I recently read a post on one of my favorite school counseling social media pages that was written by a fellow counselor who was seeking assistance on how to support her students with ADHD. My heart was warmed when this social media community came together to provide advice, tips, and tried and true strategies. However, my heart was simultaneously heavy with deeper thought-How do we go beyond the management of ADHD in the classroom, and move toward support for and acceptance of children with diverse brain function?
There are many blogs and articles that will give you specific strategies to teach children with ADHD to calm themselves, sit still and comply. This isn’t that. We’re going in a different direction here. We’re going a little deeper into your role as a leader, change agent, and advocate. We’re unpacking systemic existing conditions in education that don’t serve our students with ADHD well, and how to address them.
As a former elementary counselor, one of my favorite groups to run was a group of boys, all diagnosed with ADHD, and all often in quite a bit of trouble. My heart broke every time one of them got their recess taken away. My heart ached when they cried and said things like, “I can’t help it!” or “I’m always in trouble.”
I do understand the challenging role of classroom teachers and all that they are charged with in a day. After all, I was once a first and second grade teacher. But when it comes to classroom strategies to support students with ADHD it is incumbent upon educators to ask ourselves-“Is my approach helping my student?”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 6.1 million children between the ages of 2 and 17 years old have been diagnosed with ADHD. One of the biggest challenges that children with ADHD face is in the classroom setting. They often have difficulty managing expectations such as focusing, completing tasks, and sitting still for long periods. This is where educators and school counselors play a crucial role in providing support and guidance. Here’s how you can advocate for understanding and appropriate ways to address ADHD in the classroom.
- The first step in advocating for children with ADHD is to be very clear with your colleagues about your role. As a school counselor your job is not to “fix” children with ADHD nor to use your school counseling space to simply give teachers a “break” from them. Instead, it is important to work collaboratively with educators to provide a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the unique needs of each child with ADHD. Pro Tip: Your job is certainly not to suggest medication. That is a conversation and decision to be determined by the child’s parent or guardian, and their pediatrician.
- One crucial aspect of this support is providing teacher training on understanding ADHD. Teachers who are aware of the neurological differences in children with ADHD can make adjustments to their classroom methods to ensure that all students can thrive. For example, seating a child with ADHD near the front of the class where there are fewer distractions can be extremely beneficial. Understanding the way in which the ADHD brain functions is critical to the success of students with ADHD. Should you feel uncomfortable providing that training on your own, seek knowledgeable community resources to support your colleagues. Pro Tip: The American School Counselor Association provides excellent professional development on ADHD.
- It is also important to consider the root cause of the child’s behavior. School counselors are often called upon to deescalate or “calm down” a student with ADHD. Ask yourself: Is this child truly dysregulated or is their neurodiversity standing out more as a result of the systemic expectations of an educational space that isn’t meeting their needs? How can I help my colleague meet this child’s needs? How can I change the culture that does not currently meet this child’s needs? While it is true that ADHD can cause difficulties with impulsivity and hyperactivity, it is also possible that the child is reacting to an environment that is not suited to their unique needs. It is also possible that the child may be experiencing an internal struggle that he or she has not yet been taught to manage. Pro Tip: Remember that as a school counselor you are an agent of change.
- Gathering demographic data is also a crucial aspect of advocating for children with ADHD. If you notice a pattern or discrimination of any kind, it is important to speak up. Are there other children with the same behaviors who are not being referred to you? If so, it may be that a piece of the child’s identity, be it ADHD or something else, is being unfairly targeted and stigmatized. School counselors have a responsibility to advocate for an equitable education for all students. It is critical to your students’ success that you keep a keen eye out for patterns of any kind.
- Is the same teacher referring students with ADHD to you? If so, why? It could be that the teacher is in need of instructional support, classroom strategies, professional development, or even just a listening ear.
- Do the students who are being referred to you all share the same race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability (other than ADHD), or teacher? If so, it is time to bring your observations and data to your colleagues and collaboratively action plan for better outcomes for your students.
- Are the students being referred at the same time of day? At the elementary level, the moments immediately before and immediately after recess tend to be “wiggly” for our friends with ADHD. Help your colleagues understand that this can be normal, and is an indication that the child is anticipating the one portion of their day where they feel okay.
- Pro Tip: Our professional standard B-PA 2. Reminds us to”Identify gaps in achievement, attendance, discipline, opportunity and resources” (https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf)
- In the meantime, it is essential to simply give children with ADHD the space and the license to be free. When they are with you, it is okay to let your groups or individual sessions be less structured. Often, children with ADHD feel singled out or like they have a problem that needs to be “fixed.” When they are with you, give them a space to be as uninhibited as they can safely be. Talking to them and asking them questions to help them come to conclusions and work through what works for them and what doesn’t is essential. That conversation can help them unpack how to be successful in the classroom. When they do get in trouble, just support them a little more than usual. Be the adult in the building that they can count on to listen to them without judgement, without discipline (https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-Discipline#:~:text=The%20School%20Counselor’s%20Role,focused%20on%20positive%2C%20healthy%20behaviors.) with acceptance of who they are academically, socially, and emotionally, and with a kind, loving heart.
Advocating for understanding and appropriate ways to address ADHD in the classroom is essential to providing a nurturing and supportive environment for children with ADHD. Being clear about your role, providing teacher training on understanding ADHD, considering the root cause of the child’s behavior, gathering demographic data, and letting children be free are all crucial aspects of your advocacy. With these tools, we can help children with ADHD thrive in the classroom and beyond.