“WE CAN’T DIRECT THE WIND…
BUT WE CAN ADJUST THE SAILS”
Managing ADHD Behavior in the Classroom
Richard D. Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed.
Visiting Lecturer – Harvard University
BELOIT MINDSET LIST
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The internet
Union disputes
TV dials
LBJ
Arnold Palmer
USSR
Woolworth’s
MLB Wild Card
Justice Ruth Ginsberg
Michael Landon
State abbreviations
Cursive
Leno/Letterman
Czechoslovakia
Ferris Bueller
“Our understanding and
knowledge of the CAUSES of
behavior will dictate our
responses to that behavior.”
Ross Greene
ADHD is not just the
“Big Three” anymore….
• Inattention
• Hyperactivity
• Impulsivity
INTENSITY (SEVERITY)
EXTENSITY (IMPACT)
STIGMATA (OUTWARD
APPEARANCE)
SLEEP ABNORMALITIES
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Failure to achieve consistent REM stages
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty awakening
Results in tardiness, irritability, sleep
deprivation symptoms, morning battles
DEVELOPMENT/MATURITY
DELAYS
“Immaturity”, ” Irresponsible”, “Acts younger than his CA…”
CA
BA
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
CO-MORBIDITY (Coexisting Conditions)
• ESTIMATED 66% OF ADHD STUDENTS
HAVE CONCOMMITENT CONDITIONS………
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Anxiety………………………34%
Depression……………….…16%
Substance abuse………...….5%
OCC/ODD……………….….40%
Learning disorders……...….50%
Conduct disorders………....15%
CD versus ODD
• Conduct disorder (Aggressive, intimidates,
fights, cruelty, destructive, steals, very
deceitful, serious violations.)
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (temper,
argumentative, non compliant, blames others,
easily annoyed and distracted, angry,
vindictive, “bears a grudge”)
LOW FRUSTRATION
TOLERANCE
• Difficulty controlling/monitoring/
identifying emotions
• Emotionally reactive, “short fuse”
• Lack of perseverance, gives up easily
• Greatly concerned with OWN feelings,
insensitive to feelings of others.
• Appears selfish, self-absorbed
FAILS TO LEARN FROM
EXPERIENCE
• Repeats misbehavior, despite
interventions
• Difficult to manage and discipline
• Unlikely to adhere to rules.
• Not reflective, little hindsight
• Requires immediate feedback, longterm
rewards of minimal value, effectiveness.
• Difficulty examining, analyzing or
modifying his own behavior
TEMPORAL CONCEPTS
• Inability to appreciate order and
recurring patterns
• Loses track of time
• Often late
• Marked difficulty estimating the time
required for tasks
• Impatient
• Hates waiting
• “Time creeps”
IMPAIRED EXECUTIVE
FUNCTIONING
• Active working memory
• Impulsivity
• Controlling emotions
• Difficulty directing behavior goals
• Problem solving
KINETIC MELODIES
• Stored patterns of familiar motor actions
• Difficulty performing repetitive, familiar
motor patterns despite repeated
exposures.
PERFORMANCE
INCONSISTENCY
• Work quality varies hour to hour
• Baffling behavior that leads to
misdiagnosis that “motivation” is the
problem
• Creates feelings of guilt, helplessness,
anxiety
THEREFORE……….
• TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
SIMPLY DO NOT WORK !!!
• Threats
• Rewards
• Punishment
• Comparisons
• Behavior Charts
• Demerits
• Behavior Modification
OTHER STRATEGIES THAT
DON’T WORK
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Isolation
Corporal Punishment
Forced apologies
Sarcasm
Cheap shots
Collective punishment
UNIVERSAL DESIGN
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Automatic door openers
Elevators
Curb cuts
Door handles
Closed captioning
Also, electric toothbrushes, fire alarms,
flexstraws, etc.
BUMPERSTICKERS and
PARADIGM SHIFTS
“If you don’t stand for SOMETHING,
you’ll fall for almost ANYTHING !!”
“CHALLENGING
BEHAVIOR IS NOT A
PROBLEM…..IT’S A
SYMPTOM.”
“Hurt people hurt people.”
“The pain that a troubled
child CAUSES is never
greater than the pain that
he feels.”
“Kids with ADHD have the
regrettable ability to elicit
from adults the exact
opposite emotional
reaction than the child
needs at the time.”
“Adolescence is a 24 hour-aday, 365 day-a-year battle to
NOT BE EMBARRASSED !!”
Dr. Mel Levine
“Punishment is not
designed to ‘pay’ for past
infractions….it’s designed
to prevent future ones.”
“At any given moment,
any kid would rather be
viewed as a BAD kid than
a DUMB kid.”
“Behavior that is
reinforced is replicated”
“POSITIVE feedback
changes behavior…
NEGATIVE feedback only
STOPS behavior.”
SUCCESSIVE
APPROXIMATIONS:
Reinforce direction,
not perfection.
“If you wouldn’t do it to
an adult….don’t do it to a
kid.”
“A well-managed class is
one where every student
is SAFE and
SUCCESSFUL.”
ABANDONING
ASSUMPTIONS
• That others will listen to you and take an
interest in your communication.
• That others will be consistent in their
behaviors and reactions.
• That others will be realistic and rational.
• That others will understand and accept
your reality.
…a word about POWER !!!!
PREVENTIVE
DISCIPLINE
• Proactive strategies
• Situational Analysis
• Corrective strategies
STRATEGY #1
Structure and routine
STRATEGY #2
Worst case scenario
STRATEGY #3
Establish and maintaining rules
EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM
RULES
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Post ‘em
CONSULT with kids
State what you WANT
Measurable and observable
Add, modify, eliminate rules as the year
progresses
• Use rules that generalize
• Number the rules…..>7,8
• Refer to rules when broken…or followed !
STRATEGY #4
• Plan for and prepare for transitions.
• Beginning
• Middle
• End
STRATEGY #5
Earn a chance to take a chance
STRATEGY #6
Getting a commitment
STRATEGY #7
Minor choice technique
STRATEGY #8
Establishing an Anticipatory Set
STRATEGY #9
Setting an agenda
TUESDAY
• Collect, correct homework
• Finish discussion of Presidential
Succession
• Mapwork activity
• Rules for National Essay Contest
• Michael’s presentation on MLK
• Distribute, explain homework
• Finish DVD of JFK Assassination
STRATEGY #10
Using effective questioning strategies
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Avoid handraising…depend on eye contact
Wait 3 seconds
Find a germ of accuracy in responses
Recall-to-recognition… convert to multiple
choice
• Directed questioning
• Fair warning
• DON’T SAY, “Are there any questions?”
STRATEGY # 11
Define spaces in the classroom
STRATEGY #12
Use “Teachable Moments”
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
CORRECTIVE DISCIPLINE
WHY PUNISHMENT
SELDOM WORKS
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Been punished enough !!
Does not eliminate…just represses behavior
Doesn’t model desired behavior
Models aggression and use/abuse of power
“Message” gets lost in fear, anger, anxiety
Associates punishment with the punisher
Doesn’t transfer of generalize
Only effective as long as threat of
punishment exists
FOUR R’s OF
PUNISHMENT
• Related
• Respect
• Reasonable
• REVEALED
“EFFECTIVE
PUNISHMENT IS
IMMEDIATE and/or
DEFINITE”
CD STRATEGY #1
• Please……..ten
• Need……….ten
• Need…….. Now !!!!
CD STRATEGY #2
• WHISPERING
• To acknowledge positive responses
• As intervention….don’t wait for a
response
• Proximity control
CD STRATEGY #3
• Broken Record Technique
• Why argue?
• Voice, body language, repeat RULE
CD STRATEGY #4
“Make an appointment…..”
CD STRATEGY #5
“Focused Corrections”
CD STRATEGY #6
MILLIMETER AT A TIME
• Millimeter concession
• Millimeter admission
• Millimeter recognition
CD STRATEGY #7
Respect the struggle
CD STRATEGY #8
Use administrative
intervention wisely
CD STRATEGY #9
“Express quality and
expectation”
CD STRATEGY #10
DIFFERENTIAL ATTENTION
Break eye contact
Encourage another
Praise positive interaction
BEWARE of extinction burst
CD STRATEGY #11
Direct Appeal
CD STRATEGY #12
Worst choice option
A Good Coach…….
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Wants all players to do well and win
Knows each player
Defines group and individual goals
Uses strengths
Works on weaknesses
Knows opponent
Considers conditions
Instructs at proper level
Applies new skills, reviews old skills
Constantly evaluating an re-teaching
The HIDDEN
CURRICULUM
“Each school…each family…each
classroom has its own individual
and unique culture”
IDENTIFYING THE HIDDEN
CURRICULUM IN YOUR
SCHOOL
RESOURCES:
•Colleagues
•Students
•Student Council
•Support Staff (nurse, librarian,
custodians)
TECHNIQUES
• Interviews (staff, students, parents, alumni)
• Surveys
• Brainstorming
• InHouse publications (Yearbooks, student
newspaper, etc.)
• Observation
CONSIDERATIONS
• PHYSICAL PLANT
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
ADMINISTRATION
TEACHING STAFF
EXTRACURRICULAR
OPTIONS
SCHEDULE
OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL
rick@ricklavoie.com