Most children with ADHD have problems at school but surprisingly many do not have academic problems. Many ADHD children are able, in a disorganized and unique way, to excel in academics in the school setting.
ADHD children in schools that allow a great deal of personal choice, such as Montessori schools, schools that allow and encourage movement, such as Waldorf schools or schools that devote a creative curricular approach such as Reggio-Emilia schools are ideal for children with ADHD. In these environments, ADHD children often excel academically.
The problems that all children with ADHD face at school, and problems that school curricula rarely address or even recognize, are social. Inattentive-type ADHD children tend to be introverted and/or socially immature, and hyperactive/impulsive ADHD children tend to be aggressive and/or socially immature The end result is that many ADHD children have difficulty in school not because of classwork but because of ‘playground’ or social work.
I think all learning is emotional. Think of the last time you were really excited to learn something. Either you found something you loved and wanted to learn more about, you found an infectious teacher who got you energized about something, or you had a friend, family member, or co-worker who was into something you wanted to be a part of.
I believe if you are not emotionally engaged in what you are learning then you will not be able to learn and if you are not socially comfortable then you will struggle to fit into the academics of the school. People learn best when they interact with the people they like. A child who fears the social aspect of school cannot learn. I am a child who feels isolated at school, unable to learn. A child who goes to a school where he feels no one knows or “gets it” cannot learn.
Schools can help solve these school social problems by encouraging and teaching social interaction skills, by having teachers take the lead in really getting to know each child, and by encouraging friendships. A likable teacher who takes a socially inept child under their wing is often the key that unlocks the door to a child’s academic excellence.
ADHD kids don’t need many friends. Studies prove that all that is needed is one friend. One friend can make the difference between social isolation and feeling like you “belong.” Just having one friend goes a long way, and sometimes parents need to help kids with ADHD find and develop that friendship.
Not all school ADHD problems are academic. Many ADHD children excel in academics at school but fear the social aspect of the school environment. Schools need to spend more time paying attention to the emotional and social aspects of learning and recognizing that the emotional lives of teachers and students play an important role in the learning process.
Some ADHD children have academic and social problems, but surprisingly, many ADHD academic problems improve once the social problems improve. Parents can help by choosing schools that focus on emotions and social skills in the classroom and teachers and school counselors can help children with ADHD by realizing that the social aspects of school are just as important as the academics. Many school ADHD problems can be improved by recognizing that before children can learn, they must feel emotionally attached and socially secure.