Workshop 2 - The 'A' Students

For those who see it and do it differently

A half day presentation suitable for ALL educators

A starting point is to test your knowledge.

Meeting the challenge.
Practical initiatives to manage ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Specific Learning Difficulties

This presentation aims at empowering teachers to feel more confident about making positive changes for their 'A' students. After all, the day to day contact, management and responsibility is theirs.

Our knowledge concerning the best professional choices to underpin the emotional balance and learning of these students is critical, especially in a climate where there is an increasing moral, legal and professional accountability to include and engage students with diverse abilities. This places a responsibility on us to gain as much knowledge as we can. As we do so, we place ourselves in a position to astutely manage students with differences and difficulties.

Many of the conventional, empirically proven teaching practices that support most students are critical in the support of students identified with Asperger Syndrome and / or ADHD.

In the time together we'll touch on -
The ADHD. Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Asperger Syndrome quiz - what is the state of your knowledge?
Behavioural characteristics
What else might it be?
What teachers REALLY need to know about ADHD, ODD and AS?
Best teaching practices and preferred interventions for students with ADHD, ODD and AS

1. Relationship building; ideas to connect
   Sometimes 'good chemistry' is spontaneous, but 'good chemistry' can be deliberately built.
   In all probability teacher that made a difference for you was the teacher who cleverly and deliberately built a 'good chemistry' with you.

2. Dreaming, planning and setting goals
   Mapping success
   Tracking behavioural change
   Self-monitoring
   External monitoring

3. Strengthen emotional resilience
   Attitudes
   Self-talk
   Managing frustration
   Social skills training

4. Supporting perseverance and motivation

5. Increasing organisational skills
   Managing time
   Incorporating planning and schedules

6. Manufacturing encouraging 'lunch time' environments

7. When it comes to working alongside students who see it and do it differently, remember, some of their parents can't do this alone. They are reliant on educators being a steady, positive force in their lives. It is often worth reminding ourselves, and parents, of the old saying: 'You can't change the wind but you can adjust the sails'. Encourage parents to -
   Establish contact with others parents who may have a child with similar difficulties, and do it well.
   Put them in touch with organisations and professionals who can educate, intervene and be generally supportive.
   Gently feed parents helpful information that is likely to restore balance in their lives.

The North Wind and the Sun
A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun; each claiming that he was stronger than the other. At last they agreed to try their powers on a traveller to see which could soonest strip him of his cloak. The North Wind had the first try; and, gathering up all the force for the attack, he came whirling furiously down upon the man, and caught up his cloak as though he would wrest it from him by one single effort: but the harder he blew, the more closely the man wrapped it around himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. At first he beamed gently upon the traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak and walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders: then he shone forth in his full strength, and the man, before he had got many steps, was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more lightly clad.