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Teaching ADHD students

Hello, I am an instructor in an excellerated massage program. I have an abundance of young students right out of highschool or in their early twenties. I have several that are ADHD. It is a challange to work with in the classroom. Does anyone have an teaching techniques for these individuals that can keep them engaged more during lecture? I try to make it as fun and exciting as possible, but let's face it, A & P can be a little dry at times.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jackie McLaughlin, LMT, MTI on August 19, 2010 at 8:19am

Dr. Terry Friedman (M.D.) found in studies the essential oil vetiver applied topically has been very effective for ADHD and ADD. It is important that you know that the quality of the oil is tested and that the chemical constituents of the oil are of therapeutic benefit. Young Living's vetiver was used by Dr. Friedman in his studies. www.youngliving.com/489107

Some of what Dr. Friedman had to say:

Discussion:
This study examined the effectiveness of essential oils in the treatment of ADHD diagnosed children from the ages of six to fourteen years.
Treatment outcome results reveal that the essential oil of Vetiver improves the brain activity and reduces the symptoms in ADHD diagnosed subjects. Similar results were found with the essential oil Cedarwood, although not statistically significant. This lack of significance could be the result of the relatively small number of subjects in this study. The Lavender group showed no apparent improvement after the treatment program.

In addition, I received several letters from parents of the ADHD children stating that their behavior at home had improved for the better. In several cases, they also stated that school educators informed them that their performance was observed to improve in the classroom. The report cards in some of the subjects had reflected this improvement as well. Since these results were not included in the design of the study, they will not be included here, but is only mentioned as an unexpected improvement in the treated ADHD diagnosed children.
In summary, based on this study, I would not hesitate to recommend the use of the essential oil Vetiver in the treatment of children diagnosed as having ADHD. I would even consider using the essential oil Cedarwood in situations where Vetiver was not available or other cases in which Vetiver was not appropriate.
Certainly, the essential oil Vetiver proved to be the treatment of choice between the three different oils used in this study

Permalink Reply by Kris Bour on August 19, 2010 at 8:41am

I love essential oils but have to be careful about using a lot of different scents in the lecture room. Some people just can't stand the smell. Lemon oil diffused is about all I can do. I'm looking for some specific teaching techniques to use in class to keep them engaged and on task instead of drifting off or being a distraction to others. I do appreciate the suggestion.

Permalink Reply by Sandy Fritz on August 19, 2010 at 9:01am

It has to be really interactive. check out on line resourses. I have done an online course to go with my essenital sciences textbook and it helps. You can use it in the classroom and work together on the activities. there are tons of anatomy sites with inteactive material as well.

Permalink Reply by Alex Matthews on August 19, 2010 at 9:28am

Find ways for these students to role play the systems you are working with. For the most part they are very interactive and looking for ways to integrate their mind and body in the learning process and crave it for the most part . These students can be fun and promote more activity in the classroom for the other students. Have the student shift into groups and develop a play to act out what the lecture provided... Sure they may make mistake... that can translate into more fun... Keep a bunch of junk in the classroom to use as props. Another tool I use is I have a skeleton that is dis-articulated, I dump the parts on the floor and the students are time laying the skeleton out in anatomical position, to make it more fun I pair the students and blindfold one. The student without the blindfold has to help the blindfold student but can't touch the parts. Fun equals learning.

Permalink Reply by Barbara Helynn Heard on August 19, 2010 at 9:48am

Keeping my hands busy helps me pay attention. I like to hand quilt when attending lectures.

You might put a bit of modeling clay or pipe cleansers or something like that on their desks, say nothing, and see what happens.

Good luck.

Barbara Helynn Heard
www.lomilomi-massage.org

Permalink Reply by Paula Nutting on August 19, 2010 at 4:20pm

Hi Kris,
we have a few accelerated programs here too and I have used drawing the muscles on each other with water soluble pens. also playing quick draw shootouts - the students pair up, stand back to back and hold their fingers in a pistol pose, you count them as they walk out 10 paces and then you call a muscle and they turn and fire aiming at the muscle. lots of fun because its a race. chinese wispers with a maximum of 6 words from a region of the body and they have to team up in groups of say 5 or 6 and repeat the words and the last person has to write them all down.
any way good luck!!
Paula