Attention Deficit Disorder and students

Children who exhibit inattentiveness, impulsive behavior, or hyperactivity are said to have attention deficit disorder, sometimes referred to as attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADD/ADHD). Children with ADD/ADHD struggle with learning because they can’t focus for extended periods of time, much like Mooney did. Additionally, because of their hyperactivity or occasional forgetfulness, students may experience harsh classroom lectures, feel outcasts, and even consider self-harming behaviors like suicide.

Managing Children with ADD/ADHD: Challenges

Teachers who work with kids who have this issue frequently struggle to support them academically. This is because such students are easily distracted, forgetful, do not follow instructions, dislike activities that take time, do not finish schoolwork and they quickly lose things that are needed in learning or carrying out an assignment. In group work, they often drag behind affecting the lesson plans. Moreover, they do not like keeping quiet and as such, they talk excessively, they are always on the go, and when asked questions, they will blurt out even the question is completed. Just like Jonathan Mooney in his younger years, such kids are a distraction and are often causing chaos thus becoming a problem to teachers.

Medication of Children with ADD/ADHD

Neither the school nor a teacher has any authority to require that a parent makes his/her child take medication to go to school. The teacher only has the responsibility of notifying the parents on the symptoms that a child exhibits with regards to ADD/ADHD. Despite that the medication will help the child to remember things and pay attention to class work, it is the decision of the parent to take action (Wrightslaw, 2013). Teachers involvement in diagnosing is not acceptable. They have the responsibility of informing the parents when they notice something wrong about a kid. Therefore, teachers should put little or no pressure on parents for the medication of ADD/ADHD children.

Strategies for Addressing Learning Needs for Children with ADD/ADHD

Kids with this problem require committed teachers who are willing to help them overcome the disorder. Just like Mooney’s high school English teacher, they should have patience, consistency, and creativity so that they can identify such student’s needs and strengths. This will aid in preparing lessons which help the child to focus on his schoolwork thus learn to his potential. For a successful program that will assist kids with ADD/ADHD, three vital components of intervention, accommodation, and instruction need to be integrated by the teacher (HelpGuide.org, 2017).

References

HelpGuide.org. (2017, July). Teaching Students with ADHD:Helping Students with Attention Deficit Disorder Succeed at School. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/teaching-students-with-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder.htm

Jonathan Mooney: “The Gift: LD/ADHD Reframed” (2012). [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQYBd-Jm4bE

Mooney, J. (2017). Jonathan Mooney. Retrieved from https://www.jonathanmooney.com/

Wrightslaw. (2013, June 23). The Wrightslaw way to Special Education Lawand Advocacy. Retrieved from http://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/the-school-insists-we-medicate-my-daughter/