Ms. Brown's Living Classroom

This website has some helpful tips on how to be a better teacher for those students who operate at a different speed than their peers.

http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/intel.html

• Speak directly to the student, as you would any other student. The teacher shouldn’t be seen as the person who relates differently only to the student with an impairment.
• The teacher should be aware that his or her interactions with the impaired student will serve as a model for others.
• Back off sometimes, and let things happen on their own.
• Some activities are more conducive to getting students together than others. The teacher should note and promote opportunities for interactions, allow for spontaneous interactions and play. Remember that not all interactions are verbal.
• Learning strategies, such as mnemonics, help students access information. A mnemonic is a word, sentence, picture, device, or technique for improving or strengthening memory.

Behavioral Strategies and Approaches for Children with ODD

Getting a reaction out of others is the chief hobby of children with ODD. They like to see you get mad. They try to provoke reactions in people and are often successful in creating power struggles. Therefore it is important to have a plan and try not to show any emotion when reacting to them. If you react too emotionally, you may make big mistakes in dealing with this child. Plan in advance what to do when this student engages in certain behaviors and be prepared to follow through calmly.

• Decide which behaviors you are going to ignore. Most children with ODD are doing too many things you dislike to include all of them in a behavior management plan. Thus, target only a few important behaviors, rather than trying to fix everything.

• Make this student a part of any plan to change behavior. If you don’t, you’ll become the enemy.
• Provide consistency, structure, and clear consequences for the student’s behavior.

• Praise students when they respond positively.

• Establish a rapport with the ODD child. If this child perceives you as reasonable and fair, you’ll be able to work more effectively with him or her.

• Avoid making comments or bringing up situations that may be a source of argument for them.

• Never raise your voice or argue with this student. Regardless of the situation do not get into a “yes you will” contest. Silence is a better response.
• Do not take the defiance personally. Remember, you are the outlet and not the cause for the defiance- unless you are shouting, arguing or attempting to handle the student with sarcasm.
• Avoid all power struggles with this student. They will get you nowhere. Thus, try to avoid verbal exchanges. State your position clearly and concisely and choose your battles wisely.

• Always listen to this student. Let him/her talk. Don’t interrupt until he/she finishes.
• Address concerns privately. This will help to avoid power struggles as well as an audience for a potential power struggle.
• In the private conference be caring but honest. Tell the student calmly what it is that is causing problems as far as you are concerned. Be sure you listen as well. In this process, insist upon one rule- that you both be respectful.
• When decisions are needed, give two choices or options. State them briefly and clearly. Students with ODD are more likely to complete or perform tasks that they have chosen. This also empowers them to make other decisions.
• Give the ODD student some classroom responsibilities. This will help him/her to feel apart of the class and some sense of controlled power. If he/she abuses the situation, the classroom responsibilities can be earned privileges.
• When you see an ODD child getting frustrated or angry, ask if a calming down period would help. But don’t force it on him/her. Rather than sending the student down to the office for this cooling down period, it may be better to establish an isolated “calming down” place in the classroom so he/she can more readily re-engaged in classroom activity following the cooling down period.
• Ask parents what works at home.

Instructional Strategies and Classroom Accommodations for the ODD Student

• Establish clear classroom rules. Be clear about what is nonnegotiable.

• Post the daily schedule so the student will know what to expect.

• Make sure academic work is at the appropriate level. When work is too hard, students become frustrated. When it is too easy, they become bored. Both reactions lead to problems in the classroom.

• Pace instruction. When the student with ODD completes a designated amount of a non-preferred activity, reinforce his/her cooperation by allowing him/her to do something they prefer or find more enjoyable or less difficult.

• Systematically teach social skills, including anger management, conflict resolution and how to be assertive in an appropriate manner. Discuss strategies that the student may use to calm him/ or herself down when they feel their anger escalating. Do this when the student is calm.

• Select materials that encourage student interaction. Students with ODD need to learn to talk to their peers and to adults in an appropriate manner. All cooperative learning activities must be carefully structured, however.

• Minimize downtime and plan transitions carefully. Students with ODD do best when kept busy.

• Allow the ODD student to redo assignments to improve their score or final grade.

• Structure activities so the student with ODD is not always left out or is the last person picked.

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OTHER ODD Resources

http://www.conductdisorders.com/

http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/72.htm

http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/conduct.htm

Adolescent Oppositional Defiant Disorder ODD…

http://www.spsk12.net/departments/specialed/odd.htm

(This helpful info is from the Suffolk, Virginia public schools website.)