Teaching with ADHD

I have been asked many times by friends and other people: "How do you teach with severe ADHD? It must be hard holding any job, but teaching you need to be so on things." So, I've decided to write a blog post dedicated to that topic. I'm going to preface it by saying this is MY experience, I cannot and would not ever speak for other teachers with ADHD. My blog, my personal experience. That being said...YES IT IS VERY HARD!!! But also is VERY AWESOME!

See, I love teaching and I love my current district and job. So I'm motivated to do well, I want to get rehired, and most importantly I want to show up every day and be the best possible teacher I can be for my students and to continue to inspire them in theatre.  That being said, I also know from years of teaching and dealing with my brain, that there are a lot of challenges I need to deal with on a daily basis that some other teachers don't. That's cool. I'm not jealous, we all have our own little invisible backpacks, but I just know I need to work harder than sometimes I'd like. How do I do it? Here're the steps:


First...my therapist is beyond amazing. I met N. this summer, there are other blog posts describing that, but I told her when I first graduated IOP and she agreed to take me on as an outpatient client, that I wanted to "get it right, be successful, and be a rockstar teacher." Challenge, on her end, was accepted. She quickly realized organization and routine were non-existent in my life and would be an uphill struggle. Enter: Our three-step organizational planner. We both know I'm busy, we both acknowledge I'm busy with more than just teaching. And this planning system helps. I spit draft ALL THE THINGS that are on my plate, and then through the new few pages, narrow ALL THE THINGS into four to five manageable goals, and a very simple and easy to meet daily To-Do List. This is literally something we've stuck in a binder, what teacher doesn't have a million binders, I keep it open on my desk, and reference it throughout the day. It keeps me on task knowing what it is I need to actively get done.

Two: Routine. I'm bad at this--so bad in fact that I have multiple post-its from N. all over the walls of my room. Bedtime routines so I can get at least four hours of sleep, morning routines, med routines, medication alarms in my phone, class schedule alarms in my phone, laundry routines--if there is a routine in life, I guarantee N. has thought of it and created it for me and stuck it on a post-it. These Post Its are hung around my room and not only can I keep up with everyday tasks, but I can get out of the house on time without leaving things behind (well mostly. My wallet still does get forgotten). My roommate who is also one of my best friends has also jumped on the N. train and gave me a designated spot in our apartment for my wallet and keys. (I'm proud to say they make it there 85% of the time).

Three: Disclosing and being open with my immediate supervisor. This sucked to do, but I tend to get overwhelmed with tasks I don't fully understand, and that's generally how I get myself in trouble. So, after talking it over with N. I decided to "come clean" and disclose my ADHD diagnosis. It has worked wonders. I'm more successful in faculty meetings now that my ADHD behaviors are known,  it's been easier to schedule multiple meetings to break down complex tasks into easier to understand pieces, I have a chance to fix disorganized paperwork, and the general check-ins have been amazing. It's nice to hear someone say: "The kids love you and your class. Thanks for telling me. We can both do our parts to ensure you're as successful as possible."

Four: In school friends, and a support system. My colleagues are FANTASTIC! In my last school I only made one incredible friend (yes, we're still friends even though we are in different district-she keeps me sane). But here, I really fit with the staff. I have made a ton of friends, and they are all beyond incredible. They know what's up with me, and we all help each other out. It's really a school where teamwork makes the dreamwork. We go out, we hang out at work, we jump on each other's projects to help, we share resources, and we keep each other sane during faculty meetings (I even share my self soothe kit and fidgets so we can all survive). I wouldn't be nearly as successful without them.

Five: Always knowing what I have to do ahead of time. I know myself. I know I forget everything, even if it's on my To-Do list. So, things I know must always be done, I set my own deadline. All of my lesson plans must be done by EOD Thursday, with no exceptions. This way, I can assure myself, that I will not forget about them over the weekend. I also have time, then, if I managed to forget! N. calls it a "Cope ahead" skill. I call it: "Trying not to screw myself over." Both the same thing.

Six: Incorporate things I learned in therapy into every lesson I can. Doing acting--Emotional Regulation! Kids are being hyper--Mindfulness! Can't decide on a play topic? Walking the Middle Path. Tempers flaring? TIPP. By doing this, I have given myself tools that I can automatically depend on to help me out, and my kids have adapted to them and like using them. They like the DBT method of accessing emotions, they enjoy TIPP and they sometimes ask for a minute of mindfulness before or after class. They have also grown accustomed to me having fidgets, which they use during class if they're finding their own attention wavering or if they're struggling to sit still. We have a fidget culture which is awesome!

Speaking of students, seven: My students. They motivate me more than anything or anyone else. They come every day ready to do their best, and so how can I not do mine? If they bring their best, how can I not bring my own? N. suggested that when I'm having a rough day, to be open with them, and I have. I'll tell the kids, "I'm giving you the heads up. I'm having a really bad day today, just like you have really bad days sometimes. You can call me out if I'm being grumpy, but I'm just letting you know and asking for a little bit of understanding." And they are absolutely fantastic! Now they're more inclined to tell me when things are off with them, and in doing so, I've finally managed to create the ensemble feel in my classroom that I've always wanted. Together, we've been able to create a safe, brave, space with support and empathy.

So there you have it. How do I teach with ADHD? A ton of supports, love of my job, and a ton of GRIT, TIPP and DBT skills. I hope this post gave you some insight into my life as a teacher with ADHD and some of the struggles and rewards.