HOME

BOOKMARK

NEWSLETTER

Join our newsletter to receive news of offers and discounts

Search

AS FEATURED IN...


Lucy Siegle On Eithical Living: Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer

Weight Watchers®.co.uk. Now with an online plan.

Navigation


Parening Books

Search Now:
Amazon Logo


Teacher Tips: Your Room Set-Up and ADHD Students


Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. You can read over 500 classroom interventions at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

Right from day one, make clear rules and post them, with logical consequences and with rewards.

Move the ADHD student's desk to where there are fewer distractions. Close to the teacher to monitor and encourage, or near a child who is better able to focus.

Privacy boards can work well, but should never embarrass the child.

Students with attentional problems do better in classrooms with four walls than in an "open pod" arrangement. Open pods allow too many visual and auditory distracters throughout the day.

It is usually better to use of rows for seating arrangement and to try to avoid tables with groups of students. Often the groups are too distracting for the ADHD child.

In the ideal setting, provide tables for specific group projects, and traditional rows for independent work. Of course, we are rarely in an ideal setting.
 
Every once in a while, try arranging desks in a horseshoe shape to allow for appropriate discussion while permitting independent work.

Your student's desk should be near the teacher (for prompting and redirection), away from other challenging students, and not touching others' desks. However, if you notice that your student looks around a lot to see where noises are coming from, because he is very auditorily distractible, he may benefit from being seated near the rear of the classroom. Experiment with seat location in the front of the classroom (near the board) and instructional area if your student is more visually distracted.

It is important for the teacher to be able to move about the entire room and to have access to all students. Practice "Management By Walking Around" in the classroom. The more personal interaction, the better.

Have all of the distractable students seated nearest to place in the class where you will give directions or lectures. At least as close as possible without being punitive.
To minimize distractions, seat the student away from both the hallway and windows

Keep a portion of the room free of obvious visual and auditory distractions. Have at least a part of the room free from bright, loud, or distracting objects.

Use desk dividers and/or study carrels carefully. Make sure they are used as a "study area option" rather than as a punishment.

Your student will function better when able to anticipate times requiring increased concentration. A visual representation of the day's schedule will provide another opportunity to internalize classroom routine.

Your student tends to lose focus and his activity?level may increase during the day. Therefore, schedule the most demanding attentional tasks in the morning.
In our desire to provide an engaging classroom for students, try to be aware of the auditory and visual distractions present. Attempt to place your student where these would have the least effect.

Seat those really smart and quiet girls next to the ADHD child.
 
Stand near the student when giving directions or presenting the lesson. Use the student's worksheet as an example.

We know that teachers are neither God to control the weather, nor the janitors to control the thermostats. But as best as you can, provide comfortable lighting and room temperature.

Use individual headphones to play white noise or soft music to block out other auditory distractions. Be sure the music is not too interesting so that it becomes a distraction.
It has become somewhat fashionable to play classical music, or baroque music, quietly in the background while students are working. This may, in fact, actually work.
Provide a quiet, carpeted space in the room as a special study section for independent reading.

Many students often bring their own distractions (toys) from home. Try to make a classroom rule about appropriate time/place to share them with classmates and limit their appearance in the classroom and on the desks. Establishing certain categories for classroom sharing on certain days can limit the number and type of items brought to school and make it more successful for the students.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.


MORE RESOURCES:

MiamiHerald.com

Breastfed babies may gain less weight
Fox News
Babies who are fed milk from their mothers' breasts gain less weight over their first year compared to babies fed milk—breast or formula—from a bottle, suggests a new study. The lead author said the difference may come down to how much of a role ...
Did Cave Babies Have Attachment Parents?MiamiHerald.com
Bottle-fed babies gain more weight in first year, study findsVancouver Sun

all 53 news articles »


ABC News

Most Popular Baby Names in Massachusetts
Patch.com
The top five names for babies in Massachusetts in 2010 returned in 2011, but in a different order. By Charlie Breitrose Top baby names in Massachusetts for 2011: William and Sophia. Patch File Photo Maybe it the Royal Wedding had something to do with ...
Unique Names Top Indiana's Most Popular For BabiesWRTV Indianapolis

all 141 news articles »


Top Baby Names In Nevada
KLAS-TV
More>> LAS VEGAS -- Officials say Sophia and Anthony were the top baby name picks among Nevada parents in 2011. The Social Security Administration says the 221 babies named Sophia puts Nevada in line with their peers nationwide.

and more »


TIME

For the first time, minority babies are the majority in U.S.
Chicago Sun-Times
By Hope Yen May 18, 2012 1:40AM Stephanie Dowell/Post-Tribune A baby opens her eyes as she and fellow newborns have their picture taken in the nursery of the family birthing center at St. Margaret Mercy Hospital in Dyer May 23, 2001.
White babies lose USmajorityThe Durango Herald
Minority babies outnumbered white newborns in 2011Washington Post
More minority babies than whites in US: Census BureauChicago Tribune
TIME
all 1,220 news articles »


The Star-Ledger - NJ.com

Strollin' with your baby in Hoboken
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
By Kathleen O'Brien/The Star-Ledger Perhaps it was the pipe-cleaner bracelet that clinched a trophy in the Hoboken Baby Parade for this 2011 participant. Think of it as the Easter Parade for toddlers. Some parents dress their babies in the standard ...



LifeHealthPro

White babies are the new minority in America
Los Angeles Times
By David Horsey Pudgy, pink Gerber babies are no longer the typical child being born in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, moms who are Latino, Asian, African American or mixed race are now giving birth to just over 50% of American ...
America's Non-White Majority Won't Remake the GOP Anytime SoonHuffington Post (blog)
More minority babies than whites in USAllentown Morning Call
The baby bombshellNew York Post (blog)
Arizona Daily Star -ABC NEWS 4 -BET
all 22 news articles »


NDTV

Two more babies die in Srinagar hospital; protesters block highway
NDTV
Srinagar: The horror of infant deaths continues in Srinagar with two more babies having lost their lives in the last 24 hours at the government-run GB Pant Hospital in the city. With this, the toll in the hospital has risen to 46 in less than three ...
Infant DeathsGreaterKashmir.com

all 115 news articles »


BBC News

Babies to 'teach' pupils empathy
BBC News
Babies are set to be brought into primary schools in Cardiff to help improve pupils' empathy levels and help reduce any bullying and aggression. The scheme, pioneered in Canada, encourages children to interact in a nurturing manner after observing a ...



PBS

Baby's Tumor Means Surgery Before Birth
PBS
"But we don't know why they occur in only some babies, or why some grow more than others," said Crombleholme, who is now surgeon-in-chief of the Colorado Institute for Maternal and Fetal Health. Once a fetus develops a tumor, it can grow very rapidly ...



Newborn babies being wrapped in towels because of hospital blanket shortage
Scottish Daily Record
NEWBORN babies are being wrapped in towels instead of blankets because of shortages at one of Scotland's biggest maternity hospitals. Last night, politicians united in anger over the scandal – just two months after Alex Salmond promised changes after a ...
Hospital short of blankets for babiesThe Scottish Sun

all 3 news articles »

Google News