An ADHD expert shares 17 questions parents can ask teachers to make sure their kids are supported

Classrooms are supposed to be safe and nurturing spaces for all children, however, kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often don't feel supported by their teachers. A teacher who has ADHD themselves took to Twitter to share 17 questions parents can ask their child's teacher to make sure they know how to best guide them. Jordan Taylor, who goes by the username @Attentionfixed on the social media platform, said he wanted folks to "use [his] questions to help [parents] and school officials identify contributing factors that may otherwise be overlooked." In response, dozens of fellow teachers chimed in with their own experiences and commented on the lack of ADHD sensitization for teachers.

"Teachers often don't know what to do to help ADHD kids until they start asking the right questions," Taylor posted. I have ADHD and I'm a teacher. I wrote a list of 17 questions for parents to ask in school meetings. These questions will help the teacher help your kid. Schools often look at the child as the locus of the problem. This can make them blind to the rest of the environment." In this context, the expert's questions targeted environmental factors that are critical to nurturing a child who has ADHD within the classroom.

Some of the questions focused on behavioral approaches. For example, Taylor wrote, "When my kid misbehaves, [do they] receive more attention (positive or negative) from teachers, administrators, or counselors? Is attention seeking at the root of the misbehavior?" Other questions addressed logistical issues, such as access to electronic devices, time for recess and nutrition (especially concerns about sugar and processed foods). He also highlighted environmental factors that even parents may overlook. He asked, "How is my kid’s desk, workspace, [and] locker organized? Is it cluttered? How often is he/she given time for organization or cleanup?"

Soon, Taylor's Twitter thread went viral, and dozens of fellow teachers commented on their experiences of working with students diagnosed with ADHD. "It never made sense to me that an ADHD student could receive a 504 plan, but their teachers couldn’t receive any training on ADHD," one person noted. "I found the only teachers that understood my child were the ones with ADHD themselves or their own child struggled with it." A 504 Plan is a plan developed to ensure that a child who has a disability identified under the law and is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives accommodations that will ensure their academic success and access to the learning environment.

Another person added, "This is great stuff! Sometimes ADHD can be misconstrued for other issues such as being an HSP (highly sensitive person). They are easily overstimulated and very sensitive to light, sound, etcetera, which can create an issue in the classroom setting." Finally, one parent of a child with disabilities affirmed, "These are great questions. As a parent with disabilities, who was a teacher, and [has] kids also with disabilities, I agree with many of the comments and it’s disheartening. It shouldn’t be like this... Schools have to do better."

Editor's note: This article was originally published on July 15, 2022. It has since been updated.