Tips on the school management of the child with ADD. The following suggestions are intended for teachers in the classroom, teachers of children of all ages.

Teachers know what many professionals do not: that there is no one syndrome of ADD but many; that ADD rarely occurs in "pure" form by itself, but rather it usually shows up entangled with several other problems such as learning disabilities or mood problems; that the face of ADD changes with the weather, inconstant and unpredictable; and that the treatment for ADD, despite what may be serenely elucidated in various texts, remains a task of hard work and devotion.

If anyone ever tells you dealing with a child with special needs is easy, then take little notice of anything they tell you. Dealing with children who present complex learning patterns or challenging behaviour will stretch you to your very limits personally and professionally. When working with a child with ADHD/ADD in the classroom, it is persistence that will prove to be your greatest asset.

The ideas and strategies suggested below are for all age groups and specific age groups. Use your own judgment to decide on the suitability of an intervention technique for the child and age group you are working with.

1. Be sure you are dealing with ADHD/ADD. It is definitely not the role of a teacher or parent to diagnose, but it is your role to pick up on a likelihood/possibility that this condition may be causal in the child's difficulties and refer on to medical personnel who are in a position to diagnose and medicate if appropriate.
2. Have you had the child's hearing and vision checked out?
3. Access to support systems is crucial. Do you know a colleague who has successfully dealt with an ADD/ADHD child? Do you have someone who you can talk to about your frustrations and celebrate your successes with? You will also need access to knowledge. This can come in the form of a person or an information source such as the INTERNET. You could also check on this site at www.adders.org for contacts of a local Support Group in your area as they would be able to give you local information. Also on adders.org you will find many resources which may help. You can also use any of the information on here to give to parents who may want to find out a lot more for their child.
4. Accept the child for who they are, recognise their qualities and their good points as well as those which are disruptive behaviours and irritating points. Trust is a 2 way thing - the child needs to learn to trust the teacher and when they do they will give so much back to that teacher it is quite amazing. Remember these child get used to being told they are wrong or that they are being naughty, this has a major effect on their sense of self worth and well being. A lot of these children end up expecting to be told off or criticised and often will not want to tell the truth as they know from past experience that they will not be believed - other children are also very quick to point the finger of blame as they know that the child is normally held responsible for things which go wrong so try to build up trust between yourself and the child and let them know that you do believe what they are saying and you are going to be fair in any sanctions which may have to be given out. They often have a great sense of injustice when they are the ones to have sanctions imposed on them and they see other children doing things at the same time or at other times who are not even spoken to about these. The ADHD Child will then learn that no matter what they say they will get the blame for things so they may as well do these things anyway!
5. You will need the parents to be on side with you. Encourage them to be open with you and to exchange information with you, sometimes parents have strategies which often work at home which can be applied to the classroom situation. This is also a 2 way thing and be open with the parents and work to build up trust between yourself and the parents to be able to work together for the good of the child.
6. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Teachers are too often willing to soldier on without asking for help. This does not do you any good in the long term. Sick and worn out teachers are a loss to children. So speak up. Say when you need help and advice.
7. Use the child as a resource. Ask what lesson do they recall as being the best they have ever been in. What was there worst ever lesson. How were the two lessons different? Try and unpack the child's learning style with their help.
8. Does the child know what ADD/ADHD is? Can they explain it to you? Can the child suggest ways that their difficulty might be made more manageable within the school setting?
9. ADD/ADHD kids need structure. Lists help. Such as lists of the process they are involved in such as writing an essay. Lists like how to behave when being told off can be of great help.
10. It is crucial that the child is caught being good. Many of the reactions to situations will be impulsive. We tend to notice the impulsive reactions that are overt and noticeable because they break a rule or code of behaviour. However, if you observe the child you will notice a vast array of reactions not all of which are outside accepted behavioural conventions. When an acceptable behaviour is presented. Praise and reward.
11. Having clear behavioural expectations in places the child can see them can help. For instance a sign saying please sit still and listen could be posted behind the place where the teacher often talks. The teacher may then point to the poster as a first reminder to come back on task.
12. ADD/ADHD means that the child has a problem with concentration. Therefore when you have an expectation that a series of instructions will be followed they will need to be presented more than once and in more than one way. They will also need to be presented so that the child can refer back to them as need be.