ADHD and School Success - How to make it Possible part - 1

A day in school requires sustained attention, sitting quietly and refined social skills - all of which ADHD children tend to have great difficult mastering. With a teamwork approach to education, solid communication and a few tried and try tips, the education process does not need to be an exercise in frustration for the student, parent or teacher.

To help ease the strains of ADHD and the school setting, try these back-to-school tips to encourage a successful school year.

Communicate Early and Often with the Teacher: Teachers need to know early of any issues that might create an education obstacle and ADHD most certainly falls into that category. Ideally, parents should meet with the child's teacher early in the school year to develop an early line of communication, head off potential problems and allow a proactive approach with the child's education. In addition to communicating information to the teacher, seasoned teachers can often provide information that will help parents.

The time-constricted parent/teacher conferences, typically held after the first grading period, may not provide enough time to discuss the particular strengths and weaknesses of child. Additionally, your child might already be marked as a troublemaker or a slacker by that time. Undoing that label may not be as easy after one fourth of the school year already gone.

Understand Today's Classroom: In any given classroom, teachers likely have a couple ADHD students, a few more with unique emotional obstacles or educational special needs and then about 20 other "average" students. As parents, we know the extra dose of patience and understanding needed in working with the ADHD child. We also know (all too well, I am afraid), that our patience can be pushed to the absolute limit. Teachers face the same issues, and then some.

Patience is a Two-Way Street: Just as parents ask for patience and understanding with their ADHD child, teachers should also receive patience and understanding. A relationship built on the single goal of teaching the ADHD child benefits the child more than teachers and parents finger-pointing at each other over the educational process.

Be Goal-Oriented: If you do have a conflict with the teacher, try to approach the problem in a positive light. The teacher might tell you that your child will not stay in his seat, pokes at other students or is heading straight for a detention. Instead of focusing on the immediate problem at hand, focus on action plans to modify the behavior.
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