Adventures in: ADHD Summer Camp

THIS IS A CLASS FOR STUDENTS ON HOW TO MANAGE THEIR ADHD: 

ADHD impacts each students brain differently, so each case can look quite different in the classroom. Students  with ADHD exhibit a range of symptoms: some seem to bounce off the walls, some daydream constantly, and others just can’t seem to follow the rules.

As a student, you can help your ADHD reduce any or all of these types of behaviors. It is important to understand how attention deficit disorder affects different children’s behavior so that you can choose the appropriate strategies for tackling the problem. There are a variety of fairly straightforward approaches you and your teacher can take to best manage the symptoms of ADHD—and put you on the road to school success.

STRATEGY EXAMPLE: 

Assign work that suits your skill level. Students with ADHD will avoid classwork that is too difficult or too long.

Offer choices. Students with ADHD who are given choices for completing an activity produce more work, are more compliant and act less negative.

 Establish, for instance, a list of 15 activity choices for practicing spelling words like writing words on flashcards, using them in a sentence, or air-writing words.

THINGS WE WILL LEARN: 

Provide visual reminders. Students with ADHD respond well to visual cues and examples. For instance, demonstrate a skill like an essay writing on an overhead projector or on the board. When children get to their independent work, leave key points about a topic visible on the board. 

Post important concepts that you will use again and again on brightly colored poster board around the room.

Increase in active class participation. 

Group strategies include asking you to write your answers on dry-erase white boards and showing them to the teacher, asking students to answer questions in unison (choral response), having students give a thumbs up or down if the answer to the question is yes or no — a level palm, if they don’t know the answer. 

Paired learning is also effective. Have students work through a problem in a group and discuss for maximized understanding. Encourage hands-on learning. 

Establish Rules & Routines for ADHD Students
Post classroom rules for students with and without ADHD. With input from students, establish short, simple classroom rules. State them in positive terms that convey what you want students to do.

Day 1: What is ADHD? How to use the Chunking Method for Goals.
Day 2: What is focus? How to focus on and create an environment for success. 
Day  3: Time management. A class designed to build out strategies for time management. 
Day  4: Confidence 
Day 5: Social Skills. A class all about build self-esteem 

CLASS STRUCTURE: 

5 min: Icebreaker
20 min: Learning skills/Why we do what we do.
20: Practicing Skills, Creating commitment devices, Worksheets
10: Questions and Ideas on what has worked/what hasn't worked.