Looking Beyond the Labels

Helping the Children Behind the Stigmas

“It’s about the atmosphere you create and the attitude you have that determines whether or not you will
reach [your] students.” Our job is not to diagnose our children so much as to find strategies that best
reach them and best create an environment centered around learning.

What are some of our obstacles?

Who are raising our children? We are living in a society where “children” are raising children. By “chil-
dren,” we mean a person who is either physically or mentally immature. Also, we have children who are
basically raising themselves due to a lack of structured and consistent supervision at home.

• Due to greater isolation while being raised and due to the lack of parental modeling, some chil-
dren are coming to school with fewer proper social skills and resolution skills.

• On average, children are exposed to at least eight hours on media per day. (The TV is the ba-
bysitter.) Most of this media exposure is nonitneractive and intellectually non-stimulating. Imagi-
nation and independent thinking is being de-emphasized through media exposure.

Is there a “safe place?” To some children, home is not a secure environment. Additionally, children who
bounce from home to home or who have multiple caregiver locations have to deal with multiple rule sets
and expectations.

On average, our children are getting less exercise, diets are often unhealthy, contributing to pent-up en-
ergy and chemical balances that can contribute to behavioral problems.

Strategies for the Classroom

We are going to be looking at strategies that cover assisting children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive
Disorder (ADHD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and Bipolar Disorder. We will also cover
strategies to generally help with anger management, tattling, and bullying.

With all intervention strategies, remember this: “If you take the novelty away, it will go away.” In other
words, interventions should be open for others to participate in if possible rather than singularly focusing
the target of the strategy. Thereby, we remove the novelty of the strategy, and the target child does not
feel singled out.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

ADHD is the most diagnosed child disorder in the United States. It is estimated that 7%-10% of children in
primary and secondary education have been diagnosed with ADHD. These children are more likely to
have academic problems, but ADHD is not an intelligence issue – it is a differentiated learning style.
Structure (schedule and predictability) and good sense of humor are musts for teaching children with
ADHD.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

Private Offices. Modify a pair of folders to Private Offices. Modify a pair of folders to
create a private cubicle for the children to create a private cubicle for the children to
work in. work in.

Use Post-It notes to give silent feedback us- Have a raised table for children who need to
ing reaffirming statements, redirecting state- stand. Also, allow the use of clipboards for
ments, or drawings indicating how they are children who have problems with horizontal
doing. tracking.

Proximity Control. Walk around the room. Dis-
tance is a communicator.
Nonverbal Cues. Make sure these are defined
ahead of time.
Prompt & Fade. These can be used to de-
velop good habits. For example, put a sticker
where their names should go, and take them
away once they are used to doing this.
Errands (for other teachers). Use codes like “I
need 4 pencils” on a note, meaning “I need
you to keep him/her for 4 minutes.”
Be predictable. Give three warnings before
making a transition. Have a visual agenda
posted in the classroom.
Launch List. The child has a laminated list of
what they need to pack the night before.

Highlighting. Highlight answers to provide clo- With younger students, static dusters can be
sure. Additionally, you can chunk work by used to “wipe away” attitudes and concerns
highlighting problems to be completed. before entering the room.

Secret File Folder. This is a chunking strategy
that uses a folder modified by cutting tabs to
hide portions of work.
Frames. Use little frame mats to create a
screen around work to be done.
Center activities around building a sense of
community in the classroom. Relationships
take time to build, and regression does not
signify failure.

Allow children to hold a Koosh ball or another

object for gripping.

Utilize a mouse pad or other soft surface for

children who prefer to tap.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob
Pervasive Developmental Disorders

PDDs include autism, Asperger Syndrome (a subset of high-functioning autism), Rhett Syndrome, child-
hood degeneration disorder, and PDD-NOS (children who have tendencies of a PDD but do not meet all
criteria for a specific category).

Asperger Syndrome and autism used to be diagnosed in 1/2,000 children. Recent diagnosis rates are
about 1/500, and some believe this figure is still unrepresentative of the true number of children who are
on the autism spectrum.

Children with autism or Asperger Syndrome will exhibit a combination of characteristics:

• The child will exhibit a great deal of anxiety nature. The child will be unlikely to stand up
that is easily triggered by changes in routine, for him/herself.
unpredictability, etc.
• The child will demonstrate obsessive interest
• The child demonstrates a lack of empathy in obscure topics.
and accepted emotional response. However,
• Objects will be preferred companions over
this is not to be mistaken for a lack of internal
people due to the fact that the objects are
emotions.
more predictable than classmates.
• The child will be oversensitive to criticism.
• Proximity with other children my be an issue.
• He or she may speak over others or demon-
• The child will be very visually oriented.
strate an unawareness of others’ participation
• May experience a social seizure when routine
in activities.
or predictability is upset.
• Others may view this child as eccentric or
• Some behaviors can be mistaken for passive-
peculiar.
aggressive tendencies.
• Other children will often make this child a
scapegoat because of his or her introverted

Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)

Involve the child in a buddy system for build- Have consistent routines and procedures in
ing social skills. the classroom.

When redirecting, specifically change the sub-
ject and offer choices.
Be careful of using euphemisms, idioms, and
figures of speech. These children have ten-
dencies to take everything literally.
Harsh lighting in the classroom can affect be-
havior. Find sources of soft light to counter-
balance the fluorescent lights.
Appropriately use calming touch when
needed to reduce anxiety.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob
 Utilize highly preferred activities to encourage Be predictable. Use a visual organizer in the
participation in less preferred activities. “Work classroom, and always give three warnings
first, then play.” before engaging in a transition.

Have a quiet area. Watch classroom volume. Role play social situations to practice social
skills. Model behaviors for children to emu-
Clam music playing at about 60 beats per late.
minute can calm a child and reduce self-
stimulatory behaviors. Use pictures to communicate ideas when
verbal communication is ineffective.
Use verbal and nonverbal cues for the child to
hook onto. When they hear a specific phrase,
for example, it means to stop and pay atten-
tion.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar individuals have highly successful suicide rates when on the low end of the spectrum, and many
make unsafe decisions when in the manic phase. There is some controversy over diagnosing minors with
bipolar disorder, but for those who are diagnosed are differentiated from adults in that they experience
rapid cycling of the phases. Occasionally, bipolar disorder will be misdiagnosed as ADHD or as a conduct
disorder.

Bipolar disorder cycles through a set of states:

Severe Mania

Hypomania

Normal Mood

Mild to Moderate Depression

Severe Depression

While most are familiar with the symptoms and dangers of depression, mania can be equally dangerous.
In addition to pressured speech and defiance, someone experiencing the mania state of bipolar disorder
may also stop taking their medications and participate in activities that defy logic or are mortally danger-
ous.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob
 Bipolar Disorder

Intervention Prevention

Consistent medical attention is needed to Responsibility of care for a class pet or plant.
manage the emotional cycles.
Younger kids can used stuffed animals for
Daily life needs to have structure and routine. reinforcing security.

A mood diary is a good way to communicate Vigorous physical activity.

and track emotional cycles.
Times to rest from the pressures of the class-
Natural light has been shown to help even out room.
emotional reactions. Lamps or tube guards
can be used to offset harsh fluorescent lights.

Cool down area (also used as a reward area).

Nonverbal cues to use as a stop sign when

emotions are escalating.

General Interventions

While these may be useful for children with special needs, they can also prove to be effective with general
classroom management issues. The same rule applies to these interventions as the ones above: Imple-
ment them in such a way that they are not a novelty that distracts others or singles individuals out.

These interventions are useful for coping with tattling. They will not eliminate tattling, but it is unreason-
able to expect a completely tattle-free classroom. remember, you are validating the child, not the tattle.

Tattling

Tell a “Tattle Sandwich:” Two nice things Allow the most chronic tattler to be in charge
about the person, then the tattle. of recording all tattles.

For smaller kids, have objects to tattle to: a Peace chain: Encourage tattling on good be-
stuffed animal, a phone, a picture of a presi- haviors.
dent, an ear, etc.
These interventions can also be used for
Fill out a “Tattle Report.” Have the tattler in- dealing with complaining.
clude: name of tattler, who is being tattled on,
what happened, and what the expected out-
come is.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob
When conflicts arise, detach. Do not become emotionally involved or allow yourself to be pulled into tak-
ing sides. Avoid arguing with children. Additionally, your goal is not to suppress or stifle feelings of anger.
Remember the anger may be displaced, and your task is to help the child cope with the anger in a healthy
manner. (Blood sugar level can affect anger management as well.)

Anger & Conflict

Stop: Make eye contact; State what you really
wanted, or state what you heard.
Identify the problem. Rank it 1-10. Validate the
child’s perspective.
Keep cool-down strategies on a Mad Plan:
ideas like going to get a drink, write it-toss it,
sorting beans, and angry hands (made of
foam to be pressed on when upset).
Keep your voice calm and even. Speak in a
low voice, and empathize with the child’s feel-
ings.
Break the Frame: Help the child refocus his/
her attention by sending the child on an er-
rand or implementing another cool down
strategy.
Logic and humor will likely be ineffective.

Bullying is repeatedly harming another – verbally, physically, or socially. Bullies are not born; they are
created. Statistically, targets of bullies become more likely to bring weapons to school or plan out acts of
revenge.

Because many bullies maintain their behaviors into adulthood, ~60% of childhood bullies have a convic-
tion by age 24.

Bullying

Make sure bullying is clearly defined in your
classroom rules.
Conduct role-playing activities on how to
avoid being a bully and how to behave when
being bullied.
Teach children to never encourage or partici-
pate in bullying.
Bullies can be good leaders. Find jobs that
encourage positive social skills.
Teach targets to act like the bullying does not
bother them. Help them avoid becoming en-
tertainment.
Don’t hug the cactus. Teach your kids to avoid
socializing with or giving any attention to bul-
lies.
A bully box can help you find out about the
stuff you don’t see.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob
 Other General Strategies

C-Mail: Compliment mail for positive behav-
iors. Send postcards home with something
good on it.
3 x 10. 3-minute interventions with 10 chal-
lenge kids. Demonstrate an effort to bond with
the child, and show them you are a person
too. Avoid sitting activities.
Do a quick activity to redirect. For example,
be active or hold your breath. Then take your
pulses.
Blurt-out pad for spontaneous
thoughts...share later.
Don’t hug the cactus. Teach your kids to avoid
socializing with or giving any attention to bul-
lies.
SOS: Stand, Oscillate, Sit. If you just can’t
take it any more: stand up, move, get back to
your seat in 10 seconds or fewer.

Use hand-signs and nonverbal cues more

than verbal redirection. We do what we see
more than what we hear.

Conclusion

We are constantly being recorded by our children, and they can observe how to handle stressful situa-
tions based on the example we set. When we are working with children, we need to remember that it is
the environment we create and they attitude we exude that will determine our ability to reach our stu-
dents.

based on material originally by Doug Medford & adapted by Robert Smelser • homepage.mac.com/crysnrob