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“Only: 5.3% of children globally are diagnosed with ADHD”. This is such a tiny number, certainly I don’t reeeeeeally have to think about it or know how to manage ADHD behaviour in the classroom. 😬

Actually, 5.3% is a little over 1 child in every primary classroom.

Hmmmmm . . . . 🤔

In British Columbia (BC), where I live, 5.3% means 1.16 children out of the 22 children in my grade 1-2 class will be diagnosed with ADHD.

Well, honestly that sounds pretty reasonable actually.  Not such a big deal. ✅

Until you start to think about it.

Is 5.3% an accurate reflection of ADHD behaviour in the classroom

Actually, that number does not reflect many, many factors:

  • 5.3% is a global average; what is the average where I live?
  • Is ADHD a globally accepted diagnosis?
  • Are diagnostic tools for ADHD consistent globally?
  • Are diagnosticians for ADHD available globally?
  • Are parents choosing to have their children diagnosed? Or not?
  • Does 5.3% reflect an accurate number of grade 1 students versus grade 8 students?. 

I don’t believe we really know how many students have ADHD.  And later on I will share some other factors that complicate accepting the number 5.3%.

Regardless of the accuracy, or inaccuracy, of that number, having even 1 child with ADHD in the classroom can have a significant impact on the classroom.

Clearly, teachers need  tools to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom regardless of whether or not the student is diagnosed because that student is counting on you.

First steps first.  Let’s identify how ADHD would present itself in the classroom.

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A student ADHD assessment  to know how to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom

Buuuut ADHD is actually a medical diagnosis. We, as teachers, can not determine on our own that a student has ADHD.

However, when we see ADHD like traits in our students, we do still need to have classroom management strategies that supports that student in a way that allows us to teach all of the students.

So, being aware of the likelihood of the student having ADHD is reasonable.

The core symptoms of ADHD are:

  • A hard time focusing.
  • Reacting without thinking.
  • Restlessness or a hard time sitting still
  • In some cases, girls may be more daydreaming than boys.

However, ADHD has multiple symptoms that overlap with other medical and mental health conditions.  We have no training to tease apart those symptoms and diagnose mental health conditions.  

In my own situation I was misdiagnosed by my doctor.  When I returned with similar concerns 6 years later she was really uncertain and sent me to a specialist.  

Like I said, doctors only please. 😊 And  even then, ask for a second opinion if you think it is required.

I think I am managing ADHD in school. What now? 

Well, based on the stats and symptoms I shared above, you are probably right. You probably are already managing ADHD in school.

And this is where the rubber hits the road, even if you are not right or if the students is never taken for a diagnosis, you still need ways to manage and teach that student.  

A diagnosis, or lack of a diagnosis, does not change whether or not that students is in your class, or the student’s impact on your classroom management styles.

However, the first step in how to manage adhd behavior in the classroom is to make certain parents are aware of your concerns. 

How to tell parents about ADHD student behavior

I talk more about the early steps of identifying a student with ADHD and informing parents of your concerns in my blog post, How to be Identifying Students with ADHD in Primary

However, in short, in order to be certain your next step is to talk to the student’s parents, so that they can, hopefully, take the next appropriate steps.

You may want to talk to your learning support team about your concerns, or use some of the resources I shared in my blog post, “How to be Identifying Students with ADHD in Primary”.

Then, having shared your concerns with parents, it is time to get on with managing ADHD in the classroom.

How to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom

There is a fantastic student with ADHD case study. 

 This student with ADHD case study was done by an organization called “Raising Healthy Children” (RHC). 

The RHC  case study from the 1980s is a tremendous resource for us now.  

I find it incredibly encouraging that the follow up studies and research on ADHD  student behavior also show that the children of the participants showed improvements.

RHC  also  provided a blueprint  for supporting students with adhd in schools.

I find it incredibly encouraging that the follow up studies and research on adhd student behavior also show that the children of the participants showed improvements.

RHC  also  provided a blueprint  for supporting students with adhd in schools.

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What strategies are recommended for how to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom.

RHC provided:

  • elementary school teachers with classroom management and instruction strategies
  • parents with skills to promote opportunities for children’s active involvement in the classroom and family
  • the child with social and emotional skills training. 

I am delighted when I see this list. 

They start by saying classroom management is impactful.  

And, when I look at what RHC implemented I see a close alignment with my pillars of classroom management

That delights me because I know it works.  I know it is effective. And I love to see more research based evidence supporting what I have experienced personally.🎉

But I digress.

Nothing in the RHC document indicates the students were medicated. 😊

That is not to say that none of these children received medication.  However, it does indicate that if the children were medicated, that the medication was not enough.

And that is okay, because medication is is something that is beyond our control. 

I am not anti-medication. I am all about, what is within our control. Classroom management is within our control.  

And I will dig into that more in the next blog post, “How to add inclusive strategies for ADHD in the classroom.”

Connecting RHC with how to manage adhd behavior in the classroom

Some of the RHC  recommendations are absolutely beyond the scope of my entire blog. Never mind this post, or your ability to implement.  

Those things are out of your control.  But there are a number of things that are within your control that will make a huge difference in the life of your students.

RHCs goal was to decrease the impact of the student in the classroom by providing support to the family. 

The support to the teacher included workshops on classroom management.

When I looked at the strategies to manage ADHD in the classroom I felt a great big warm smile coming on.  These research supported strategies  for supporting pupils with adhd in the classroom line up with my 5 pillars of classroom management.

If you want to see that for yourself, download my FREE Classroom Management Checklist, you can do that here.

Topics included:

Wow, that may seem like a lot. How does a teacher even get started?

Alt="Green background, white header with blue text,"strategies for managing adhd in the classroom", and bullet points, Topics included: proactive classroom management cooperative learning methods, strategies to enhance student motivation student involvement and participation reading strategies interpersonal problem-solving skills. these are strategies for How to manage ADHD in the classroom."
Strategies for how to manage ADHD in the classroom align with evidence based, effective, classroom management strategies.

Start now with how to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom

I have included the  RHC recommendations again below, but this time with links to earlier blog posts of my own. Hopefully, these blog posts give you some specifics on how to get started. 

And future blog posts in this series will address some of these topics:

Alt="Blue background, green header with white text that reads, 'Use the right tools to support students with ADHD.' Below that are the icons for a board game, write the room activity, and writing prompts with captions that read, 'Collaborate with games', 'Move with Write the Room', 'Get started with Writing Prompts' as tools to help teachers to know how to manage ADHD in the classroom."
Board games are great for collaboration and supporting social emotional growth. Write the Room activties provide movement to those restless bodies while also supporting your kinesthetic learners. Writing prompts support task initiation to help your students focus with some ideas to get started.

The last word, for now, on how to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom

There is no doubt that we are managing ADHD in school.  

The question from the research mentioned at the beginning of this blog post  is not whether or not ADHD is in the schools.

The question is whether or not we are under-reporting the prevalence of ADHD in students. 

The good news is that the strategies for supporting students with ADHD, are really just sound strategies for classroom management and instruction.  

The freedom that comes with this understanding is that much of what we need to do as far as supporting students with ADHD in the classroom we can do for the whole class.  

This approach makes inclusiveness a natural practice within the classroom as we implement a universal design for learning approach.  

What’s Next?

Having identified that we are already managing ADHD in school, upcoming blog posts in this series will address strategies, resources, activities and tools for how to manage ADHD behavior in the classroom.  Join me there!

Download my FREE Classroom Management Checklist for information on classroom management strategies in upcoming posts.

Blog Posts referred to in this article:

What is the positive reinforcement students need to thrive?

7 Easy Ways to Boost Your Classroom Management Styles

13 Transformative Classroom Management Techniques

What is the positive reinforcement students need to thrive?

Eleven Important Examples of Classroom Expectations and Rules

How to Strategies for Student Engagement

Tales of : Why is Differentiation in the Classroom Important?

10 Powerful Ways to Implement Differentiation in Classroom

What Does Social Emotional Learning Mean for Your Class?

How to add inclusive strategies for ADHD in the classroom.

How to be Identifying Students with ADHD in Primary

How to Build Transformed Classroom Communities in 3 Easy Steps

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