5 Tips to a Calm Classroom
Discipline problems do not have to wear you down.
When we decided to become teachers, we had this idea; we are going to change kids’ lives. And then reality hits. We go into 30+ kid class on the first day of school and crawl out of it on the last day. School politics and parents may be challenging, but our biggest challenge starts when we close the door and the lesson starts.
In a 40 kid class, research tells us we will have 4 students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and about the same amount with learning disabilities. In many cases, learning disabilities are comorbid to ADHD which means these kids struggle even more. Many kids with ADHD also have deficits in emotional regulation making them react in verbal or physical violence.
You are a Gen-Ed teacher! A warrior! You were not trained for this…
I often work with teachers to offer them education about ADHD and help them develop classroom practices that reduce behavioral challenges significantly. Here are 5 tips that will improve your classroom management working with kids with ADHD in Gen-Ed classes.
Be prepared - know your students before school starts. Read their IEP/504 plans AND try to get an idea of what makes that child tick, what makes them go off. Talk to their teachers from the previous year, or their parents if you can. Some children need extra time, this is not just for tests, this is for every task to give. If you ask the students to copy off the board, be prepared to offer that child extra time (before he needs it). You can discover things about the child that will help you prevent and avoid volatile moments and give the child a supportive environment.
Have backup plans - when a student with ADHD gets upset, the whole class may be interrupted. What will you do? Have an activity the class can do while you talk to the child outside. Kids with ADHD will mostly cool down quickly, given the right attention. In addition, what can a child with ADHD do if the activity you had planned does not work for him? Think about ways to modify your class activities beforehand so they fit kids with ADHD and Learning Disabilities.
It is personal… but it is up to you - Children with ADHD will be motivated by specific teachers to behave better, do better, and be undermotivated by others (that is when we see more discipline issues). If you are ADHD-minded and show support and understanding, they will follow. Make these kids know you see them and their struggles, that you appreciate their hard work and acknowledge it. Keep in mind kids with ADHD and learning disabilities work 3-4 times harder than typically developing children.
Be explicit - break down instructions and expectations to a molecular level. ‘Kids, get ready for class’ should look like the following list: ‘kids, put your math books in your bag, take out the English book, a pencil and a pen ‘. Keep in mind kids with ADHD have difficulties with time. Try to avoid ‘You have 20 minutes to finish and use a sand clock or a time-timer to SHOW them the time. Do not use the running clocks on YouTube, they do very little for kids with ADHD.
Sitting charts - Where should the child with ADHD sit? Whether it is the Inattentive or the Hyperactive/Impulsive type, I would recommend sitting the child with ADHD front and center. This way, you can offer small corrections and get the child back on task without disturbing the other students. Additionally, have the most kind-hearted, gentlest child in your class sit next to the student with ADHD. Not the smartest kid in the class - the most kind-hearted one.
I hope this will help you. My experience as a middle-school teacher led me to pursue this knowledge so that I can be a better teacher to my students. The wonderful ‘side-effect’ was that it almost eliminated discipline issues in my classes.
Good luck warriors! I am here for you,
Michal