For ADHD children school can be a daunting task. The impulsivity and energy an ADHD child has can make it hard to focus and sit for long periods. There are techniques and placements of student’s desks that may help a child function better when battling ADHD in the classroom.

Although the tendency is to keep the more fidgety and out of focus children closer to the teacher’s desk, this can actually cause ADHD children to be more distracted. A teacher’s desk is one of the busiest places in the classroom, where children come to turn in and receive papers and notices and to ask the teacher for help. Constant movement and whispering or shuffling of papers may be more distracting for an ADHD child. The classroom door and pencil sharpener are the next two most traveled places in a classroom and ADHD students do better if not seated in these areas.

ADHD children make great classroom helpers. If a child is becoming fidgety and restless, an attentive teacher may use that opportunity to have the ADHD child be a classroom helper. Ask the child to run attendance to the school office, or to pass out or pick up papers, sharpen pencils, and even feed the classroom pet. These opportunities provided ADHD students to move and groove without getting into trouble.

Often a teacher will require a child to remain in class to complete unfinished homework or class assignments. This might be a horrible err in judgment if the child is ADHD. ADHD children need to run off excess energy at recess, and by keeping a restless child sitting in their seat during recess to complete work will only make the day more difficult for both the teacher and the ADHD student. Teachers need to consider other options for a child to finish work than keeping him or her restricted during one of the few opportunities a child has during the school day to allow one to get the wiggles out of them.

ADHD children need consistency and consistency leads to better ADHD students. Teachers need to realize that ADHD is a true neurobiological disorder and that children are not being defiant when unable to stay focused on the task. Some ADHD children have no other way to learn how to use their inside voices, keep their hands to themselves, or follow directions unless an adult is able to teach them appropriate boundaries.

ADHD children are not purposefully being argumentative when asking questions or forgetting to complete his or her work. People who are not ADD can tune out the little noises and sensations all around them that force ADD people to become distracted. ADHD people hear everything! Especially the little noises all around him or her, like the clicking heels or shuffling feet as someone passes the classroom. They can hear the conversation three rows behind them more clearly than their teacher who is speaking directly in front of them.

The ticking of a clock or the hum of an air conditioner system can be excruciatingly loud for someone with ADD, especially someone who is not yet diagnosed or receiving help in tuning out the extras. Test time is extremely difficult because the noise level in the room has decreased and everything else seems so much louder all of a sudden. Earplugs or earphones to help block out the distractions may improve test scores or the child’s ability to focus more effectively on the work in front of them.

As a teacher of an ADHD student, you are the one person outside of a parent that has the ability to build up the students self esteem or tear him or her down completely. Be creative and try new techniques if the student is willing to try new ways to help improve his or her success in the classroom. Please feel free to share your ideas in the ADD forum.