-by Timothy (Tim) Grivois, Ed.D.
I often read and hear educators talking about how students with ADHD struggle to turn in assignments, or complete their classwork. The truth, however, is that much of how we organize assignments in school is at odds with how students with ADHD organize themselves. Particularly for schools with a Positive Behavior Interventions and Support framework, framing supports from a strengths-based perspective is essential. Below are some strategies that students with ADHD (and their families) often find supportive.
Classroom Strategies
- Stop grading homework and focus grades on work completed in class.
- Accept late work.
- Provide students a print handout of assignments if writing is a challenge.
School-wide Strategies
- Streamline how teachers communicate assignments and grades so that there is only one place students and families need to look.
- Schedule lessons / courses involving memorization for the beginning of the day.
- Ensure that recess is a required part of every student’s day.
Family Strategies
- Advocate for your child. If you know that one of the strategies above will help your child succeed, make sure your child’s teacher or teachers knows.
- Use a weekly family calendar to help your child keep track up upcoming due dates and family commitments.
- If your school uses an online grade book, make a weekly habit of logging in and checking for missing assignments.
Finally, while ADHD is often looked at as a disability, all students are on a broad and diverse range of normal. Notice the strengths and contributions your students with ADHD bring to school every day. Developing an assets-based perspective changes how (or whether we can) connect with and support students with ADHD.
If you’d like, I’m happy to talk through how these strategies might work in your setting. Click here to schedule a zoom….it’s always free to talk.