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design and amazing organized life with adhd

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hadndling the tough stuff with adhd kids. What to do when we don't know what to do

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using movies games and utube for learning with adhd kids

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Building bridges for learning in adhd kids

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Color-code to-dos.

Use different-colored sticky notes to help your child keep track of when to do tasks like schoolwork or chores. The color of the sticky note on an assignment or chore could indicate how urgent it is. For example, tasks that need to be done first can be flagged with red stickies, those due by the end of the week could be orange, and so on.

Get more tips for helping your child with organization.

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8 Ways to Use Color-Coding to Help Kids With Executive Functioning Issues

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Use different-colored sticky notes to help your child keep track of when to do tasks like schoolwork or chores. The color of the sticky note on an assignment or chore could indicate how urgent it is.

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When you have ADHD, you might get frustrated that you don't work like everyone else. Maybe you can't sit still for hours and listen to a lecture. Maybe you don't learn as well from reading a book. Maybe you have trouble committing your ideas to paper.

Unfortunately, people with ADHD are usually given limited tools, such as a pen and paper, and discouraged from moving around, said David Giwerc, MCC, founder and president of the ADD Coach Academy.

But this doesn't work for your uniquely wired brain. And that's OK. People with ADHD don't need to fit themselves into some box. You don't need to work like other people. You can find tools that fit your learning style and needs - and help you succeed.

Below, Giwerc and other ADHD experts list their favorite tools - everything from phone apps to computer software.

Google Calendar. Sure, it's simple, but that's the upside about this electronic calendar. "By following the schedule you can ensure you are reducing prioritizing dilemmas, time management issues and motivation hiccups. Just follow the plan," said Andrew Pebley, M.A., a coach and consultant specializing in working professionals and executives with ADHD.

Giwerc also uses Google Calendar, and takes advantage of the color options. His activities appear in one color, while his key employees are in another color.

Alarm apps. Because people with ADHD tend to hyperfocus on certain tasks, they can have a tough time sticking to a schedule. If you need to work on other tasks, use an alarm to break the flow, Pebley said. There are countless alarms to choose from. Pebley's favorite is Alarmdroid, which has many additional features, he said.

MindManager. This software program lets you create mind maps and diagrams with keywords. Giwerc, who's a visual learner, uses the program to brainstorm ideas and organize his thoughts. He's used it for everything from outlining articles to presentations to his book Permission to Proceed: The Keys to Creating a Life of Passion, Purpose and Possibility for Adults with ADHD.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Giwerc also uses this voice-activated software, particularly when he's bombarded with ideas. Sometimes he'll look at his mind map, and discuss those ideas. As he's speaking, the program transcribes his words into Microsoft Word. (Giwerc noted that the best versions are 10 and above.)

Don't Forget the Milk. "This is a task management app [that] assists by presenting reminders for the tasks you have stored," Pebley said. He knows many individuals who love it.

Exercise ball. Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D, NCC, a psychotherapist and author, likes to sit on an exercise ball while working at her desk. "Being able to move around - while still staying seated - helps with focusing," she said.

Cordless headset. For Giwerc having a cordless headset is key when he needs to concentrate. (He uses a Jabra headset.) Sometimes when he's talking to clients, he'll either walk around his office or on the treadmill.

Errands. This is another app that helps you "set categories and priorities for tasks," Sarkis said. She also noted that tasks are organized by due date, and you can even set alarms for separate tasks.

Excel. Giwerc uses Excel spreadsheets to keep track of quotes for his presentations and writing. He categorizes his hundreds of quotes by themes.

Copytalk Mobile Scribe. Some of Giwerc's clients use this transcription service. They simply call in, dictate information, and then receive it in email form, he said.

Attention Talk Radio. Reading can be a slower process for people with ADHD. Giwerc, who's also an auditory learner, likes to listen to these free 30-minute interviews with renowned ADHD experts. He suggested accessing upcoming interviews on this page, archived interviews on this page or using iTunes.

Animoto. Giwerc uses this program to create informative and engaging videos about complex topics. Here's a video he created about ADHD research. (As a visual learner, he also likes to watch TED talks.)

You might think you're a terrible writer, worker or student. But it's likely that you just don't have the right tools. Experiment with various programs and apps, and find what works for you. Try out free tutorials, Giwerc said. And then invest in tools that you know are successful for your specific needs.

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Tools that Make It Easier to Manage ADHD | World of Psychology

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When you have ADHD, you might get frustrated that you don't work like everyone else. Maybe you can't sit still for hours and listen to a lecture. Maybe you don't learn as well from reading a book. Maybe you have trouble committing your ideas to paper.

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Use rewards and gentle encouragement to discourage fibbing from your child with ADHD.

All children lie occasionally. But because of impulsivity and low self-esteem - and their tendency to make mistakes that they think need covering up - kids with ADHD are especially prone to stretching the truth. That worries parents. Lying can cause kids to lose friends and get into trouble with teachers and other authority figures.

How should parents react when they catch their child in a lie? What can be done to help a child recognize the importance of telling the truth?

First, realize that the impulse to tell fibs does not make your youngster a bad person, nor is it evidence of a character flaw. It's just a byproduct of ADHD - almost a symptom. And like other symptoms of the disorder, it can often be helped by medication.

Even with drug therapy, your child may need extra coaching to understand the importance of truth telling. Here are the strategies I suggest to the parents I work with:

Explain the downside of deceit.

Some kids tell lies out of insecurity, concocting fanciful stories in an effort to boost their popularity. One girl I work with, Susan, told her schoolmates that she was friends with a pop star, and that this star was going to pick her up from school in a limousine. When her mom got wind of this tale, she confronted Susan, who tearfully admitted she had made the whole thing up to seem "more interesting."

Punishing an insecure child like Susan is likely to do more harm than good. Instead, make sure your child understands what will happen if she gets caught in a lie. Ask, "What if your friends discover your lie?" The downside of telling a lie - even a relatively benign one like the one Susan told - may be obvious to grownups. But kids need to be reminded that lying usually causes more problems than it eliminates - and that if they stretch the truth today, there may be fallout tomorrow.

Encourage your child to pause before speaking.

Instead of taking time to respond appropriately (and truthfully) to tough questions, impulsive kids blurt out an answer - even if the answer is an exaggeration or a blatant falsehood. Teach your child to silently count to three before speaking, and to use that time to formulate a truthful answer.

If your child says something you know to be untrue, stay calm. Reacting angrily, or with obvious dismay, will only make your child feel the need to tell additional lies to defuse the situation - and end up digging herself into an even deeper hole.

Give your child the opportunity to reconsider her answer.

Say, "Did you really finish your homework? I don't think you did. I'll give you another chance to answer, with no consequences for lying." Whether this "truth check" is done immediately or a few hours later, it teaches kids to second-guess an untruthful answer.

Giving your child another chance does not mean that she can escape responsibility for the underlying matter. For example, even though the child will not be punished for lying about having completed his homework, he should still be required to complete it.

Reward honesty.

When a child lies to cover up mistakes or misbehavior, it can be tempting to pile on the "consequences." But in encouraging honesty, rewards are often better than punishment.

After one of my clients caught her son, Joe, lying about an incident at school, she decided to try something new: She told Joe that, if she "caught" him being truthful, he would earn a token redeemable for a trip to the movies. Joe has gotten a lot better at owning up to his misadventures.

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Use rewards and gentle encouragement to discourage fibbing from your child with ADHD. All children lie occasionally. But because of impulsivity and low self-esteem - and their tendency to make mistakes that they think need covering up - kids with ADHD are especially prone to stretching the truth. That worries parents.

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Teachers and parents can work with children with ADHD - not against them - to develop a school organization system that keeps homework papers and school supplies in their proper place.

Cluttered desk filled with binder clips, scissors, pencil, stapler, ruler, eraser and cell phone

Given the five-balls-in-the-air complexity of our own hectic lives, we sometimes forget that our children are also juggling. As early as second grade, children are expected to hand in homework, show up for band practice, and keep track of their belongings. School organization is hard for any child, but especially for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Fortunately, organizational skills can be taught. By working with your child to build systems and routines, you can help him move from clutter to control - and clear the decks for learning.

Solutions In the Classroom

Color-code academic materials. Use green, for example, for all science notebooks, binders, folders, and textbook covers. Keep related classroom books and materials in bins of the same hue.

Post steps for routines. Hang colorful signs to show where homework, lunchboxes, and parent-teacher correspondence should be placed. (For pre-readers, use drawings or photos.) A reminder about dismissal might read: Did you clear off your desk? Did you pack your book bag? Do you have your jacket, lunchbox, and homework assignment? Post procedures for special periods, such as library time or computer lab, and hand out copies for students to keep in their binders.

Simplify the flow of papers. Homework, permission slips, and PTA letters are easily lost or crumpled. Provide each student with three clear, pocket-type folders - labeled "Mail," "Homework to Do," and "Completed Homework."

Schedule a class clean-up. Provide time for students to de-clutter their binders, backpacks, and desks. Hold periodic desk and notebook inspections, and award prizes - a homework pass or tokens redeemable at the school store - for tidiness.

Post a master calendar. It should show all upcoming activities, projects, and deadlines. Allow time for students to transfer the information to their personal planners.

To help students with time management, use an analog clock. That makes it easier for students to track the passage of time. Make a game out of predicting how long various activities take. How long does it take to walk from the classroom to the school office? To write a book report?

Provide structure for long-term projects, and give students with ADHD a head start. Break projects into manageable steps - choosing a topic, submitting an outline, and so on. Post deadlines for each stage and refer to them frequently. Let parents know about these due dates, as well. And encourage students to use ADDitude's step-by-step guide to writing term papers.

Solutions At Home

Buy school gear that encourages organization, such as a backpack with multiple compartments. Help your child categorize his school materials - notebooks/binders, workbooks/texts, pens/pencils - and assign each category its own compartment. A three-ring binder, with colored tabs for separate subjects and inserts with pockets for notes, works well for many students. Buy paper with reinforced holes to reduce the risk of losing pages.

Bring order to your child's room. Separate ongoing projects, finished work, and school and art supplies into labeled bins, folders, file cabinets, or an under-bed box.

Provide a shelf for books and a bulletin board for reminders. Give your child a stapler, a three-hole punch, and big binder clips. (For ADHD-friendly products, log on to addconsults.com/store, and click on "Get Organized!")

Keep extra supplies on hand. Kids with attention problems tend to lose things, so fill a supply cabinet with pencils, rulers, tape, binders, and other essentials. Post a checklist in the cabinet that your child can mark when she takes an item.

Keep an extra set of textbooks at home. That way, your child won't have to remember every book every day. Make the extra books part of the IEP, or request them from the teacher at the beginning of the term.

Prepare for the next day. As your child packs his book bag each evening, make sure that homework is in its folder and that everything he'll need - violin, sneakers, lunch money - is ready to go in the morning. On weekends, help him go through his backpack to remove old work and see if he needs any new supplies. Reserve a shelf or cabinet by the front door for items that your child takes to school every day. Label it with colored stickers, so that glasses, wallet, and bus pass can be easily found. Hang a hook underneath for a backpack or sports bag.

Give your child a pad of sticky notes, and encourage him to post special reminders on mirrors, doors, and elsewhere.

Give your child a daily planner to keep track of deadlines, appointments, events, and so on. Encourage her to keep a daily to-do list, and teach her to prioritize by dividing tasks into two groups: Important (do it now!) and Less Important (do it anytime). Go over the next day's schedule together every night.

Strategies in Action

"My 11-year-old son has a hard time with organization, but we've found that an accordion folder really helps. We assign each school subject its own pocket, and reserve a pocket for blank paper and one for notices to bring home - all labeled."
- Jeanie Scott, Houston

"To make sure my kids get to school on time, we get everything ready the night before. Lunch is made, and book bags are packed and put in the car. As a final check, there's a big sign on the inside of the front door: "Do you have lunch/homework/glasses/ library book/coat?" I can hear them say it as they walk out the door each morning."
- Ester Wetherill, Rogers, Arkansas

School Organization: A Tidy Locker

Keeping an orderly school locker is a big step toward achieving school organization. Ideally, your child's locker will be shipshape at all times. More likely, it's usually a heap of stuff. And if he has to dig through clutter to find his math book or trumpet, odds are he'll be late to class or rehearsal.

Help your child figure out the bare minimum that he needs to keep in his locker. Extraneous items make it hard to keep things neat. Together, decide how to group his belongings. Should texts and notebooks be kept in separate piles, for instance, or organized by subject? Let him design a system that seems logical to him. That way, he'll be more inclined to keep it going.

Look for ways to create a well-ordered space. Is there room for a bin to stash sports equipment? Can you install a hook for sneakers? How about a hanging organizer? Inside the locker door, you might post a small message board for your child's daily schedule and special reminders.

Finally, set up a schedule for when your child cleans his locker - perhaps weekly or just before each school break.

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School Organization 101: Clutter-Free Backpacks and Bedrooms

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Teachers and parents can work with children with ADHD - not against them - to develop a school organization system that keeps homework papers and school supplies in their proper place. Given the five-balls-in-the-air complexity of our own hectic lives, we sometimes forget that our children are also juggling.

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Tackle your to-do list (digital-style!) with these smart productivity apps - like EpicWin and Task Timer - that inspire kids and adults with ADHD to get things done.

Woman with ADHD, on city street, smiling and holding cellphone after using to-do list app for organization

Tackle your to-do list (digital-style!) with these smart productivity apps - like EpicWin and Task Timer - that inspire kids and adults with ADHD to get things done.

EpicWin

Problem: You find it difficult to meet goals.

How you use the app: EpicWin is a cross between a digital organizer and a role-playing video game. You choose an avatar character that appeals to you, and then select a task that you want to accomplish. As tasks are completed, players pick up points, "treasures," and loot.

Benefits: Video-game elements appeal to the ADHD brain and motivate you to keep going.

Task Timer

Problem: You get distracted when doing a task.

How you use the app: Pick a task, choose the completion time, and the app keeps you on track by showing time elapsed and time remaining. Include breaks and use the intermittent vibration reminder to help you stay on task.

Benefits: You can customize Task Timer to your work preference - as a quick burst of activity or at a more leisurely pace.

iRewardChart

Problem: Your child needs extra motivation to accomplish routine tasks.

How to use the app: Input chores or behavior goals and track your child's progress into iRewardChart over the course of the week. When he completes an action, he earns a star toward a reward.

Benefits: It offers children visual reinforcement of progress made - and rewards earned.

Evernote

Problem: You can't keep track of paper clutter.

How to use the app: Evernote allows you to store text, photos, and audio notes on your device of choice. Create "notebooks" and categorize notes for recipes, an upcoming vacation, product research, to-do lists, and so on. Notes are tagged with geo-location for mapping or search.

Benefits: Information is in one location, organized, and available through a simple search. Type in what you need and Evernote will find it for you.
NOTE: This article was last updated in June, 2013.

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4 Miraculously Motivating Productivity Apps

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Tackle your to-do list (digital-style!) with these smart productivity apps - like EpicWin and Task Timer - that inspire kids and adults with ADHD to get things done. Tackle your to-do list (digital-style!) with these smart productivity apps - like EpicWin and Task Timer - that inspire kids and adults with ADHD to get things done.

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Most piano teachers will encounter a piano student who has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). And let's be blunt... they can be very difficult students in a piano lesson setting. But they can also be amazingly wonderful and rewarding piano students if we as teachers make the effort to adjust our lessons to suit their unique needs.

This is uncharted territory for many of us. And while some piano teachers may have the ability to hand-pick their students, other teachers do not. And still others feel strongly about giving all children the opportunity to experience piano (I'm in this camp!) For those teachers who may be struggling with a piano student with ADD or ADHD... this post is for you!

Because we're on this topic, I'm not going to be long-winded or wordy... because that is one of the things you'll want to avoid when teaching these children! So, here are 8 strategies for teaching piano lessons to students with ADD or ADHD.

1. Same Old, Same Old is a Good Thing

You may be the most interesting, unique and innovative teacher in town, but reign in your 3-ring circus when it comes to these students. Have a clear lesson structure that is predictable, with routines you follow in the same manner each week. These piano students thrive in an environment where they know exactly what to expect every time. This doesn't mean be boring... but it does mean that you need to be aware of their need for structure. Use charts as a visual to represent your lesson structure and stick to the chart each week.

2. Be Firm, But Kind

Be clear with your expectations and enforce them... kindly. This is easier said than done! There is a careful balance that you need to find where your piano student both respects and enjoys you. Avoid the desire to want them to like you so much that you lose control of the lesson. They will like you more if they feel secure in knowing that you're the one in charge.

3. Make Your Instructions Clear

Keep your teaching simple. Spell out exactly what you'd like them to do in a way that leaves no room for interpretation. For example "Let's start from the beginning" should be "Let's play Rodeo hands together starting right here." Try for eye contact when giving instructions... and, if you are able, get a verbal acknowledgement from them that they've heard you and understand (okay is a great word!)

4. Rewards and Consequences Work

Choose music-related rewards that are earned for completing certain tasks during the piano lesson. These don't need to be stickers or candy, but rather the opportunity to play a favorite theory game, a favorite duet etc. Find something they dearly love to do and offer it as a reward for following your clearly-laid-out expectations. If they choose not to, then the reward doesn't happen that week (but remind them of their chance to try again next time). Make a point of catching them doing something positive as often as you can and tell them what you like about what they're doing.

5. Pick Your Battles

Yes, his or her behavior may be annoying, but if is minor and isn't affecting the learning at that moment then let it slide. It can become extremely discouraging for a child if they are constantly hearing "Stop"... "No"... "Don't". Save those words for when you really need them and they'll have much more of an impact.

6. Eliminate Distractions

Eliminate anything from your piano studio that could be distracting. Fish tanks, prize buckets, pencil cases... they all "call" to your student and you end up spending your piano lesson time wrangling them away from the distraction. It's much easier to not have the distractions there in the first place. Use the piano lid and close it while you talk... the piano itself is often a distraction!

7. Let Them Experience Success Often

Set small and realistic goals that allow your student to experience success frequently. Make goals achievable and celebrate when they accomplish them. Involve his or her parents in this process so that it continues at home. Do not measure home piano practice by minutes, but rather by ability (ie. Can they play the first line hands together? etc.)

8. Be Their Rock

You have the opportunity to be your piano student's ray of sunshine each week. By being a consistent, kind, and understanding role-model you can have a large impact on your student's life. It is rewarding to be a piano teacher. It is profoundly rewarding to know that your student would not have had piano in their life... had it not been for you.

And... A Bonus Tip

Finally... check out our resource, The Adventures of Fearless Fortissimo. The captivating story and comic-style images combined with exciting piano pieces speak to students who need lots of motivation. Piano teachers everywhere are telling us how even their most easily distracted students are enthralled with these piano books!

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8 Strategies for Teaching Piano to Students with ADD or ADHD

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Most piano teachers will encounter a piano student who has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). And let's be blunt... they can be very difficult students in a piano lesson setting. But they can also be amazingly wonderful and rewarding piano students if we as teachers make the effort to adjust our lessons to suit their unique needs.

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8 simple strategies to help you get your motley crew out the door on time, every time - and even fed and dressed, too!

A father helping his daughter adjust her backpack, teal soccer jersey

We all know how we'd like to begin our days: lounging in a plush bathrobe, a latte in one hand, a good book in the other.

Whether or not someone in your family has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that's not likely to happen. Especially on school days, when you have to make sure everyone wakes up, gets dressed, eats breakfast, and gets to school and work on time.

Did he have enough to eat? Did she remember her homework? Did you grab your cell phone?

You won't be able to avoid busyness at the beginning of your day, but you can start working towards happy mornings by creating an island of calm in your daily routine. Here's how:

Ask for Help!

Call a family meeting to decide who will be responsible for which tasks each morning. For example, Dad will make sure the kids get dressed and brush their teeth, and Mom will take care of breakfast and the carpool. Don't forget to assign tasks - like loading the dishwasher - to the children, too.

Draw up a schedule, and post it for all to see. If you have young children with ADHD, include photos or illustrations representing the tasks that they need to do, so that they will understand their responsibilities.

Use a timer to move things along, if necessary. One family I worked with tape-recorded their morning schedule, splicing in various songs as accompaniment, and played the tape each morning.

They knew that when they heard "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," everyone should head to the breakfast table.

Shift Tasks to the Night Before

The more you do before you go to bed, the less you'll need to cram into the following morning. Switching from a morning to an evening shower is a great way to ease the morning crunch. Ditto for running the dishwasher (so you'll have clean dishes in time for breakfast) and doing the laundry (just be sure not to leave wet clothes in the washer overnight).

What else can you do the night before? Quite a lot, actually...

Lay out tomorrow's clothing, for yourself as well as for your children. Do you often have trouble deciding what to wear? Hang complete outfits together in your closet, or list all the components of outfits you've enjoyed wearing in the past on index cards and keep the stack by your closet. Keep your children's matching shirts and pants in the same drawer or on the same hanger, so they can find them without your assistance.

Gather everything that you'll take with you the next day - briefcase, umbrella, dry cleaning, letters to mail, library books to return on your lunch hour, and so on. Assemble them in one place, near the door you exit from in the morning. A box, basket, or shelf designated for this purpose will help everyone stay organized.

Make lunches, distribute lunch money, and pack your children's backpacks. Teach your kids to get everything ready for the next day before they go to bed. This will help you avoid last-minute searches for shoes or homework - and the announcement from a tearful child that "I don't have any clean clothes."

Give Your Brain Time to Wake Up

If you take stimulant medication in the morning, keep your pills in a bedside drawer and a glass of water on your nightstand, so you can take one before getting out of bed. Some people take the pill upon waking, then spend another 20 minutes or so in bed. You can set the snooze alarm and doze off again - or simply relax.

Be sure you're out of bed at least 30 minutes before it's time to wake the kids. Steal a few moments for yourself. Scan the newspaper. Gaze at the birds in the back yard. Once your children are up, you may be able to enjoy an actual conversation with them, rather than simply yelling, "Hurry up, it's time to go!"

Grab-and-Go Breakfast

Maintain a ready supply of breakfast foods that you and your kids can eat quickly. No matter how carefully you plan your morning routine, there will be days when you and your children are running behind schedule. When that happens, it helps to be able to go to a single drawer or cabinet in your kitchen to find bread, cereal, syrup, coffee, sugar, tea, mugs, bowls, and so on.

In addition to maintaining a "breakfast drawer," it's a good idea to keep your pantry and refrigerator stocked with nutritious, easy-to-grab foods. Some favorites include: orange juice, protein bars, low-fat muffins, bananas, hard-boiled eggs, single-serving cartons of yogurt, and individually wrapped sticks of mozzarella.

Aim to Be Ahead of Schedule

Sounds impossible, I know. But think about it: If your child's school or your employer announced that your day would begin 15 minutes earlier than usual, you'd make the adjustment somehow.

Last-minute departures make your commute not only more stressful but also more dangerous. When you cut things too close, getting stuck behind a bus or missing a green light tempts you to make up for lost time by darting into another lane or speeding through a yellow light.

But if you've got 10 minutes to spare, you can go with the flow in the carpool lane and get to work with your peace of mind intact.

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8 simple strategies to help you get your motley crew out the door on time, every time - and even fed and dressed, too! We all know how we'd like to begin our days: lounging in a plush bathrobe, a latte in one hand, a good book in the other.

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Be On Time! Teaching Sequence and Schedules

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Most children — with or without ADHD — struggle to organize and manage their time effectively. Here, learn how to use calendars and clocks to teach your child the value of strong priorities and to help him be on time more often.

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Letting them fidget may keep students focused on learning.

Working with an ergonomic furniture company, Brown designed an adjustable-height desk that allows students to decide how they want to learn: They can stand, sit on a stool, or balance their feet on a swinging footrest.

"The students can't stand all day, but they can lean against the stool, and the footrest allows for natural movement," said Brown. "It's a comforting kind of fidget that helps them stay focused."

Today, teachers across the country have embraced the surprising idea behind the standing desks' success: that movement, when channeled correctly, can actually enhance learning. Whether through desks like Brown's, or do-it-yourself tools and activities like exercise equipment or yoga, teachers have found innovative ways to get students active and improve focus-without derailing the learning process.

"This way, students feel much more in control. They feel like it's their option, and they don't have to sit perfectly still and feel confined," said Brown, who received grant money, including funds from Education Minnesota, an affiliate of the National Education Association, to pay for the desks. "It's empowering for them."

What the Research Says

Research by a number of experts supports this fidget-friendly mindset. A 2008 study found that children actually need to move to focus during a complicated mental task. The children in the study-especially those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-fidgeted more when a task required them to store and process information rather than just hold it. This is why students are often restless while doing math or reading, but not while watching a movie, explained Dr. Mark Rapport, the supervisor of the study and professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Increasing students' activity level in the classroom provides physical benefits, as well. Dr. Donald Dengel, director of the Laboratory of Integrative Human Physiology and an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, co-authored a 2011 study that examined changes in caloric expenditure due to standing desks. His study found that participants using the desks burned 114 more kilocalories per day, or about half a candy bar.

"That doesn't sound like a lot, but if you add that up for five days a week, it's about two and a half candy bars per week, and over the course of the school year, it adds up to almost six pounds," said Dengel.

Ideas for Accommodating the Wiggles

Teachers don't need to purchase new desks to provide these physical and mental benefits to their students, however. Kent, Washington, high school teacher Michel Plemmons fashioned footrests using old tires to make giant rubber bands, which she strung between the legs of traditional desks to give her students an outlet for foot-fidgets.

"The old tire trick was recommended to me-you could outfit a whole classroom, if you had to, with a few bucks' worth of recycling," she said. "I don't go first to the expensive, teacher store, items. Shoeboxes and paper tubes and plastic tubs work just as well, and teach a recycling ethic."

While Plemmons sometimes uses handheld tools like squishy balls, she prefers the footrests because they keep students' movements out of sight and allow them to write freely.

In keeping with Plemmons' recycling ethic, North Carolina elementary school counselor Scott Ertl asked friends and community members to donate used exercise bikes for a "Read and Ride" room. Teachers can rent the room for 15-minute intervals, in which their students can read while pedaling away, and many have integrated exercise equipment into their classrooms.

"I've been surprised how eager some students have been to read-especially boys," Ertl told Education World. "Because they love being active, they find that the movement allows them to have more fun reading. Many students previously thought reading was boring or too hard, but now they see reading can be fascinating and fun."

Trichel House, a kindergarten teacher at Russell Primary School in Russell, Kentucky, created her own techniques to enhance students' focus. She uses movement, coupled with music, to help students exercise and concentrate during the school day.

"I have found that I had to change my comfort zone to allow for more than the norm of fidgeting," she said.

At Brittin Elementary in Fort Stewart, Georgia, Gwyn Ann Raczkowski underwent a similar adjustment when she taught a student who liked to walk while reading-and it actually improved her comprehension.

"Kids hate sitting all day, and I do also, so the idea came to me that if they can make a responsible choice and get their work done, it doesn't matter if it's at a desk, on a stool, or cross-legged on the floor with a clipboard," she said.

Since then, Raczkowski has embraced a "whatever works" approach with her students: She uses stability balls, sitting on the floor, and a variety of other tools and activities to help her students stay active and focused. Yoga exercises, especially a few minutes before a test, help Raczkowski's students concentrate on the task at hand.

Raczkowski admits that her approach may not be the solution for all teachers; but for her, it's a perfect fit.
Illustration by Dave Clark

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Working with an ergonomic furniture company, Brown designed an adjustable-height desk that allows students to decide how they want to learn: They can stand, sit on a stool, or balance their feet on a swinging footrest. "The students can't stand all day, but they can lean against the stool, and the footrest allows for natural movement," said Brown.

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Students with ADHD have difficulty with attention and self-control. And at school, that can look like inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and disorganization-all of which can get in the way of learning. What classroom accommodations can help students with ADHD? Here are some strategies teachers can try.

Setting Up the Classroom Environment

Use flexible seating, like wiggle chairs, standing desks, foot rests, seat cushions, or resistance bands on chair legs.

Increase the space between desks or work tables.

Designate a quiet work space in the classroom.

Set up preferential seating close to the teacher and/or away from high-traffic areas.

Post a written schedule for daily routines and rules. When possible, let the student know ahead of time about schedule changes.

Building Organization Skills

Use an assignment notebook or an electronic calendar.

Provide an extra set of books to keep at home.

Provide folders and baskets of supplies to keep desk organized.

Color-code materials for each subject.

Provide typed notes or an outline of the lesson to help with taking notes.

Teach note-taking strategies, like using graphic organizers and mind-mapping software.

Have a buddy take notes for the student.

Give directions out loud and in writing, and have the student repeat them.

Provide a lesson outline that details instructions and assignments.

Keep instructions simple, clear, and concrete.

Use pictures and graphs to help create visual interest.

Provide a rubric that describes the elements of a successfully completed assignment.

Help the student break long assignments into smaller chunks.

Completing Tests and Assignments

Allow understanding to be demonstrated in different ways, like oral reports, posters, and video presentations.

Provide different ways to respond to test questions, like saying the answers or circling them.

Minimize the number of questions and problems per worksheet.

Schedule frequent short quizzes, rather than one long test at the end of each unit.

Give credit for work done instead of taking away points for late or partial assignments (with a plan for moving toward completing assignments).

Grade for content, not for neatness.

Give extra time and quieter space for work and tests.

Use a behavior plan with a reward system.

Use a nonverbal signal (like a sticky note on the desk or a hand on a shoulder) to get the student's attention and indicate the need for things like taking a brain break.

Talk through behavior problems one-on-one.

Check in frequently to monitor the student's "emotional temperature" or frustration level.

Do you have a student who you think has difficulty with attention and self-control? See a fact sheet about ADHD.

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin&nbsp

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ginny Osewalt&nbsp

is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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Students with ADHD have difficulty with attention and self-control. And at school, that can look like inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and disorganization-all of which can get in the way of learning. What classroom accommodations can help students with ADHD? Here are some strategies teachers can try.

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About the Author

Julie Rawe is a senior editor at Understood.

Reviewed by

Nelson J. Dorta, Ph.D., is a pediatric neuropsychologist and an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University.

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About the Author Julie Rawe is a senior editor at Understood. Reviewed by Nelson J. Dorta, Ph.D., is a pediatric neuropsychologist and an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University.

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A large-scale study has shown differences in brain size between kids with and without ADHD. The research also shows that these differences seem to lessen as kids with ADHD mature into adults. The study was published in The Lancet and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

This is one of the largest-scale studies on ADHD and the brain. Researchers looked at MRI brain scans of more than 3,000 kids and adults.

The subjects included men and women, ranging in age from 4 to 63. A little more than half have ADHD. The scans were taken at 23 different locations in the United States, Europe, China and Brazil.

Understood experts Ellen Braaten, Thomas E. Brown and Bob Cunningham reviewed the study. Here's the takeaway.
Key Findings
Researchers compared seven parts of the brain in people with and without ADHD. They found some significant differences in brain size:

Five of the seven brain regions were smaller in kids with ADHD.

The area with the greatest size difference was the amygdala. This part of the brain is related to emotional control and self-control. It also plays a role in being able to prioritize actions. Areas linked to memory and learning were also smaller.

ADHD medication didn't cause the differences. Kids who had used medication had the same pattern of differences as those who had never used medication.

These size differences didn't exist in adults with ADHD. After the teen years, the size was similar between people with and without ADHD.

This is the first large study to look at brain size differences and ADHD. Earlier studies involved too few people to be reliable. They also were inconsistent in how they measured brain differences.

"This study just expanded something we already know-there are differences in brain structure in people with ADHD," says Brown. "Even though ADHD is a functional problem, it's connected to something structural."
Key Takeaways for Parents
This is a reliable and significant study that confirms ADHD is a brain-based condition. It dispels some of the myths around ADHD, including that it's "not real." That can help reduce stigma for both kids and parents.

It doesn't mean that brain scans can be used to diagnose ADHD, however. The researchers looked at many scans and found differences across a lot of people. But those differences may or may not exist for any individual child.

And while the study shows that kids' brains seem to mature as they become adults, it doesn't mean ADHD symptoms go away. ADHD is a lifelong condition. But there are effective treatments and strategies that can help.

Learn about ADHD treatment, including medication, behavior therapy and alternative treatments. Discover how MRIs work and what they can tell us about the brain. And watch as an expert explains how ADHD symptoms can change as kids get older.

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Large-Scale MRI Study Confirms ADHD Brain Differences

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A large-scale study has shown differences in brain size between kids with and without ADHD. The research also shows that these differences seem to lessen as kids with ADHD mature into adults. The study was published in The Lancet and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

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All kids can lose control of their emotions if they're feeling angry, hurt, frustrated or sad. But when some kids with ADHD (also known as ADD) get upset, their negative feelings tend to be stronger and last for a longer period of time. Some may respond to those strong feelings by becoming physically aggressive.

If you have a child with ADHD who tends to lash out physically, you may wonder whether his aggressiveness is related to his ADHD. It may well be. That's because kids with ADHD tend to have trouble managing their emotions.

At the same time, it's important to know that ADHD may not be the reason for your child's aggressiveness. He could have other issues that are contributing to his aggressive behavior. That possibility should be explored.

Here are some of the reasons why kids with ADHD may be physically aggressive, and how you can help.

The Impulsivity-Aggression Connection

Some, but not all, kids with ADHD have frequent difficulty controlling their impulses. A first grader with ADHD who wants a toy that another child is playing with might grab it or hit the child to get it instead of waiting his turn. His impulsivity stops him from being able to think through his actions. All he can think about is what he wants right now.

Another problem is that kids with ADHD can get "stuck" in a negative space and have a hard time moving on. Let's say a child pushes a classmate in line because he believes it's his turn to be first. The teacher disciplines him by sending him to the back of the line.

A child without ADHD may be able to accept that consequence, even though he thinks it's unfair. But once a child with ADHD gets it in his head that he's been wronged, he may have trouble shifting his thoughts. Instead he may escalate the situation by throwing his backpack on the floor or kicking another child. He'll continue to engage in negative behavior even though it's not helping.

After acting out, he may be genuinely sorry for hurting someone or breaking the rules. But that may not keep him from reacting the same way next time.

Many kids with ADHD are also less likely to learn from their mistakes. Their impulsivity may make it hard for them to think about consequences. It may also prevent them from remembering that lashing out doesn't work.

As kids with ADHD get older, they usually become less impulsive. And they become less physically aggressive as a result. Still, a sixth grader with ADHD may stick out his foot on the bus to trip a child he's mad at. And a high-schooler with ADHD may fire off a mean tweet without thinking through how it will make the recipient feel.

How Trouble Managing Emotions Can Lead to Aggression

Difficulty managing emotions can contribute to aggressive behavior. A child with ADHD may cry more easily or become angry more quickly than a child without ADHD.

One common problem among kids with ADHD is that it can be hard for them to calm themselves down. They often don't have the self-soothing skills that other kids their age might develop.

They can get so overwhelmed with emotion that they react to a relatively small problem as though it's a very big problem. They may need help in learning how to recognize which problems are small and which ones really are significant.

These challenges can also make it hard for kids to keep their frustrations in perspective-and in check. And that can lead them to lash out.

Your child may become frustrated because he doesn't know how to do his math homework or can't find his favorite T-shirt. Even those small things can lead him to yell at you, tear up the math assignment or hit his sister for saying the wrong thing.

Medication Issues and Aggression

Some kids who are on ADHD stimulant medication become edgy and irritable. Typically, that happens as the medication wears off. This is called " rebound " and can last for a few minutes or a couple of hours. It may happen at the same time each day.

For a small number of kids, the wrong medication might lead to general feelings of irritability and aggression throughout the day.

It's important to discuss all these scenarios with the prescriber so he can adjust the medicine as needed.

Other Possible Factors

Kids with ADHD sometimes lash out when something stressful is happening in their lives. Perhaps they're being bullied at school. Or maybe there are family problems at home. It's also possible they may not be getting enough sleep.

Kids with ADHD often have other conditions that can contribute to aggressive behavior. Common ones include oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety and depression.

How You Can Help

Try to talk with your child calmly when he's not frustrated. See if he'll share why he's often upset and if there are things that might help him feel better. If that doesn't work, you might want to talk to your child's teacher to see if the problems are noticeable at school.

It's helpful to know the types of situations that might cause your child to act aggressively. This can help you prepare in advance for how to help your child problem-solve certain situations that can agitate him.

Using rewards and consequences may help. But if your efforts aren't working, you may want to look into counseling or behavior therapy.

You may also want to ask your pediatrician for suggestions if the aggression is ongoing. If you suspect there may be a co-occurring issue besides ADHD, it's important to have your child evaluated.

Find out what to do if you suspect bullying at school. Get tips on what not to say to your child about ADHD, and ways to respond when your child is frustrated. And if your child keeps lashing out, and it's scaring you, read advice from experts at the Child Mind Institute, an Understood founding partner.

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ADHD and Aggression: What You Need to Know

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All kids can lose control of their emotions if they're feeling angry, hurt, frustrated or sad. But when some kids with ADHD (also known as ADD) get upset, their negative feelings tend to be stronger and last for a longer period of time. Some may respond to those strong feelings by becoming physically aggressive.