Giftedness & ADHD: A Strengths-Based Perspective and Approach
ADHD AND GIFTEDNESS are sometimes described as having the same or similar characteristics. However, one diagnosis is considered a disability and one, a gift. Neither assumption is ideal in supporting the child identified with either ADHD, giftedness, or both, often referred to as twice exceptional or 2e. (Twice exceptional or 2e refers to a diagnosis…
Read MoreEverything I Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Eight Tips for Teachers from CHADD’s 2016 Educator of the Year EVERY PARENT IS A BETTER PARENT WHEN THEY HAVE FRIENDS TO HELP THEM through the challenges of raising a child with ADHD. Mine was a kindergarten teacher, Alicia Solano, who eventually was named the 2016 CHADD Educator of the Year. In an interview,…
Read MoreHarness Fidgeting to Improve Focus
“STOP SHAKING YOUR LEGS. You are making the kitchen table move,” said John’s mother. “John, stop tapping your fingers on the desk, you are disturbing the other students,” said John’s teacher. These and similar comments are probably familiar to many of you as individuals who fidget, as parents of children or teens who fidget, or…
Read MoreItchy Tags, Bothersome Seams, and Tight Waistbands… Oh My!
“SORRY WE’RE LATE. MY CHILD HAD A BUMP IN HER SOCK.” Many parents of children with ADHD, including myself, can relate to this. Cutting tags off of clothes and tucking (and re-tucking) shirts into pants so our child isn’t bothered by the elastic and inseams has become the norm for us. While it’s true that…
Read MoreHelping Students with ADHD in the Classroom (Webinar Guest: Sydney Zentall, PhD )
SYDNEY S. ZENTALL, PhD, is professor emerita of educational studies at Purdue University. Her background includes teaching children in both general and special education, and educating teachers for more than three decades. Dr. Zentall has also been the recipient of grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and from the Office of Special Education,…
Read MoreCompassionate, Trauma-Responsive Schools
The Heart of Learning RESEARCHERS NOW KNOW that exposure to extreme stress can affect several functions children rely on to succeed in school. It can, for example, affect their ability to concentrate, to retrieve information, to remain focused on their goals, and to control and regulate their emotions and related behavior. In fact, it can…
Read MorePut Strategies into Action: Teach Executive Function by Simulating the Experience
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF TECHNIQUES, cues, and strategies for each family to try with a child or teenager with ADHD. But when all is said and done, parents are often left frustrated and confused as to why their child carries around the ring attached to their bookbag with the series of laminated strategy cards…
Read MoreWas Grandma Right About Manners?
“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” “Wait your turn.” “Say please and thank you.” WE TRY TO TEACH OUR KIDS good manners so that they can navigate social situations smoothly. As with everything else, some kids pick them up easily, while others struggle. Children with ADHD usually understand what good manners are and probably get…
Read MoreADHD, Self-Harm, and Suicide
Risk Factors and Recommendations for Parents by Jocelyn Meza HIGH LEVELS OF RISK-TAKING and sensation-seeking behaviors mark the critical periods of adolescence and young adulthood. In particular, self-harm and suicide are public health concerns that affect adolescents and young adults disproportionately, with suicide rates quickly rising. Recent data from the World Health Organization reveal that…
Read MoreHelping Them Soar: WINGS for Kids
IMAGINE A SAFE PLACE to call home after school, a place where children in kindergarten through fifth grade can play games, have fun, make new friends, and learn social and emotional skills intended to last a lifetime. Now imagine this safe and fun place being reserved especially for low-income children who in most instances would…
Read MoreProject-Based Learning
DURING HER PRESENTATION at CHADD’s 2016 annual conference, Susan Kologi, PhD, spoke of the potential advantages of project-based learning (PBL) over more traditional teaching methods when working with students with ADHD. Kologi, the academic director of Novitas Academy in Emmett, Idaho, successfully integrated PBL into the school day and saw firsthand how her students with…
Read MoreHow to Use Homework Apps Effectively
APPS CAN HELP children and teens do many things today, from keeping better track of their homework to being more efficient and organized in completing tasks. While it is great to know about many of the apps that are available, the information rarely focuses on how to use specific apps effectively. This article will consider…
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