In the last 20 years, the number of kids diagnosed with Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder has skyrocketed. People seem to know what ADHD is, but rarely understand it. John Leher describes the reality of ADHD in a recent article on his website. Instead of lacking the ability to pay attention, people with ADHD lose focus on stuff that they do not find interesting. Leher calls is Attention-Allocation Disorder. Before we go further, we must understand that ADHD is a real neurological disorder- but is often misunderstood and over-diagnosed.
Kids with ADHD can pay attention. They will play video games or with other toys for hours at a time. In school, however, their brains search for something more interesting than the task or lecture at hand. As always, brain chemistry causes the problem. Our brains use dopamine to trigger or rate important activities. When dopamine surges through our brain, we provide our full attention to the issue- especially for pleasurable activities. In ADHD, the dopamine system fails to rate an algebra lesson or photosynthesis highly on our list of things to pay attention to. In layman's terms, our brain doesn't like to pay attention to boring things. Unfortunately, photosynthesis and FOIL are requirements for passing certain classes. If you can't/won't pay attention, your education suffers.
How should a teacher address ADHD? Well, to keep it simple: don't be boring. We all suffer from some ADHD. We don't like boring things- those diagnosed with it respond at a higher rate. A boring class lowers the dopamine, increases ADHD, and increases behavioral problems. An exciting, fast-paced class can help students with all levels of ADHD. Find interesting and relevant examples to the student's lives to make your point. The best teachers have always done this without acknowledging the importance of dopamine. They use engaging activities and when they must lecture provide interesting stories or connections to the topic. This is the art of teaching.
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