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Behavior in the classroom

Doubletrouble12Doubletrouble12 member
in School-Aged Children
My SD who is in first grade has continually had some behavior issues in the classroom. She has
ADHD and is medicated which has seemed to help with hyperactivity. The main issue this school year 
has been behavior in the class. She has a daily notebook she brings home about how her day was (Smiley face, middle face, or sad face)
for each part of the day. Then the teacher usually writes comments about the day also.  The main comments are usual emotion outbursts,
throwing a pencil, making faces at another student while the teacher is teaching, kicking another student.  It does not seem to be improving. 
She feels bad when she gets sad faces and we discuss and talk about what to do if she's angry and she knows it's not right kicking another student.
Custody is shared, so she's at her mom's one wk our house one wk.  Any input would be appreciated on what we should do or things that might help.

I posted this in Special Needs as well. Thanks!

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Re: Behavior in the classroom

  • junebugrbigjunebugrbig member
    DS has not been diagnosed with ADHD I thought this might be worth sharing.  DS had a rough transition to kindergarten this year.  He was acting out in class on a regular basis (pushing, poking, overly aggressive, punched another student).  He was also acting out at home.  I sought out assistance with a counselor who worked with him on working and playing cooperatively and taught me a number of techniques to prevent and minimize outbursts.  I also met with his teacher and guidance counselor to discuss his issues; we kept each other abreast of progress/issues.  The counselor also recommended a number of books that we could read together on social skills/emotions/behavior.  We have seen a tremendous improvement...key is consistency and follow through.  I noticed on the weeks that we were not reinforcing and using the counselor taught techniques as much were the weeks he had trouble.  It has become part of our routine now.  We have tough days from time to time but life is much easier for everyone.  Hope you find this helpful!
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  • Doubletrouble12Doubletrouble12 member
    Thanks! Books are a good idea, I had thought about that but hadn't gotten any yet.  We will definitely talk with the teacher again as well. 
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  • neverblushedneverblushed member
    Impulsivity can be a real problem for kids with ADHD. It's normal for kids to be pretty impulsive from ages 4 to 7. A kid with ADHD will probably be more impulsive than your typical kid, and will take longer to naturally outgrow it.

    You can help her at home by working with her to identify feelings of frustration.  You might even help her by using a traffic light system.  "Green" if everything's okay, "yellow" if she needs to be careful, and "red" if she has already done something inappropriate needs to immediately stop.  Working with her to recognize "yellow" situations as they happen, and giving her skills to deal with "yellow" like taking a breath and counting to 4, stating her feelings instead of acting on them, etc., might help.
    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
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  • neverblushedneverblushed member
    I think another thing you want to consider is that it's important that the teacher understand (she probably does, but it's possible she's clueless) that learning to control impulses that lead to behavior issues in the classroom is a real journey for kids with ADHD, and that seeing more behavior issues in your child doesn't mean your child is a "bad kid."

    The teacher should be an ally in helping your SD to learn to better manage these situations.  If the teacher has sort of old-fashioned ideas about this, you might have to educate her/him.
    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
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  • ImJessesGirlImJessesGirl member
    Oh, first grade. I HATED first grade with my DD. It was horrendous for these same problems. My DD is also ADHD diagnosed after extensive testing. I chose not to medicate her because I hated the emotional roller coaster is caused in her. However, first grade was still tragic. OMG... it was awful.

    I have to tell you though, it gets better. The transition to first grade from Kindergarten is very hard on kids because it's so different. We decided to bring my DD to a psychologist for some behavioral therapy to teach her how to deal with her energy level, emotional outbursts, etc.
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    Me: 33 DH: 31
    DD: 10 (born August 2004)
    Married 03/01/14
    TTC#2
    BFP: 05/17/2014 EDD: 1/25/15 MMC: 06/30/2014
    BFP: 01/31/15 MMC: 02/25/15 





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  • Doubletrouble12Doubletrouble12 member
    edited April 2014
    ImJessesGirl said:
    Oh, first grade. I HATED first grade with my DD. It was horrendous for these same problems. My DD is also ADHD diagnosed after extensive testing. I chose not to medicate her because I hated the emotional roller coaster is caused in her. However, first grade was still tragic. OMG... it was awful.

    I have to tell you though, it gets better. The transition to first grade from Kindergarten is very hard on kids because it's so different. We decided to bring my DD to a psychologist for some behavioral therapy to teach her how to deal with her energy level, emotional outbursts, etc.
    That's good to know! Hopefully this next school year will help. Did the behavior therapy help? How long did you continue it? I was thinking something like that might be beneficial.  
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