Students with ADHD struggle when it comes to learning. If teachers have their issues with this kind of learner, well, the students themselves have their concerns. Most teenagers with ADHD are aware of their condition, and they are also trying to work things out themselves. However, they need an understanding of the people around them especially their educators and parents.
At times, parents fight with one another because they are stressed about their ADHD kid. This shouldn’t be the case. Kids with ADHD don’t like it if their parents are arguing because of their disorder. Parents must try to assess the problem because a strained relationship will do no good for your ADHD kid.
Anyway, below are some things students with ADHD want their teachers and parents to know about them.
I tend to be forgetful even if you keep on repeating it to me. People with ADHD have very poor memory retention. They forget things even if it’s urgent.
You may think that I’m stupid, but I’m not. Students with ADHD absorb details or information slower compared to regular and disorder-free kids. But they are not stupid.
I may ask too many questions over and over again, repeating the same ones – please be patient with me. Students with the said disorder understand things differently that is why they tend to ask more questions.
My goal is to be a good person, at all times. It is most students with ADHD’s desire to do well in class. However, their condition kept them. But when they do well, it makes them feel good.
I want to finish my assignment, but I can’t remember it. People with ADHD are disorganized, and with their poor memory retention, things will get messy. As for homework, they tend to lose or forget it. With this, they need help. Carey Heller, PsyD, reminds, “The real secret to long-term success for teens with ADHD is giving them the tools they need to complete tasks themselves rather than constantly reminding them.”
My disorder is not an excuse for me. ADHD is a mental disorder, and it comes in with numerous disadvantages. But despite this, students with the said condition should normally be treated. They just need understanding and patience from the people around them.
I need help to succeed. Teenagers with ADHD still need help in many aspects. However, because of their age, they tend to refuse the help extended. But again, they do. Just help them in a way that won’t offend them.
If I misbehave, please, talk to me about it privately. Students with ADHD have some doings that may be bizarre to others. Instead of reprimanding them in public (which is humiliating to them), it is advised to talk to them about it in private. Additionally, Ari Tuckman, PsyD, says, “Parents need to be calm and matter of fact, not emotional. When parents are emotional, the message gets lost and children only hear that you sound crazy.”
I don’t want special treatment. Granted that they have this condition, there is no need to use it to get special treatment from other people. Just let them do their activities and tasks at their own pace.
Tell me what you want, or better yet, write it down so that I’ll know what you expect of me. Students with ADHD need to know precisely what is expected of them. This will help them understand and adjust themselves to meet the imposed expectations. Sharon Saline, PsyD, advises, “Sit down in a calm moment and discuss a skill that you both think needs improving. Brainstorm ideas about how to approach this, try one of them out and regroup in a week to assess your progress. If things aren’t getting better, make necessary adjustments or pick another approach.”
Please read about ADHD so you can understand and help me. To help students with ADHD, it is best that you read about it and get educated. Being armed with knowledge about the condition will enable you to help them effectively.
Although I have ADHD, I am not ADHD. Students with ADHD, just like normal kids, have emotions and dreams. They also need to be loved and accepted. They may have ADHD, but they don’t like to be defined with it. They want people to recognize them as they are and not as the condition.
Having ADHD is a challenge. People with the said condition need the patience and understanding of the people around them. It will guide them through life and make them strong enough to survive.