ADHD is one of the most common challenges that children in school display. Many teachers may find it challenging to support students with ADHD because they may not have been given strategies to support these students and are left to learn on their own. This blog post will help teachers understand w

I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of what ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is. If you are reading this post there is an excellent chance you already know what it is because you are dealing with it in your classroom. I’m also going to go out on a limb and assume that […]

Six years ago, I didn’t know I would be searching for strategies for students with ADHD, but here I am!

Interventions and tips to encourage compliance in school or at home. Covers prompting, directions, reinforcement, and escalation. Best for those supporting students with ADHD, Autism, or other special needs. Useful when working on behaviors.Follow me on Instagram! CathyBTeaching...

18 of our best teaching tips and ADHD strategies to make ADHD in the classroom more manageable for students and teachers alike!

Every classroom has students who struggle with staying focused in school, whether or not students have a diagnosis of ADHD. The focusing strategies for

Brandi Schamber has worked with a lot of students with ADHD. Here are 8 ideas you might never have thought of for teaching students with ADHD.

18 of our best teaching tips and ADHD strategies to make ADHD in the classroom more manageable for students and teachers alike!

I know I am not alone when I say that I struggle to sit through staff meetings without doodling on my paper, shifting in my seat, getting up to use the bathroom and occasionally whispering with my teacher friend next to me. Now, these are every other week, and only for an hour. Every time I leave, I […]

Learn how to teach quadrilaterals conceptually rather than having your students memorize the names of shapes. Tips for teaching quadrilaterals are included! Implement in your 4th grade or 5th grade math class today!

There are many, many things that can done to help your child be successful at school. Getting a 504 with individualized accommodations is a great start. Having this ADHD accommodations checklist at hand can be a life saver.

Tips to help kids with ADHD stay organized, motivated and productive at home and at school. There are many positives to having ADHD.

This ADHD cheat sheet offers helpful information for individuals coping with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The sheet provides a definition of ADHD, Common Symptoms of ADHD, Strategies For Improving Focus With ADHD, Time Management Tips For ADHD, Organization Strategies For ADHD, Tips For Coping With Impulsivity, Effective Communication Skills With ADHD, and Resources For Managing ADHD.

Students with ADHA can be successful in a general education classroom with clear expectations and a few accommodations in place.

7 tips to help people with ADD/ADHD read more and read better.

So many students have a difficult time sitting still during class time. I don’t blame them, it’s hard for me too! Seriously, I’m that teacher during Professional Development days that’s at the back…

When it seems like the only word they know is "no."

Teachers with ADHD discover effective strategies and empowering tips to help you and your students thrive in your classroom!

Best planners for college students with ADHD. Managing ADHD in college, staying organized in college. Tips for ADHD in college.

Thanks Steve Chinn of Maths Explained for this post. Steve also has several books with practical strategies to help with math and dyscalculia. There’s The Trouble with Maths and an eagerly awaited Mathematics for Dyslexics and Dyscalculics – 4th Edition which is now available on pre-order! Thanks, Steve! Tip 1. Watch and listen. Tip 2. Be […]

As a mom, I have a difficult time keeping my kids on task during homework, plus trying to cook dinner, along with getting my children to and from activities. I have one child diagnosed with ADHD primarily inattentive plus another child with suspected ADHD. I also have 2 other children. Homework time in our house isn’t […]

Ok readers out there, it's time to get real with you about myself, my challenging students, and what I have done to change student behaviors lately. Let me start by saying, I am patient. I am calm. I can count on one hand the number of times I have actually been angry in the last year. I love working with first graders and have a special place in my heart for students with special needs, learning disabilities, and ADHD. However, the one thing that can get under my skin like nothing else is an intentionally disruptive and defiant child. You know, the one that you ask to sit down who looks you in the eye and does the opposite. Or the one who plays their desk like a drum with a pencil (while yelling "I don't know how to do it") after you've given directions and modeled 3 times? The one who is ALWAYS seeking your attention, but not in a good way. Grr! Last week I have to admit that I nearly lost my mind. Tuesday was a rough day. Like, my body was physically shaking I was so upset and filled with adrenaline. It started like any day with one particular child constantly interrupting, wandering the room, refusing to complete tasks, and being all around disruptive. I had tried a token system, staying firm, staying calm, nothing seemed to be able to manage this child. After he tore up my room for over an hour while we were waiting for his parents to get there, I said to myself "This isn't worth it. I'm not able to teach. He is ONE child. What about the rest?" And was about ready to resign. Once I got home and collected myself, I knew quitting wasn't actually in my heart. I was just overwhelmed. I immediately started researching ways to help attention seeking children. Even though I felt like I was already doing many of the things they suggested, I had to dig deep and keep trying. Here is what I've done based on the research. So far, it has made a drastic improvement. Was it a perfect week? No. Have the child and I both left school each day feeling much better and seeing positive changes? Yes. So to me, it's a start. When babies are born they quickly learn that when they smile, learn something new, and show signs of love, they often get a positive response and attention from their parents. Sometimes this doesn't happen like when parents aren't around or are focused on something/someone else whether intentionally (neglect) or not (working, raising multiple kids, dealing with their own issues, etc.). This forces the child to resort to drastic measures (crying, hitting a sibling, getting into trouble) just to get noticed. After all, isn't some attention, even negative, better than feeling ignored? This research put my little guy's struggles into perspective for me. Basically, in his mind he is lacking a sense of security and attention/love. He was desperate for attention and boy was I giving it to him. Only I had been giving him negative attention despite my best efforts. It is very important to learn to ignore the behaviors that are negatively seeking attention (calling out, wandering, disruptive, etc.). It is hard, I'm not gonna lie! However, each time you bring attention to the behavior or redirect the child, you are giving them exactly what they want. Your time and focus. This is NOT what we want. We do not want them to keep learning that being disruptive is the way to get you to notice them. Please note, I am not saying ignore something like a physical fight or destroying property, etc. When something like this does happen you do need to address it. However, keep your interactions in a neutral tone (easier said then done, I know) and brief. For example, " We do not hit." Sit the child down, and walk away. Or, "It is not ok to break things." Pick up the item, and walk away. They will try to test you. Dig deep, stay calm and focus on not letting them get a rise out of you. You cannot get into an argument or turn a situation into a long discussion. Don't waste more of your classes time. If you need to walk them to their desk 20 times in a row then do it, do not say anything, avoid eye contact, and walk away. Eventually, the child will stay where you put them and will cool down. You can then address the problem in a calm way, on your own terms/timeline. Meanwhile, you have continued to give your full attention to the class and the teaching. If we are now ignoring the negative attention seeking behaviors, we must replace them. Remember, the whole reason the child is doing this is because somewhere deep down they are feeling ignored or unloved. The research suggests giving random attention throughout the day at a similar rate to their current attention seeking behaviors. For example, if they are trying to get your attention in a negative way once every 5 minutes at first, then you must replace this with some form of positive attention once every 5 minutes. This can be verbal praise, eye contact, a smile, a pat of the shoulder, a thumbs up, time with you, a quick chat with you checking in, etc. This attention is given when you see them on task, making good choices, or on the verge of a meltdown (catch and redirect before things escalate and negative attention is warranted). I spent the last few days really taking time to show this child love. Each morning I am checking in with him as soon as he walks in the door, asking about his night, setting a tone for a great day. Rather than hush the class during lunch so I can try to inhale some form of food, I've let them all just talk to me. I have given the child the chance to walk with me in line, and help me hold things. I have filled his mind with sincere praise and asked him to be a leader. I even sat with him for 5 minutes during indoor recess to color a Ninja Turtle picture. Did I have a thousand other things I needed to be doing? Yes, of course. But, these 5 minutes of quality time meant the world to both of us. I could see him as a little boy just wanting someone to color with him, rather than the child I had started dreading spending the day with earlier in the year. Many times, these attention seeking kids are smart kiddos! They know how to work the system, and us! They have had to learn to be this way. As teachers, we need to teach them that they also have the potential to be different. I started Wednesday morning by pulling my little guy aside and talking with him. I explained how sad I had felt the day before and how today I knew he was going to prove to himself, and me, that he could make better choices. I also let him know that if he was ever just feeling like he needed a hug, he could ask for one or just come get one. I told him that today I was going to take time for just me and him, as long as he did his part to help the class get their work done. I then gave him that time, just me and him. I explained that if he needed me, I would always be there for him but he did need to raise his hand like everyone else. I also promised to always come check on him, but that he also needed to give me time to help other kids too. Getting him to trust me will take time. It will also take time for our bond to grow. He needs to learn that I will come back to him, I will love him even if he has an off day, and that I will continue to push him to succeed because I see the potential in him. It may seem unfair to give so much attention to just one or two children, but remember, the goal is to limit their distractions and fill a void in their lives. Teaching the rest of your class will be much more manageable once these children are settled. Every day will not go smoothly. They will test your limits and call your bluffs. Dig deep and remember that this child needs you just as much as the rest of your students, if not more. Finally, know that one huge hug (practically tackle) on a Friday afternoon WILL change your life and bring you to tears. Your bond is beginning to grow, this child's trust of you is forming, and for possibly the first time, they have found a source of love, in YOU. What strategies have you found to work best with your attention seeking students? To share with a teacher friend who is having a tough time, Pin for Later

Want more teaching time and less monitoring behavior? This Classroom Behavior Management strategy is for you!

A summary of the blog post I wrote on Free Spirit Publishing about 10 strategies to help students with ADHD cope with frustration.

Children with ADHD are often labeled as problem children. That can affect how well they perform in school, and also how welcome they feel in the school environment. Often kids with ADHD hate school because they get yelled at there and have a hard time understanding what their teachers are talking about. As special education

Improve your child's focus, concentration, self-control, and overall behavior with these ADHD parenting tips and discipline strategies!

Teachers with ADHD discover effective strategies and empowering tips to help you and your students thrive in your classroom!

Kids and young adults with ADHD can be extremely bright, creative, and helpful. These are often the learners coming up with new invention ideas, filling up a journal with intricate comic book drawings, and eager to answer all of your questions in class. With that said, learners with ADHD can struggl

how to study with ADD ADHD

Discover how students with ADHD can manage symptoms, improve mental health and master time management to excel at college and university.

This is a guest blog written in collaboration with Dr. Patrick LaCount , who is a licensed psychologist in Fort Collins, Colorado specializing in working with adults and college students with ADHD.

In this article, discover the most effective strategy you can ever use for students with ADHD. Done right, it limits distraction, provides a calm, positive environment, and helps them focus better than anything else you can do.

I love using Trello to organise my life and I’ve mentioned it a few times in the Smart Girls with ADHD Facebook group. Recently, I’ve been asked to explain how I use it so I’ll give that a shot here. I first came across Trello in 2014 while I was studying software development. I loved it im

Strategies for defiant behavior that support positive behavior, develop teacher-student relationships, and minimize escalating situations.

Use these 24 time management tools for teens to increase their productivity, or just calm the chaos. Kid-friendly (& parent-friendly) too!