What’s your role with SHEMESH?
Helping students via strategies for organization, time management, planning and other brain-based weaknesses. I collaborate with teachers & parents and provide educational training of effective teaching methods for all students.
What does your role look like during Covid 19?
Many of my students are finding distance learning extremely difficult. Weak working memory makes is difficult to complete tasks when given only verbal directions. Students with ADHD need multiple modes of modality to learn and long-distance learning may prevent this. There are many distractions to tune out and lessons are not always as stimulating long-distance. Via ZOOM, I continue to teach students about their executive function weaknesses; We read books, work on habit development, create incentive programs and schedules, and even organize their learning environments together! I have been working with their parents to support them in other ways, too.
What practical suggestions do you have for parents now?
Provide structure, rules and expectations, but be flexible and positive. If the schedules aren’t working for your family, re-assess what absolutely needs to get done vs otherwise. Your family’s mental & emotional well-being comes 1st.