How to Help a Child With ADHD at School: Parent-Teacher Collaboration

All kids face certain challenges at school, but those with ADHD may face more consistent challenges in attention, impulse control, or adapting to traditional instruction formats. When it comes to how to help a child with ADHD in school, it becomes evident that such struggles are everyday among both caregivers and educators. Classroom environments are typically rigid and require a strict structure that is oriented toward neurotypical students. Parents can (and should) collaborate with teachers to enable their children to adjust to school and address the emerging issues. This, however, requires agreement from both sides, which adds a layer of nuance. Let’s consider these factors and explore strategies that can transform schools into safe and welcoming spaces for all children.

Starting the Dialogue

Taking that tentative first step toward cooperation may be slightly awkward. Whether you’re a parent or a teacher, putting on the hat of a communicator on such a sensitive topic isn’t something that comes naturally. 

What if the other side refuses? Teachers might feel worried that they are overstepping, while parents can think that they are taking away limited teachers’ resources. What matters is moving forward. Even starting with simple searches, such as “What is Liven?” or “strategies to help a child with ADHD,” and finding the right educational approach for a child can be a real breakthrough. 

Prepare the reasons for this collaboration and explain that your suggestion isn’t an attack on the other person. It’s simply an idea that could improve a child’s life. Gentle examples can serve as additional proof to communicate your concern. Start from the space of genuine desire to help a child and explain why you reach out to them — that is, what this can do for both of you. 

Building Your Communication Channel

Let’s go into the specifics now. What to say, how to organize, and what information to ask for?

What Information to Share

Parents can share a brief overview of a diagnosis (if they have it) and explain the specifics of this particular ADHD type (inattentive, hyperactive, or combined). Then, they may want to provide a list of known triggers that usually lead to overwhelm or shutdown. Teachers may benefit from all the strategies that have proven effective with focus, motivation, or emotional regulation. If anything has changed in the child’s life that could affect their ADHD, it may also be wise to include it.

Teachers, on their end, can pinpoint signs of a child’s struggle that indicate a recent change. Additionally, it is wise to inform parents about the behavior, social dynamics, and participation in general, not just the challenging aspects. If any strategy has worked that the parents aren’t aware of, they can also mention this.

Tools to Boost Communication

It’s hardly necessary to meet in person every week since it can take a toll on limited time resources. Weekly email check-ins or using a specific app for communication will allow you to keep things structured. It’s also possible to use a shared communication notebook that a child takes with them (though it’s suitable only for cases when a child isn’t planning to read the observations). 

Creating an ADHD-Friendly Classroom

While every child is different, many tips for classroom management for ADHD are pretty universal and will work in most cases.

Teachers can try these:

• Preferential seating. Seat a child near you and/or away from distractions to help them stay focused. 
• Movement breaks/initiatives. Either add short breaks to allow all students to move around or incorporate movement-based exercises that align with the lesson goals. Or give a chance to assist you and move around (for example, a child can gather the homework).
• Clear instructions. Provide simple, one-step directions and avoid complicating them with verbosity or excessive detail. 
• Visualization and schedules. Add posters and visuals that support the learning goals and maintain a predictable structure for all processes. 
• Flexible study and assessment alternatives. Instead of having a strict requirement for every task, let students complete the work orally, draw diagrams, or even stage a short scene (if applicable). 

Reinforcing Progress at Home

Just as teachers offer more flexibility for students, parents also continue this at home. 

On Coordination

Information can get lost between parents and teachers, and that’s okay. However, parents should be informed about big tasks and tests in advance. Since ADHD can cause a child to forget about assignments, parents can remind them. 

Even more, parents and teachers need to have realistic expectations. If a student is struggling to finish any task, hoping they’ll get straight As tomorrow is simply impossible. Set priorities, such as sticking to regular homework over achieving every perfection, and keep these goals clear for the learner. 

A Supporting Environment at Home

Parents should provide a distraction-free space for their child either by designating a specific area of the room or finding an alternative location, ensuring that learning can take place without distractions. Place all the necessary supplies in that location. 

Timers have been proven useful for kids with ADHD because they help them maintain awareness of time and avoid getting lost in other activities. Regular alarms can reset attention back to homework (for example, playing a quiet bell sound every five minutes). 

Keeping in tune with a child’s emotions is also vital: use positive reinforcement and regularly celebrate each step forward. But if you notice that the child is resisting in some assignments and even suffers a meltdown, take a pause and try to communicate with a teacher. Perhaps the task is too complex for the child, and another method will yield better results. 

Trials and Error; Then, Success

Creating an inclusive and safe space involves considering how both home and school allocate learning resources and attention. True, parents and teachers might require time to adjust to the new collaborative efforts. However, the ultimate goal —a child’s wellbeing and thriving at school — is very much worth it.