Professional Development for ADHD: Building Inclusive Classrooms That Thrive

Professional development for ADHD is essential for schools committed to inclusivity. When students with ADHD consistently hear critical responses related to their behavior, their academic performance, emotional well-being, and relationships suffer. Effective professional development can help educators transform criticism into curiosity, fostering environments where every student thrives.

-by Dr. Tim Grivois, Executive Director

Why Professional Development for ADHD Matters

Traditional responses to ADHD behaviors—such as difficulty staying seated, interruptions, or forgetfulness—often lead to frustration. Responses like “Why can’t you just sit still?” or “Stop interrupting!” reinforce negative self-perceptions and rarely improve behaviors. Professional development for ADHD shifts this paradigm, equipping teachers with strategies that emphasize curiosity, empathy, and understanding.

Moving from Criticism to Curiosity

Professional development for ADHD empowers teachers to approach challenging behaviors with curiosity. This approach supports students by addressing the underlying reasons for their behaviors and collaboratively discovering practical solutions.

Here’s a clear guide showing typical ADHD symptoms, critical responses, and curiosity-based alternatives teachers can implement immediately:

When students with ADHD experience criticism about symptoms beyond their control, it impacts their confidence, relationships, and academic success. But with professional development focused on reframing criticism into curiosity, schools can build inclusive classrooms where all students, especially those with ADHD, thrive.

The Problem with Criticism

Educators care deeply about their students, but in the heat of a busy classroom, it’s easy to respond to behaviors like blurting out answers, fidgeting, or forgetfulness with frustration. Unfortunately, critical responses like “Why can’t you just sit still?” or “Stop interrupting!” rarely lead to improved behavior—instead, they often reinforce negative self-perceptions for students with ADHD.

From Criticism to Curiosity: Why it Works

When teachers shift their mindset from criticism to curiosity, they’re not only modeling empathy—they’re also helping students develop strategies that genuinely support their learning. Curiosity opens the door for conversations that uncover solutions rather than dwelling on problems.

Below are common ADHD symptoms, critical responses students often hear, and curiosity-driven alternatives educators can use immediately, tailored across grade levels.

Practical Applications of Professional Development for ADHD

To integrate curiosity into daily classroom practice, professional development for ADHD can include:

– Role-play exercises where teachers practice reframing critical reactions into curiosity-driven responses.

– Collaborative workshops to brainstorm curiosity-based strategies for real classroom scenarios.

– Reflection opportunities enabling educators to analyze and adjust their responses proactively.

Of course, all of this is built in for schools partnering with TGS Educational Consulting. You can find free resources here at our Helpful PBIS Resources for Schools and Teams page.

Building a Sustainable Culture of Inclusion

Ultimately, professional development for ADHD is about building sustainable, inclusive classrooms. When educators adopt curiosity-based approaches, they cultivate environments that affirm and empower students. This approach not only helps students with ADHD succeed—it enhances learning for all students, creating classrooms that genuinely thrive.

Curious to see how this might look in your school? Let’s talk about it! Click here to find a time to talk, or click here to email me a question that’s on your mind.