If you are homeschooling an ADHD child then you are presented with a list of special challenges. The following is a sample list of what some may be experiencing teaching their ADHD student.
• Your child being distracted and not being able to stay on task.
• Your child being frustrated when they do not understand an assignment.
• Easily bored with anything repetitive like spelling, handwriting, etc.
• Sloppy work and mistakes due to non-interest.
• Unaware of time – taking an unnecessary amount of time to complete an assignment.
Most ADHD children do not do well in a traditional classroom setting, so trying to recreate one in your home may not benefit either one of you, but only cause more frustration. Your ADHD child may be a kinesthetic learner, meaning they are always moving and want to touch the world around them.
Look for some creative ways to keep your child interested in school.
• Perhaps jumping up and down on a trampoline reciting math facts or saying their alphabet while walking across a balance beam at the park. Keep it fun!
• Field Trips
• Crafts
• Projects
• Legos are awesome! Lego actually has a website devoted to education. You can use legos to teach math and science for all ages! Check out their website at www.legoeducation.com for some terrific ideas!
• Some children who are ADHD are gifted. They may do well with a form of unschooling. If you are unsure of the different types of homeschooling, please visit my past blogs to familiarize yourself with different options.
A brief description of unschooling is letting your child self direct his/her education. Whatever your child is drawn to / interested in then follow through with it. Some examples are let your children research science experiments that they are interested in performing and then under your supervision allow them to perform them. If your child enjoys reading the American Girl Collection, study the time period that each girl lives in.
Please keep in mind that each child is different as is their learning types. Investigate all types of learning to see what type of learner your child is and then gear your materials and teaching based on your child’s individual learning style.
For more information on ADHD, please visit the Special Needs Parenting Blog at: http://special-needs.families.com/blog/category/417