ADHD: No two children are

the same

September 1st 2016

Fintan O’Reganwww.fintanoregan.com

Fjmoregan@aol.com

Publications • Cooper P and O’Regan F (2001) EDUCATING children with ADHD: Routledge

Falmer Press

• O’Regan F (2002) How to teach and manage children with ADHD: LDA a division of McGraw- Hill

• O’Regan F (2005) ADHD : Continuum International

• O’Regan F (2005) Surviving and Succeeding in SEN Continuum International

• O’Regan F (2006) Challenging Behaviours Teachers Pocketbooks

• O’Regan F (2006) Troubleshooting Challenging Behaviours Continuum International

• O’Regan F (2008) The Small Change 2 BIG DIFFERENCE series Hyperactive, Inattentive and Disorganised, Special Direct

• O’Regan F (2014) Successfully Managing ADHD fjmoregan@aol.com

Mindset

1. Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can’t change very much

2. You can learn new things but you can’t really change how intelligent you are

3. No matter how much intelligence you have, you can always change it quite a bit

4. You can always substantially change how intelligent you are

Carol S Dweck Mindset

Mindset

1. You are a certain type of person and there is not much that can be done to really change that

2. No matter what kind of person you are you can always change substantially

3. You can do things differently but the important parts of who you are can’t really be changed

4. You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are

Carol S Dweck Mindset

Learning

10% of what you read

20% of what you hear

30% of what you see

50% of what you both see and hear

70% of what you hear, see and do

90% of what your peers tell you!

John Dewey

Behaviour

Behaviour is learned

Behaviour is purposeful in a social setting

Behaviour is chosen

Behaviour communicates information about needs

Behaviour can be the result of BDS

Behaviour can be changed

Behaviour can be taught

Rogers 1997

Inattention Hyperactivity

Impulsivity

ADHD

Co morbidity

ADHD

Spld

ASDODD

CD

What does ADHD mean to you

DifferentDefiant

Distractible

Demanding Defensive

Social clumsiness / Response Inhibition

Got to say it……

Got to say it now…..

Are children with ADHD always Inattentive and Hyperactive ?

Their behaviour will vary according to the degree to which rules are managed, the amount of structure and support for compliance and the degree to which the child

is interested in the activity”

Mike Gordon 1992

Girls with ADHD

Their problems are frequently under-appreciated

May be inattentive only

Have more obsessions in areas of self image

By adolescence may appear depressed, to have low self –esteem and to be learning disabled

If hyperactive, may present differently

A Formula for Teaching and Management?

SF3R

Fintan O’Regan 2006 Troubleshooting Challenging Behaviour Continuum publications

Structure

• Acceptance and understanding of ADHD

Plus

• Realistic academic and behaviour expectations

• Management of non structured time

• Partnership with Parents

Flexibility

• Alternative ways of supporting skills in learning and development

• Problem solving

• Medication management

• Working with other agencies when necessary

The 3 “Rs”

• Rapport with all individuals whom remain responsible for their actions

•

• Successful programmes to foster positive Relationships between children with learning and behaviour issues and their peers

• Developing Resilience in all young persons with ADHD and Co morbidities

SF3R

Fintan O’Regan 2006 Troubleshooting Challenging Behaviour Continuum publications

Style and beliefs

Your style affects the climate in the classroom

Your style models the behaviour that children copy

The beliefs that you hold determine your style of approach

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Some teaching styles

• The Controllers

• The Friend

• The Benign Dictator

Also The Grumblers, The Optimist, The Competitive one, The Pacifist, The Chatterbox, Dull as dishwater, The Explosive

Controllers

Attitudes

Children should be seen and not heard Don’t smile till Christmas They’re just like their parents

If one person gets away with it, they will all do it

It’s a battle and I aim to win it

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Controllers

Strategies

Tell them what to do Threaten them with consequences Send them to somebody else

Outcomes Poor quality relationships High quality stress Learning and risk taking will be impaired

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The Friend

Attitudes

• Children need nurturing like buds on a flower

• Being nice and friendly means children will like you

• Classrooms are a democracy where negotiation is the key

• Planning excellent work will always be enough

The Friend

Strategies Asking, Negotiating, Pleading followed by “Why are you doing this to me” (hurt) “How many times have we been through this”

(frustration)

Outcomes Uncertainty leads to insecurity Learning and risk taking are significantly impaired

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The Benign Dictator

Attitude

A teachers job is to set boundaries

A child’s job is to test them

Children should be helped to experience achievement and mistakes will be part of the journey

Caring means sometimes being prepared to make unpopular decisions

The problem is the problem not the child

Fairness is not giving everybody the same it is giving them what they need

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The Benign Dictator

Strategies Holds children accountable for their choices Creates a culture of praise that focuses on what children do

well Redirects children towards success Applies consequences positive and negative with consistency

Outcomes Children learn boundaries with dignity

The teacher is both leader and coach in the classroom

Learning, risk taking and motivation are greatly enhanced

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Communication

7% words

38% Tonality, Volume and Tempo

55% non verbal signals

Assertive Body language

Eye contact

Height/level positioning

Relaxed

Nodding

Personal space –balance

Facial expressions

Not fidgeting

Focused, active listening

Touch (if you are comfortable using it)

Active Listening

• To give your complete focus to what the other person is saying

• Let the other person finish before you start talking

• Maintain eye contact

• Keep your emotions in check

• Don’t interrupt or jump to conclusions

• Look for feelings or intent behind the words

Assertive Sentence starters

Let’s………..

I need you to........

In five minutes you will have……….

When I return I will see……………..

Today we are going to……………..

You will be…………………..

I expect you to……………..

I know that you will………………

Thank you for……………………

Value of praise

Praise can improve self-esteem, self-reliance, autonomy, achievement and motivation

Praise will have different effects according to the

gender, home background, abilities and personality of pupils

Praise should be seen as encouragement and as part of a continuing process

Resilience factors

Resilience seems to involve several related elements.

• Firstly, a sense of self esteem and confidence;

• Secondly, a belief in one's own self-efficacy and ability to deal with change and adaptation;

• Thirdly, a repertoire of social problem solving approaches”

Communication: Empathy

We listen to those:

• We like and respect

• We like and respect those with whom we can identify or identify with us

• We pay attention to those whom we believe mean what they say

Sean Misteil 1997