From the Principal’s Desk- ADHD (Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder- inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined types)
In my thirty years of education, I have witnessed many successful students. These students had many talents that helped drive them toward success. A while ago, I participated in a conference about ADD/ADHD. It made me think of these students and their ability to focus. I walked away from the conference (like many there that day) thinking about the many students and parents that feel like their students have ADD/ADHD tendencies. There were many things shared that day that can help improve attention. In this article, I would like to share a few of those.
Your child’s attention span is their age plus 2. For example, if you have a seven year old their attention span is approximately 9 minutes. This is true until the age of 28. This is the age where attention span has reached its potential.
Brain research indicates people learn more material at the beginning and end of a study session than they do in the middle. When teaching your student how to perform a task (for example, helping to clean their room or helping with the dishes or doing homework) it may benefit students to take more breaks. By taking more breaks you create more beginnings and endings increasing your chances to learn and remember information. In teacher terms, we call this “chunking” or taking “brain breaks”.
Focus and the ability to maintain attention starts in the brain. The presenter at the conference spoke about how a child’s inability to focus was caused by the brain being out of balance. She stressed that the only way that the brain can get back into balance is through movement. Thinking is one way to get the brain back in balance but another is cross-over movement with the body. By typing the Google search “Quick and Easy Crossing Midline Activities for Kids” or using phrases like “neuro-exercises for kids/executive functioning” you can learn some valuable activities that performed over time can help a student focus. You can find Smart Moves written by Dr. Carla Hannaford. It was suggested that cross over movements if done daily and consistently can enhance the ability to focus.
Sleep and how we eat also affects our ability to focus. Blake Taylor in the book, ADHD and Me, stresses the importance of getting nine hours of sleep a night. A well rested mind allows you to think more clearly. The conference presenter recommended a high protein, low carb and low sugar diet. I recently saw a stat that said, “eliminating processed foods from children’s diets reduces ADHD symptoms by 53%.” The diet should be rich in whole wheats, magnesium, zinc and omega 3’s. Drinking eight cups of water a day also helps the ability to focus. We really can improve our children’s ability to focus by teaching them that sleep and good nutrition are important.
I asked the presenter how she felt about video games. She did think video games could have an effect on attention but said the more inherent problem with video games is addiction. It has been reported that children with ADD/ADHD have low levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that sends messages from the left brain to the right brain. Today’s video games cause children to stare at the television constantly. They are afraid to take their eyes off the screen for fear they might miss something. This constant staring causes an overload of dopamine and over time the brain gets used to having so much. In turn, your brain tells you it needs more dopamine and the way it knows it can get more is to play more video games. The presenter recommended not eliminating screen time but limiting the amount of screen time children have or using the screen time as a break or reward. One hour of screen time on weekdays and two hours on the weekends is a good general rule to use regarding screen time.
I felt that there were two main ideas that day that gave me hope about the ability to focus. The first idea was that the presenter said numerous times that the brain is like plastic and can change at any age. Through play, cross-over movement, sleep, nutrition, and screen discipline- one’s ability to focus can be improved. The second idea was that the brain wires itself through play.
Parents play a major role in your child’s ability to focus and this is a skill children will need in order to have a successful life.
News From the Nurse:
The Mobile Dentist will be at Elmwood School on January 8. Permission forms are still being accepted. If you need a form please call 419-998-8097 and one will be sent home with your child.
Essential One-Liners to Teach and Use with your Kids
You can be mad…but you cannot be mean.
Every family has different rules.
Don’t comment on other peoples’ bodies.
Don’t yuck someone else’s yum. People like different things and it’s okay.
You don’t have to be friends with everyone, but kindness is always required.
Stop means stop, no means no.
Make good choices for your body and mind.
“I’m sorry” is just words. A real apology is a change in behavior.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Are you tattling or telling? (Telling is going to help someone, tattling is getting someone in trouble on purpose).
It’s okay to not be okay.
Do you want help or advice? Or do you just want me to listen?
And I have used this old advice (from Granny Cox) many times with students this year…Granny Cox says, “If you do not have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all (especially if it is not your business).”
Upcoming Events:
December 13 PTC Breakfast with Santa (10am-2pm at Maplewood)
December 15 Beginning of Holiday Spirit Week - Pajama Day
December 16 Dress like a reindeer.
December 17 Dress like Santa or an Elf.
December 18 Grinch Day - dress as the Grinch, wear green
Or dress as your favorite Grinch character.
December 19 Dress Christmas Festive.
December 19 Early Dismissal - 1:50 Pick-Ups, 2:00 PM dismissal for buses
December 20- January 4 Winter Break (No School)
PBIS Indian of the Month: “Advocate”
Each month, our classroom teachers nominate one student who has done an outstanding job demonstrating our school’s PBIS expectation of the month. These students serve as positive role models for their classmates and help create a caring and respectful school community.
For November, our focus word was “Advocate.” Teachers looked for students who modeled advocacy by using their voice respectfully, helping peers, and contributing to a classroom where everyone feels valued. We are proud of the students who work hard each day to demonstrate these qualities.
We’re proud of our students who rise to the challenge each month and model what it means to live out our PBIS expectations. Colin Sneary, Henry Sherer, Rowan Brown, Ruthie Beougher, Chloe Coffey, Corbin Niese,Toby Briedenbach, Ethan Breakwell, Braxton Schwaiger, Nhi Le, Eden Kocher, Harlow Ries,Bailee Miller, Avery Keller, Serenity Castle, Josie Deeds,Kal Kroeger, Isabelle Hahn, Jaxon Stahr, Aubrey Jackson, Vera Laudick,Charlotte Thompson, William Harrison Buchanan. Congratulations to all of our November Indians of the Month;
Looking ahead, December’s/January’s focus will be “being resilient.” We’ll be celebrating students who persevere through challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and approach difficulties with a positive, determined mindset.