Super Hero Strength #5: Opportunity for Mastery

Super Hero Strength #5: Opportunity for Mastery

BACKGROUND

ADD is an abbreviation for Attention Deficit Disorder; ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Many professionals use these terms interchangeably, but ADHD is generally more complex and serious. These disorders are neurologically-based, and are often inherited. They are not the result of bad parenting. It is estimated that approximately 7.8% of children ages 4-17 have this disorder, and boys are more like to have it than girls. This means that in a group of 25 children, it is likely that 1-2 youth will have ADD/ADHD. Symptoms of ADD/ADHD may include:

· Avoids or dislikes doing homework or reading

· Looses things easily (nametag, pencil, etc)

· Makes careless mistakes

· Is easily distracted; daydreams

· Is often forgetful

· Fidgets or squirms

· Climbs, runs, is very energetic, often at inappropriate times

· Likes to push limits, especially where safety is concerned

· Poor self esteem

· Talks excessively; Interrupts

· Temper tantrums, mood swings

· Frustrated easily

There are many negatives associated with the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. As a result, many youth with this disorder have low self esteem and poor social and/or academic skills. There are no cures for this disorder, but it can be managed. Many people have been able to overcome this disorder to reach their lifelong goals. As educators, we need to be aware of the symptoms and strategies to create inclusive environments for positive youth development.

Additional background information can be found at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY00100.pdf.

INTRODUCTION

As an extension educator, you already understand the importance of creating safe, inclusive environments for positive youth development to take place. This lesson will help teens understand what it is like to have a learning disability and foster compassion towards youth with learning disabilities and provide them with some proven strategies to help mentor and coach younger youth in the camp setting who may struggle with learning disabilities, specifically Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

This lesson plan has three activities:

· Famous Faces Icebreaker- demonstrates how people with learning disabilities have overcome them in order to be successful and famous.

· ADD Simulation- helps teens foster a sense of compassion towards youth who struggle with this disorder.

· Caring Counselor Scenarios- helps teens apply coping strategies to real life situations they may encounter at camp.

WHAT TO DO-

Famous Faces Icebreaker: Start with this activity to introduce the topic. Individually or in pairs, ask teens to place an “X” next to the names of the famous people who they think have a learning disability. Allow 5 minutes for them to complete this task. Ask everyone to stand (or raise their hand). Say the following:

· If you chose 5 people or less, sit down (or put your hand down)

· If you chose 10 or fewer people, sit down.

· If you chose 15 or fewer people, sit down.

· If you chose fewer than 20 people, sit down.

The people standing up have guessed correctly. Every person on the list has struggled with a learning disability, but has found ways to overcome their disability to achieve great goals. Look at the types of people on the list- they come from all different backgrounds and professions. They are great leaders, athletes, scientists, and creative people. They did not let their learning disability get in the way of their dreams. Process the activity with the following questions:

Sharing-

· What was the hardest part about answering the interview questions?

Processing-

· What could you do to be more prepared to answer these questions?

Generalizing-

· Why is it important to prepare for an interview?

Applying-

· How can being comfortable with answering questions about yourself/giving interviews help you in the future?

ADD/ADHD Simulation- Tell the group that they will view a paragraph on the screen and then be asked to answer 5 questions. They will have 30 seconds to answer each question. There should be no talking; please work individually. Note to facilitator: Once you start the slide show, you will not need to advance any of the slides (they will automatically advance). After everyone has completed the simulation, ask them to switch score cards with their neighbor and review the answers to the questions. Ask how many got all 5 questions correct? How many were able to answer 3 or more correct? How many people didn’t get any answers correct? Process the activity with the following questions:

Sharing-

· How did this activity make you feel?

Processing-

· What problems did you have with this activity?

Generalizing-

· Why is it important to be compassionate towards youth with ADD/ADHD?

Applying-

· Will you act differently towards people with this disorder in the future as a result of this activity? Why or why not?

Caring Counselor Scenarios- review the tips for working with ADD/ADHD youth handout. Next, divide the group into 4 smaller groups and assign each group a scenario. Optional: provide each group with props to act out the scenarios. Give groups 5-10 minutes to read and discuss the scenario. Ask each group to share their scenario and recommendations. Process the activity with the following questions:

Sharing-

· What are the challenges with working with children who have ADD/ADHD?

Processing-

· Have you ever had a similar experience as the counselors in the scenarios?

Generalizing-

· What did you learn about working with special needs youth through this activity?

Applying-

· What are some other situations you can use what you’ve learned today in real life?

HELPFUL RESOURCES

· Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, by Garret D. Evans and Heidi Liss Radunovich. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY00100.pdf

· Attention Deficit Disorder Association: http://add.org.

Place an “X” next to the famous people that you think have suffered from a learning disability.

____ Bruce Jenner (gold medal Olympic Athlete)

____ Michael Jordan (professional basketball player)

____ Michael Phelps (gold medal Olympic swimmer)

____ Will Smith (Actor, singer)

____ Terry Bradshaw (NFL quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame)

____ Jim Carrey (actor)

____ Elvis (singer and actor)

____ Robin Williams (comedian and actor)

____ Einstein (scientist and famous inventor)

____ Bill Cosby (actor, comedian, and author)

____ Steven Spielberg (famous movie director)

____ Whoopi Goldberg (actor and comedian)

____ Walt Disney (animator)

____ Abraham Lincoln (16th US President)

____ General Schwarzkopf (Stormin’ Norman- commander of Coalition forces during the Gulf War)

____ Mario Lopez (actor and television host)

____ Prince Charles (heir to the British throne; father of Prince William and Harry)

____ Beethoven (18th century musician and composer)

____ Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady, civil rights advocate)

____ Benjamin Franklin (inventor, scientist, and founding father of the US)

ADD Simulation Score Card

Write the letter of the correct answer next the number of the question.

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ADD Simulation Score Card

Write the letter of the correct answer next the number of the question.

Caring Counselor Scenarios

Scenario #1: Jack is having a hard time with his arts and crafts project. They are weaving placemats out of recycled denim. His counselor, Steve, has to redirect him back to his seat several times. Both Steve and Jack are getting frustrated with each other. Arts and crafts is almost over, and Steve tells Jack that if he doesn’t hurry up and finish, he’s going to miss canteen.

Is Steve’s approach to Jack’s behavior appropriate? If not, what 2 other strategies might Steve try to help Jack finish his project.

Scenario #2: It is raining at camp, so kayaking class has been cancelled, and the camp staff asked all the counselors to bring their cabin groups to the auditorium for rainy day games. Jessica cannot find her camper, Katy. She finally finds Katy in the cabin changing into her swimsuit. Jessica asks Katy, “Didn’t you hear the announcement at lunch? Kayaking has been cancelled. You were supposed to come to the auditorium. Did you forget to take your medicine?”

How do you think Jessica’s response made Katy feel? What could Jessica have done differently to help Katy be where she needs to be when the schedule is suddenly changed?

Scenario #3: The other campers are constantly complaining that Ana is picking on them. When her counselor, Amy, asks her to stop, Ana is defiant and disrespectful. The other campers are so tired of Ana’s behavior that they often leave her out of group activities and don’t want to sit with her at lunch. This only makes Ana act out more. Frustrated, she tells Ana that if she doesn’t stop misbehaving, she is going to tell the 4-H Agent to send her home from camp.

Is Amy’s response appropriate? What could Amy do to help Ana?

Scenario #4: Every day, Kevin is late to free swim. Every day, he jumps in the water without his water shoes or sunscreen. When he gets out, he realizes he forgot his towel. Every day, his counselor Mike, has to go to the cabin to find his towel, sunscreen, and water shoes for him, which is difficult because Kevin’s bunk is always a mess. Mike is getting tired of this and asks Kevin, “Why can’t you remember your stuff? You know you need a towel, sunscreen, and water shoes if you want to swim. Are you retarded or something?”

Is Mike’s response to Kevin appropriate? What 2 things can Mike do to help Kevin stay organized and prepared for free swim?

Answers to scenario #1: Working with youth who have learning disabilities can be a challenge, and at times you may feel frustrated, but it is never OK to threaten a camper. In 4-H, we NEVER take away basic needs (such as food and drink) as a form of punishment. Jack’s inability to complete his craft project is probably related to the instructions. The instructions may not be clear or direct enough. Steve should try to simplify the instructions so that Jack can better understand. Instead of telling him how to do it, he can show him. Steve may also want to suggest that Jack stand (instead of sit) during the activity. Steve also needs to give Jack lots of praise and encouragement.

Answers to scenario #2: It is never appropriate to ask someone if they have taken their medicine. Youth with ADD/ADHD often have low self esteem, and asking them if they have taken their medicine will most likely embarrass them and make them feel worse. Children with ADD/ADHD thrive in environments that are highly structured, and sudden changes in the schedule make it difficult for them. Jessica could have partnered Katy with a camp buddy to help remind her that the schedule changed and help her get to the auditorium instead of the cabin. Also, Jessica needed to remind Katy multiple times that there was a change or she could have even written down the change in Katy’s camp program/schedule.

Answers to scenario #3: Threatening a camper is never appropriate. Discipline is the responsibility of the 4-H agent. Youth with ADD/ADHD often exhibit aggressive behavior and could be an indicator of other disorders. Because Ana most likely suffers from low self esteem, excluding her will only make things worse. Amy needs to reinforce positive behavior by modeling the behavior she expects from Ana and also by telling her specifically what she needs to do. Amy also needs to tell the other campers that camp is a place where we learn to get along with others, and that leaving someone out of the group is not appropriate camper behavior. It would help if Amy and another counselor take turns being Ana’s buddy, so they can help keep her on track and give her praise and encouragement.

Answers to scenario #4: Mike’s response to Kevin is entirely inappropriate. We never refer to anyone as retarded, dumb, or stupid. That is verbal abuse. Mike can help Kevin be more organized by making cabin cleanup part of the daily routine. Youth with ADD/ADHD do better in structured environments, and while camp is pretty structured, cabin time usually is not. Mike should take a few extra moments each day to remind Kevin to put away his dirty clothes, hang up wet towels and swimsuits, and even lay out what he will need for free swim. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to ask all the campers in the cabin to do this on a daily basis. Kevin will do much better if there is a routine for keeping his bunk area clean and getting ready for free swim. When Kevin keeps his area clean and gets to free swim on time with everything he needs, Mike needs to praise him for it.

Tips for Working with ADD/ADHD Youth

ADD is an abbreviation for Attention Deficit Disorder; ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These disorders are neurologically-based, and are often inherited. They are not the result of bad parenting skills. It is estimated that approximately 7.8% of children ages 4-17 have this disorder, and boys are more like to have it than girls. This means that in a group of 25 children, it is likely that 1-2 youth will have ADD/ADHD. Symptoms of ADD/ADHD may include:

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· Looses things easily (nametag, pencil, etc)

· Is easily distracted; daydreams

· Fidgets or squirms

· Climbs, runs, is very energetic, often at inappropriate times

· Poor self esteem

· Talks excessively; interrupts

· Temper tantrums, mood swings

· Frustrated easily

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