSM-IV-R). Washington, DC: APA.
Suggested Reading
Bender, W. (1997). Understanding ADHD: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Parents. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Fiore, T. (1993). “Educational interventions for students with attention deficit disorder.” Exceptional Children, 60(2), 163-73.
Gardill, M. (1996). “Classroom strategies for managing students with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.” Intervention in School and Clinic, 32(2), 89-94.
Hallowell, E. (1994). Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood. Tappan, NJ: Simon & Schuster.
Hartmann, T. (1993). Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception. Novato, CA: Underwood-Miller.
Reeve, R. (1996). A Continuing Education Program on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
Rief, S. (1997). The ADD/ADHD Checklist. An Easy Reference for Parents and Teachers. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
Robelia, B. (1997). “Tips for working with ADHD students of all ages.” Journal of Experiential Education, 20(1), 51-53.
Schiller, E. (1996). “Educating children with attention deficit disorder.” Our Children, 22(2), 32-33.
Contact your local school psychologist, examiner, or personnel in charge of assessment and diagnosis in your school district for specific information and local programs.
Copyright ©1996-1998
ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/go/http/www.eric.ed.gov/
By Mimi Rothschild
America is at the crossroads in many different facets of life. Religion, or difference in opinion on religious issues, acts as the catalyst that has propelled America to this new era of hostility between Christians and Atheists.
According to Rachel Zoll of The Washington Post Christopher Hitchens has published another anti-Christian book entitled “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” that has reached the top of the best-seller list. These sort of weightless attacks have become common over the last few years.
The spiritual battle in America is increasingly becoming more and more evident each day, especially in America’s schools. Zoll questions the future of America’s public schools because of the rapid growth of Christian homeschools.
Be sure to check out the debate between Hitchens and Reverend Doug Wilson, author of “Letter from a Christian Citizen,” on Christianity Today.
Other hotly debated topics that normally divide between religious lines include abortion, which the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a ban on partial-birth abortions.
To read more of Zoll’s compelling article click here.
By Mimi Rothschild
For those of you who haven’t been following this week’s series of posts, please check out the last few entries before reading these tips. It will give you some context.
As adolescence stretches far into young-adulthood, it’s clear that homeschooling parents need to do something to help their teens develop into healthy, productive, mature adults. Here are some things that parents can do to help smooth out the transition from the homeschooling nest into the mean, cruel world.
Encourage part-time jobs
Some parents are under the impression that teens should not have to worry about getting a job. After all, they’ll be working for the rest of their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth! A part-time job is an excellent way to prepare teens for life in the workplace. Every teen should have the opportunity to make some extra money while learning valuable real-world skills. The extra money that they will earn will be tremendously helpful while they get on their feet. It’s also excellent for college applications and resumes.
Establish strong fiscal responsibility
Young adults living at home with parents is a disturbing trend among our youth. When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to get out of the house and strike out on my own. Today, college loans and a competitive job market for college grads ensure that teens will have a tough time making the transition into adulthood. You can help your child make the switch by instilling money management techniques in your homeschoolers. There are a variety of books available for such a purpose.
Establish consequences for mistakes
There are few things more damaging to a child’s development than removing natural consequences out of pity. When a teenager messes up, and he or she eventually will, it’s important that parents don’t bail their children out all the time. By not doing so, you are setting up your children for a life of dependence on you, on others, or on the state.
De-mystify perpetual adolescence
The concept of perpetual adolescence connotes the idolization of youth as being something that adults should strive towards, even as they age. This concept is highly correlated with Rosseau’s “noble savage.” It’s important that we instill a respect for the elder in our children. We want our teens to look towards adulthood with anticipation, eager to experience the freedom and autonomy that comes with being an adult. Today, young adults look at their lives with an “it’s all downhill from here” attitude. To break this perception, explain to your teens the benefits of adulthood from an early age.
By Mimi Rothschild
Many parents turn to homeschooling due to the special needs of a disabled child. Homeschooling possesses many attributes that are attractive to parents of disabled children.
Learning disabled children are given a place to work at their own pace. The pressure to keep up with the rest of the class is removed and the child is free to pursue knowledge in his or her own unique way. The one-on-one help from mom or dad also facilitates education for children with learning disabilities.
Physically disabled children are given the attention and care they need as well. Whether the child is in a wheel chair or needs help using writing utensils, these precious children are given extra parental care that only homeschooling can afford. Physical therapists can also come into the home to provide care. Best of all, children are free from taunting or exclusion that unfortunately fills public schools.
The mentally disabled are similarly given extra attention in the homeschool. Autistic kids who are uncomfortable in close quarters with their peers are afforded a quiet and comfortable place to learn. Those with Down’s Syndrome and other mental conditions are able to learn at a lower grade level without feeling out of place in the classroom.
Even children with ADD or ADHD can benefit from homeschooling. It gives children a place to focus their attention apart from distractions.
Here are some helpful links for parents who are facing the daunting task of home educating a disabled child. May the Lord bless you for your brave and unselfish desire to see your child grow in the Lord, unhindered by the shackles that modern society would enforce with the public school.
LD Online: This website alone has fourteen insightful articles on various topics from how fathers can play a role in the disabled homeschooler’s education to dealing with the siblings of a disabled homeschool child.
Bay Shore School: This homeschooling mother started a website to provide a resource for other mothers who have learning disabled children of all kinds.
Athens Oracle: This woman’s homepage is full of resources and links for homeschool parents who are dealing with raising a disabled child.
Positively ADD: Jan has compiled resources and heartfelt personal writings about raising children with ADD.
By Mimi Rothschild
When visiting friends last year, I had the opportunity to visit some homeschooling friends of mine on the other side of Pennsylvania. With eight children, their house is often a chaotic maelstrom of activity. My time spent at their house is usually marked by loud yelps, whines, stomping and running as the mother and I enjoy coffee.
On this particular morning however, I entered to find an unusually serene family. They invited me to sit down in one corner as their family commenced their weekly worship time. Each child held an instrument. Some were makeshift drums and tambourines, others were actual store-bought instruments like piano and flute. As we sang the first song, the rumble of hands on drums (in this case laundry baskets and buckets) increased. Tender voices and handclaps lifted up to the heavens.
This image almost brought me to tears. Here was a family that was worshipping the Lord together in upmost sincerity. Each child was praising according to his talents. Sometimes it was a disorganized din, other times a beautiful, quiet, melody with closed eyes and open hearts. It was always heartfelt and ultimately joyful.
What an amazing event! How can evil hope to stand against this family! The family that comes together to worship the Lord is a powerful force in His army. With every note, this family was taking ground against the Enemy. It wasn’t just a worship service, it was spiritual warfare at its purest.
I would encourage you to think about how you can incorporate a worship time in your family. You don’t need six kids or expensive instruments, just a desire to give glory to God. I think you will be surprised at how your children will behave. The desire to please Him exists within your child’s heart. This is just one creative way to bring it out.