Can School Be a Positive Turning Point for Children with ADHD?

This week’s guest blogger is Mark Katz, PhD.

School can be a positive turning point in the lives of children with ADHD when we create a school culture that takes the danger out of learning differently. Schools can be places where successes far outweigh failures, where mistakes are seen as learning experiences—and where other children are quick to lend a helping hand, rather than a cruel remark.

One institute at the CHADD conference in Atlanta will share the ways some schools are successfully accomplishing this goal. The panel will discuss the specific practices these schools rely upon as well as how attendees can implement these practices in their local schools and after-school programs.

Joining me on this panel will be Marlene Snyder, PhD, a professor at Clemson University who is the national training director for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and the founding president of the International Bullying Prevention Association. Our third panelist, Jeffrey Sprague, PhD, is a professor of special education and director of the University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior.

We’ll also be talking about proven practices for preventing and reducing bullying at school. The national news media recently reported upon a series of tragic events where children and teens have actually taken their lives as a result of bullying. Many people are just now realizing how widespread bullying is, and how serious the consequences can be.

Some schools are intervening early in the lives of children with learning and behavioral challenges in ways that are preventing more serious problems down the road. We’re excited about these advances in the field of prevention and excited about having the opportunity to share them with attendees.

We’ve also set aside time to discuss how to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue among teachers, parents, and other caregivers. We’ll discuss helpful strategies that attendees can implement in their local schools and communities.

And we’ll learn how teachers, parents and others in a child’s circle of support are helping children with ADHD and other challenges find ways to view these challenges in a hopeful new light. We know from the research on resilience how important this is, and we’ll be discussing programs, practices, and resources that can help.

We hope you can join us in Atlanta.


A clinical and consulting psychologist, Mark Katz is the director of Learning Development Services, an educational, psychological, and neuropsychological center located in San Diego. He is a contributing editor to Attention magazine and a member of its editorial advisory board, a former member of CHADD’s professional advisory board, and a recipient of the CHADD Hall of Fame Award.