MAKING SUCCESSFUL
TRANSITIONS INTO MIDDLE
SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL
Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Ph.D.
Sarah O’Rourke, M.A.
AD/HD Clinic
University of North Carolina
Greensboro
What Do We Know
About Teens With AD/HD?
“Normal” Development

Striving For Independence
 Puts Teens On Collision Course With
Adults Who Set Rules
 Testing Limits With Awareness Of
Consequences
 Most Learn How Far To Push Without
Incurring Consequences
Impact of AD/HD?
Hard Lessons To Learn Because Of
Difficulties Pausing And
Contemplating Consequences
Academic Challenges
Entry into middle and high school
brings with it increased demands for
self-regulation
(e.g., bring materials to class,
arriving on time, planning ahead,
increased emphasis on homework)
Family Relationships
Trying Different Roles to Establish
Adult Identity
“Who and What I Choose to Be”
Emotional Changes
Social and Hormonal Changes Bring
About New Emotional Experiences
that Need to Regulated
Social Challenges
Friends vs. Family,
Opportunities for Alcohol/Drugs
Driving,
Sorting Out Sexuality
Social Success Requires
Reflection
Self-Control
Perspective Taking
Thinking Ahead
School Considerations for Teens

Start off the school year with an emphasis on
homework completion and studying
 School meetings may begin to include the teen
 Education and counseling about AD/HD
diagnosis for teen, including information about
medication
 Use of a daily report card system
School Considerations for Teens

Consider requesting a second set of books
 Homeroom or other teacher in a “coaching”
role that can help with organizing schoolwork
and needed materials
 Tutoring
 Spend time each week with the teen doing
something that is mutually enjoyable
Establishing a Homework Ritual
(Power et al., 2001)

Homework assignment sheet
 Location, Location, Location!
 Start and end homework at the same time each
day
 Establish time limits
 Provide brief breaks & use a timer
Other Homework Considerations

Help teen prioritize tasks and plan for shortand long-term assignments
 Use of rewards
 Homework - supervisor vs. tutor?
 Tutoring
Challenging Horizons Program
(CHP)




After-school program for middle-school students – skills
are practiced directly in the school setting
Direct one-to-one help in the areas of organization,
assignment tracking, study skills, note-taking, social
problem solving, and self-monitoring in social settings
Counselors consult regularly with the students' teachers
and hold periodic meetings with the students' parents
Participants are monitored by staff using a behavior
tracking system, and immediate feedback is provided in the
form of “behavior calls.
Checklist for middle school
BINDER
Is your assignment notebook secured by three rings so that it is the first thing you see when you
open your binder?
Is your binder free of loose papers (are all papers secured in folder pockets or attached by three
rings)?
Is the Homework Folder attached by three rings behind your assignment notebook?
Inside the homework folder: are homework assignments need for even days in the even day
pocket?
Inside the homework folder: are homework assignments need for odd days in the odd day pocket?
Is there a pocket for papers you parents need to see, and only these papers are in it?
Is there a folder for each class you are taking attached by three rings? (1. Math, 2. Science, 3.
English/Reading, 4. Social Studies, 5. P.E./Health, 6. other extracurricular courses)
Within each subject folder: Are all non-homework papers for that subject in the right pocket of the
folder?
Are the notes from each subject organized from oldest to newest behind the subject folder and
secured by the three-rings in the binder?
Are all papers in the correct section of the binder? (no papers in the wrong section)
Are all the papers that are in the binder school related? (no drawings, scrap paper, etc.)
What percent of your binder is organized? Divide the number of Y’s by 11 and then multiply by
100.
Checklist for high school
BINDERS/BOOKBAG
DATES
Do you have the correct binders for today (i.e., even binders on even day
and odd binders on odd day)?
Are your binders free from loose and irrelevant material (e.g., non-subject
related material)?
Is your planner present?
Is your planner free of loose and irrelevant material?
Inside your binders: are there clearly defined locations for storing
incomplete assignments?
“I keep them in _______________________________________.”
Inside your binders: are there clearly defined locations for storing
completed assignments (i.e., those assignments ready to be turned in.)?
“I keep them in _______________________________________.”
Inside the binders: are there clearly defined locations for storing all other
class papers (e.g., graded assignments, class notes, class handouts)?
“I keep them in _______________________________________.”
Is there a clearly defined central location for recording all long-term
projects for each subject?
“I record them in______________________________________.”
What percent of your binder is organized? Divide the number of Y’s by 8
and then multiply by 100.
Odd Day Binders Checked?
Even Day Binders Checked?
The Written Plan
Homework Management Plan

How much time will the parents expect him/her to study on Sunday through
Thursday evenings?

Is there a designated place for him/her to study? Where?

When will he/she be required to complete the study time each day?

What are the daily/weekly contingencies for the completion of study time?

How will parents know if child is working during study time?

What if it is determined that the child was not working during study time?

Student’s Signature
Date

Parent’s Signature
Date
Daily Report Card for English Teacher (Evans & Youngstrom 2006)
Student – Polly
Monday’s Date _______________________
Instructions: Please circle either the “yes” or “no” corresponding to each of the three target behaviors and the
day of the week. This report should be faxed to Polly’s mother at work every Friday before 5:00 pm.
Monday
Polly spoke only at appropriate times in
class in accordance with classroom rules.
Polly completed and turned in all work due
today.
More than half of Polly’s contributions to
classroom discussions were relevant and
non-redundant.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Parenting Principles

Shift parenting in a more
democratic direction.

Divide world of issues
into those that can be
negotiated and those that
cannot. Give explanations
for stated rules regarding
non-negotiable issues.

Involve the adolescent in
decision making regarding
negotiable issues.

Provide frequent and
immediate feedback and
consequences.

Use incentives before
punishments.

Strive for consistency.
Parenting Principles

“Act, don’t yak.”

Plan ahead for
problem situations.

Actively encourage
and shape responsible
independence-related
behavior.

Be the adolescent’s
cheerleading squad and
encourage the adolescent to
build on his or her strengths.

Keep a disability
perspective.

Don’t personalize the teen’s
problem or disorders.

Practice forgiveness.
Family-Based Treatment For Teens

Problem-Solving Communication Training
(Barkley, Edwards, & Foster, 1999)
 5 Step Behavioral Problem Solving
 Effective Communication
 Correcting Misperceptions
 Adjusting Family Structure
Problem Solving

Define Problem - Concise, Neutral
 Generate Alternative Solutions
 Evaluate Solutions
 Implement and Test Out
Communication

Goal Is To Avoid Communication Patterns
That Fan The Flames
 Parental Lecturing, Bringing Up the Past,
Labeling
 Teen Ignoring, Not Listening, Name Calling
Faulty Cognitions

Correcting Parent and Teen Misperceptions
That Fan the Flames
 Mind Reading, Negative Fortune Telling,
All-or-None Thinking
Family Systems

Adjusting Family Structure
 Parent-Parent Alliance
 Proper Parent-Teen Boundaries
Thank You
For Attending Tonight’s
Presentation!