Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. This is a sampling of over 500 classroom interventions for your use at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.
Here are some tips on presenting your lesson ADHD students. Remember, the best interventions are the ones that will help all of your students be more successful, not just the ADHD students.
Try to provide an outline with the key concepts or vocabulary prior to lesson presentation. The students can follow along and see the main concepts and terms as you present the lesson.
ADHD kids are easily bored, even by you. Try to increase the pace of lesson presentation. Resist the temptation to get sidetracked. Get excited about your lesson! And communicate your excitement to your students!
Include a variety of learning activities during each lesson. Use multi-sensory presentations, but screen audio?visual aids to be sure that distractions are kept to a minimum. For example, be sure interesting pictures and or sounds relate directly to the material to be learned. Many teachers are now using PowerPoint presentations or Astound presentations for their students with great effect.
Provide self-correcting materials for immediate feedback to the ADD ADHD student.
Use computer assisted instruction, both in terms of the student at a computer, and also in terms of presenting information via PowerPoint presentations.
Use cooperative learning activities, particularly those that assign each teen in a group a specific role or piece of information that must be shared with the group. Pair students to check work. Provide peer tutoring to help ADD ADHD student’s review concepts.
Let ADD ADHD students share recently learned concepts with struggling peers. Use peer tutoring whenever possible. Older students to help your attention deficit students, and perhaps allowing him to tutor a younger student.
The more exciting a subject is to an ADD ADHD students, the better he will learn.
Hopefully these will help the ADHD students in your classroom to be more successful. You can learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.
Tips for High School Teachers with ADHD Students: Presenting Your Lesson
Stay Present to Eliminate Stress and Suffering
Sometimes it seems the more you do, you just can’t seem to get things accomplished. Whatever you do isn’t enough. It just feels like you are on a sinking ship, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Many people feel this way lately. You are not alone. And even when your life is going great, those around you are depressed. Your co-workers, significant other, your children, your friends, can quickly make you feel like them– down trodden.
We pick up these energies because in today’s world we are constantly plugged in. We are picking up signals of those suffering not only in our homes, but in other countries. Technology is delivering to us doom and gloom news through vibrant images even if we choose simply to open our email.
So how do you protect yourself?
You have to constantly ask yourself, “Is this my true feeling or am I picking up other people’s stuff?” In other words, you have to stay present. Be vigilant to your thoughts and feelings. However, this is not what many of us choose to do. We would rather cover them up with old habits, zone out in front of the television, or listen to the person on the phone telling us about their problem, because it’s worse than ours. That’s why tabloid news is so huge. Watching the suffering of others somehow seemingly lessens ours. However, these are not quick fixes like our mind tells us they are. They simply create more suffering.
Stay Awake!
So maybe you say, “It’s not that. I just don’t feel happy anymore. I can’t stay happy, especially with the state of the world. I wish things were like they use to be.”
First of all realize that happiness is not something you need to “get.” Your natural self is happy, whole, perfect and complete. What covers up this natural state is our thoughts. The apathy thoughts like, “It’s useless. It’s all so overwhelming.” These are the voices in our heads that keep us depressed and confused. So it’s important to stay present and be aware.
“So how do I deal with those thoughts? ”
You simply need to observe them without judgment or trying to change them. This is being Mindful. Mindfulness, which is being present, works like a laser to cut through and dissolve those thoughts that do not serve us.
Discriminate
When those thoughts come up that are anything but loving, know it’s the ego mind working overtime. The ego loves turmoil. It keeps you depressed, worried, and most of all in fear. So being aware, is a huge step toward your freedom.
Let go
Many people think if they let go of worry, the world will crash down on them. Not so. You are simply letting go of the thoughts and emotions about whatever you have to do in life. The complaints and resistance.
If you have to get up and go to a job you don’t like or want, let go of thinking, “I hate going to this job.” “I hate the people.” “I hate the traffic.” “I hate my life.” Discriminate, which is what Buddha called, Right Thinking. Is this the ego talking? You will know if it is because the ego always has non-loving thoughts. The great thing about being present, is awareness of these thoughts is enough to allow them to dissolve.
It’s the thoughts that keep us trapped.
First comes the thoughts, followed by emotions, and then often comes an illness from toxic emotions.
We all have to do things in life we would rather not do. But it may be necessary for our survival. So do these things without telling yourself a STORY about the things you must do in life. Release your inner power for more energy by being present and observe if you are telling yourself another story.
When you are aware, you can easily release those tiring thoughts. Suddenly, you will have more vitality. You will discover that you will complete more things in a faster time because you will be in the present moment. And, in each moment, you will find that there is happiness, your natural state.
Use your breath
Your breath is a natural de-stressor, Use your breath to deal with whatever you need to accomplish. Don’t try to control the breath, simply observe and give yourself a short mantra. It can be a spiritual verse or an affirmation, or you can label your breath, “Breathing in, I am calm. Breathing out I am balanced.”
When those overwhelming thoughts come up, be present with them. Refuse to be dragged into the “story.” This is not who you truly are.
You will find your true self, which is whole, perfect and complete when you stay present.
North Korea and South Korea Poised to Present a Distraction From the Global Economic Crisis
North Korea fired artillery into civilian areas of South Korea’s island of Yeonpeong in the early morning hours on November 23 claiming it to be an inadvertent mistake during a training exercise. South Korea is said to have retaliated with artillery fire of its own. A prior conflict between the two nations lead to nearly 2 million deaths. Leaders in the region warn against escalation and overreaction. This comes after an attack and accusations from North Korea of a border violation of its waters by South Korea during a naval operation and a North Korean threat to retaliate.
Two of the world’s largest and most powerful nations border the peninsula and are showing concern. The leaders of Russia are urging restraint after what they are calling unacceptable clashes. A Russian spokesman is stating that there have been three instances of this kind during the year with this one being the most serious and deserves condemnation.
Both sides are known to have nuclear weapons and massive military capabilities. Likewise, both sides are allied with the same powerful nations as in the 1950, and these nations possess these weapons, as well. The growing tensions and an escalation between the two sides are being called a colossal danger. An ongoing conflict between the north and the south would risk a substantial loss of life.
The last major conflict lasted from June of 1950 to June of 1953 when an armistice was signed. China and the United States intervened in the last conflict and were deeply entangled for years. Nearly 55,000 Americans and over 1,000,000 Korean and Chinese lost their lives in the war. Even after this enormous loss of life, it resulted in no change in the border or anything else on the Korean peninsula.
Western powers are quick to blame the government of North Korea for the latest skirmish. A conflict between the two nations has been mentioned in western news, recently, and has been described as a positive development for the present economic situation. An escalation in this affair does not seem unlikely. Military conflict is known to be used by nations in economic crises as a solution to unemployment and currency value issues. Military corporations and central bankers stand to gain the most from a development of this kind.
With such powerful allies on both sides, North and South Korea have the potential to create a major turmoil in the world. There are much more powerful weapons available now, and the two nations are still under an armistice from the last war. Economic leaders of the world would benefit from an escalation, which makes a worsening of the situation all the more likely.