“Neurodivergent Kids Are My Favorite Students” | #ADHDNews Courtesy of The only in home tutor on Oahu with ADHD specializing in students with ADHD. Affordable Private In Home Tutoring Honolulu Hawaii Covering all of Oahu and Remotely for The Entire U.S.A. Text or Call 808.224.1870 Subscribe by Following on Twitter InHomeTutor808
There are ways of improving focus for those of us blessed with ADHD. As the only in home tutor specializing in ADHD WITH ADHD here on Oahu, I'm sharing this list of the top 5 downloads for ADHD help and support from the world's largest collection of downloadable ebooks, products and services.
Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:40:20 +0000 “My neurodivergent kids give me complete creative freedom over how I teach. It’s like I’m working on a psychological puzzle, searching for one last puzzle piece to get them to do what I need. They keep tearing my imaginary puzzle apart, but I’ll be damned if I don’t finish it.”
I moonlight as a swimming instructor every Sunday morning. In other words, I spend four hours of my weekend showing children how not to drown. It’s not an easy job, but it is rewarding.
I’ve always felt as comfortable in the water as I am on land. There’s something wonderful about that moment I hit the water. The outside world goes quiet as my brain taps into my muscle memory built from years of doing laps at my local swimming club (I still have the shoulders too!).
The greatest challenge is teaching the neurodivergent kids. Often, their parents will drop them off with an off-hand, “Oh, by the way, my son has autism,” or “My daughter has dyspraxia,” as if this critical information were an afterthought. It’s also usually stated when we’re about to hit the pool with 20 other kids, most of whom have no desire to behave. My “training” never prepared me for this, but it suddenly became a me-problem.
Challenge accepted!
I absolutely love my neurodivergent students. I have one kid who won’t stop ducking underwater while everyone else leans on the edge of the pool watching him. I can be as sarcastic as I like about his behavior because he can’t hear me — he’s underwater. We now fist bump to make sure he’s listening to the short instructions I give, and he’s the best in class. It’s great!
I live for these breakthroughs with a child and my neurodivergent kids give me complete creative freedom over how I teach to get there. It’s like I’m working on a psychological puzzle, searching for that one puzzle piece to get them to do what I (and they) need. They may keep tearing my imaginary puzzle apart, but I’ll be damned if I don’t finish it. One way or another, little Timmy the Terrible will become Aquaman under my watch. It’s on!
My career always has had two simultaneous prongs: teaching and writing. Both jobs are challenging, rewarding, involve people, and (I hope) make a difference. Before I can influence minds and create change for the better, I have to embark on an arduous journey that can result in me (and occasionally an entire school) learning the exact limits of my patience.
I remember one student, Theo, from my time teaching English in Jakarta, Indonesia. His behavior was so bad after our first class together that I wanted to sentence him to life without recess. Instead, I sent him out of the classroom. He cried, but I don’t regret it. After an hour and a half of testing my patience, he deserved the consequence.
I didn’t want to teach that class again. It was utter chaos, and the students had gotten under my skin. I felt disrespected, powerless, and like I was wasting my time and energy. I dreaded it so much that I couldn’t sleep the night before the next class.
I arrived at class ten minutes late because I was in my boss’ office fruitlessly begging him to take them off my hands. Defeated and dragging my heels, I went to the room, counting down the clock before I even got to the door.
Because I was in a bad mood and still had a job to do, (My boss told me it was okay to half-ass it if it meant I wouldn’t lose my cool again.) I let them watch a movie clip while I flipped through the textbook piecing together a quick lesson plan that I should’ve already finished.
How to Teach Neurodivergent Students: Do’s
They watched a clip from the movie 300 — the scene where the movie’s star, King Leonidas (actor Gerard Butler), kicks a Persian emissary down an artesian well and shouts the iconic line, “This is Sparta!”
I turned off the movie since the battle between the Spartans and Persians probably wasn’t school appropriate. Then I saw how excited they were. They kicked, posed, and did other “macho” stuff you’d expect to see in an epic blockbuster. The clip captivated them. For the first time, they were focused. I had an in!
We were supposed to work on learning superlatives. Boring! At that moment, I took their actions and adapted them into a game I call “Spartan Superlatives.”
I took a garbage bin lid, a broomstick, and a motorcycle helmet and told Theo (all his pent-up energy and unconfirmed ADHD) to put them on and take the lead. We all took turns screaming sentences like, “A SPARTAN NEVER [that was the superlative] EATS BROCCOLI ON A WEDNESDAY!” and “A SPARTAN WOMAN ONLY [superlative again] HAS 200 HEDGEHOGS IN HER HANDBAG!”
It was creative genius! We stuck random English words on the board to use and laughed while doing it. It was the most beautiful sound, and they really learned their superlatives.
Because I changed how I taught my partly neurodiverse class, they responded in a way none of their teachers had ever seen before. They gave me feedback, participated, and were confident and capable learners. As I got to know those eight kids over the next few weeks, they became my favorite class.
I once put on Frozen while we worked together on the floor (because they wouldn’t sit still in their chairs). Theo closed his eyes and started singing along, blissfully unaware that the rest of us were watching him in stunned silence. It was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.
Neurodivergent Kids Can Push My Buttons — I’m OK with It
I loved the class so much that, when it was time for me to leave the school, I swapped lessons with another teacher to have one more “last class “with them. It was so emotional. Theo waited after class to give me a gift. I had become his favorite teacher! It’s been seven years, and I still miss them.
Neurodivergent children can push teachers’ buttons at times, but I wouldn’t want to teach any other students. Learning is about experience and discovery, whereas class control is about creating and maintaining order. This mindset has dogged everyone with ADHD. My advice to teachers with neurodivergent students is to let go of shoulds and play into how they think. Don’t fight for control and order. Adapt to their lead and channel that energy into your lessons. You’ll find that they’re fantastic learners — and kids. And you can be as sarcastic as you like! It’s all part of the game of learning.
SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you
DIY Ebooks Course and Study Material For Education Tutoring and Special Needs || Affordable Private In Home Tutoring Honolulu Hawaii Covering all of Oahu and Remotely for The Entire U.S.A. Text or Call 808.224.1870 Computers, Cell Phones and Troubleshooting and Repair, Behavior Problems Poor Grades Self-Defense Mainland U.S.A. Text Only Due to Time Differences Tutoring Available From 6-Senior
Pinterest is an effective, yet often overlooked means of marketing your online course. Share and teach what you love and make money online teaching what's in your heart. Teachable Online Course...
Before you can create your online course, you need to come up with your online course idea. And as simple as that may sound, there is a lot to consider. Use this video as a starting point.......
Built right into your online course teaching system is a drip method of selling your courses online by email. Your students will receive their lessons directly in their email! Teachable Online Course...
How to design editable and branded workbooks, worksheets, cheatsheets, toolkits, checklists and other digital lead magnets to use to grow your audience for your online course or business. This video...
How you can use Adobe InDesign to create a gorgeous, editable workbook to grow your audience for your online course teaching business. Teachable Online Course Platform so You Can Teach What You Love...
How to use Apple Pages to create editable workbooks, cheatsheets, toolkits and more for your audience to be used as bonus material in your online course. Teachable Online Course Platform so You Can...
You've looked all over the internet for people interested in paying for your online course. You can't find anyone. What do you do? Watch this video for some straight and real advice.... Teachable...
How to launch your first online teaching course. Your sales pitch is what will get you paying students so you can make more money online working and teaching from home. Teachable Online Course...
How to launch your first online teaching course. Your sales pitch is what will get you paying students so you can make more money online working and teaching from home. Teachable Online Course...
How to launch your first online teaching course. Your sales pitch is what will get you paying students so you can make more money online working and teaching from home. Teachable Online Course...
How to launch your first online teaching course. Your sales pitch is what will get you paying students so you can make more money online working and teaching from home. Teachable Online Course...
Attention Business Owners in Honolulu Hawaii or Anywhere on Oahu As a former BNI member and still sub for BNI, I've experienced the power of group referrals myself and the motto "Givers Gain". I'd...
One of my more popular English grammar lesson articles for you now turned into a video for easy listening along with my comments. I hear my in-home tutoring and public school students use I or me...
I hear my in-home tutoring and public school students use I or me almost interchangeably, especially when there are two subjects, but there is a little trick I teach my students as to when I or me is...
Why does this dual certified teacher and in home tutor in Honolulu Hawaii think his ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, is a superpower and not a disability? Important Links for This ADHD...
I was in home tutoring a 6th grader in Kaimuki, part of Honolulu Hawaii for math. I taught her how to isolate a variable involving fractions. I thought I'd teach you how to solve these equations with...
Mathematics Anxiety: A Guide for Parents and Teachers Guest Post by Chris Hogbin Teacher | EdTech Specialist | Learner | Lover of Maths 3 articles Follow For many students, mathematics is more than...
Looking for a conversational way to learn and understand math? You can get help right now with Complete School - The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection Now you can get great grades and...
Warning Straight talk - Despite what your child may think, you, as a parent, are in charge of your child's education even during the summer. 1 to 3 hours a week will benefit your child by catching up...
This eBook, The 3 Word Truth To Attending Community College And Transferring, gives you the “Average Joe secret” and outlines in detail, a clear action plan on how you can use your local...
Click Here for More Information on these 5 Downloadable Educational Workbooks for Early Learning Modern early education theories stress the importance of providing children with activities they can...
Here's the number 1 home study course for Human Anatomy and physiology. The home study course contains everything you need. No more flipping between incomplete courses! Revealed inthis SHOCKING New...
I have several in home computer tutoring and repair clients who do medical billing for a full time living working at home. Definitely worth looking into. CONTENTS OF THE PRACTICE EXAM: Click here to...
Watch The Video Below To Find Out How YOU Have Been Programmed To Study The Wrong Way All Your Life And Because Of This YOU Have Achieved Far Less Than What You’re Capable Of! According to the...
Veteran Reading Teacher Reveals Proven Formula That Enables Any Parent To Set The Foundation For Their Child To Achieve Reading Success Having it... Gives Children the Skill And Confidence to Succeed...
I came up with this idea for a lesson plan when I was teaching middle school. So many students, especially the ones with behavior issues or grade challenges, only hear the negative things about them....
There are ways of improving focus for those of us blessed with ADHD. As the only in home tutor specializing in ADHD WITH ADHD here on Oahu, I'm sharing this list of the top 5 downloads for ADHD help...
I'm a big fan of Edpuzzle. This year I'm long-term substitute teaching ELL. I like Edpuzzle because my students here the English language then are asked questions when the video pauses. This article...
I received permission from the author of the answer to this question on Quora. I felt it fit me as well as many of my in home tutoring students here in Honolulu Hawaii. As far as I’m concerned,...
Nothing drives me crazier than publishing a webpage, sharing it, and THEN finding stupid spelling errors and grammar errors. This stops NOW with this FREE spelling and grammar Google Chrome extension...
I asked Dr. Alice DePina to tell me a little about herself since she has joined our in home tutoring ohana here in Honolulu Hawaii covering all of Oahu. Here's what she said.... Dr. De Pina has 16...
I was in home tutoring a 6th grader in Kaimuki, part of Honolulu Hawaii for math. I taught her how to isolate a variable involving fractions. I thought I'd teach you how to solve these equations....
Education news may now be found at http://inhometutoringhonolulu.com/educationnews/ I have several education news resources on that page so be sure to scroll to the bottom for today's most relevant...
Online courses are becoming the norm. Through online courses, you can learn anything from tennis to dealing poker. Here's a great list of online courses to get you started.... Learning Strategies:...
Giving an answer to a student is sometimes done out of frustration by both teachers and parents. After all. How much harm can it do to a student's education to give an answer? It helps the student...
My in home tutoring schedule was full here in Honolulu Hawaii. I didn't want to turn down any parents and children in need of extra help with their math, English or other subjects. A teacher friend...
Make money teaching others what you're good at. We all have a subject everyone asks us about, NOW YOU can take your special knowledge and make money online working from home teaching courses This...
Here's a link to the world's largest resource of online courses. Many of these online learning courses are free. All of these educational courses are approved and vetted. Online learning and teaching...
Students and teachers. Use this free online tool by Grammarly to check for plagiarism. Click This Link to Check for Plagiarism FREE Some links are affiliate links that help to support my efforts when...
Once in a great while I get an in home tutoring parent here in Honolulu Hawaii who tells me "my child doesn't remember his/her lessons when he/she takes a test." Remembering the lessons is not the...
My wife learned to play the piano. I know others want piano lessons yet a piano teacher may not be near your location. Thus this list of learn to play the piano resources for you. FREE Piano Lessons!...
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio. Here is a link to the audio instead. I don't know about you, but 90% of my email subscriptions remain unopened. Even if I found an interesting email there's...
This study technique for spelling tests has been successful. I've used it as an in home tutor covering Honolulu Hawaii and all of Oahu specializing in students with ADHD since I have ADHD myself and...
When I announced my deadline coming up to leave my long-term substitute teaching assignment in middle school a student wanted me to stay because she was finally getting A's. Here's what I told...
Why does this dual certified teacher and in home tutor in Honolulu Hawaii think his ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, is a superpower and not a disability? ADHD Is My Super Power and It...
Family and Kids information can be found at Ultimate Anti-Aging Guide – Best Digi Course Hurry while the information on Family and Kids is still available.