Tough Case

[Josh Oakley]

I picked up a student who has these diagnoses: Bi-polar, ADHD, Developmental Disability, Learning Disability, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Any teachers out there worked with any of these conditions? What advise would you give.

I'm keeping him out of group classes and training him privately while I'm figuring him out.

 

[foggymorning162]

How old is he? We have had a lot of students with ADHD you just need to keep them focused one on one until they know whats expected of them helps a lot an extra assistant in group class for a while then MA seems to help them a lot as for learning disabilities they are all different my son is labeled as LD he is very intellagent he just processes slower. In general I would say he is going to need extra time to learn the material and will progress slower than your other students. Developmentally disabled sounds a lot like a learning disorder, probably just isn't where he should be for his age. I have never had to deal with a Bi-polar student so I can't help you there and as for Oppositional Defiant disorder well I would guess he doesn't like authority figures, so the disapline of MA will be good for him. So for advice, lots and lots of patience and remember that those are all just labels they put on kids they don't know how to deal with.

 

[Josh Oakley]

Thanks a bunch. The kid's 14 and the Mom's a nervous wreck, so I've been fighting a two-headed dragon.

 

[IcemanSK]

I'd reccommend asking mom if you could talk to the child's teacher. That would be a great resource. The child most likely has an IEP (Indiviual Education Plan). Understanding & working with those same goals would help him a great deal & re-inforce what he is working on in school.

 

[bluekey88]

Man, that is a really tough dx. I'd be more concerned about the bi-polar disorder and ODD though the learning disability could certainly complicate factors (depending on the specific disability).

I'd do maybe a month of private lessons to get a feel for the kid and his moods..however, you won't see tehj full range o fthe porblem until he is integrated with the group. Without seeing how he interacts it's ahrd to come up with teaching strategies to address his needs.

With ODD, I find your best bet is a "soft" collaborative approach. Don't necessarily make things hard and fast rules...that just makes him want to step over the line. The more you convince him that he wants to do something, or that it is his idea, the more compliant he will be.

In short, this kid may need a different approach than you usualy use with other students (what this is I can't wholly say without knowing him), you should take the time to get to knwo him, but get him integraqted with the group as soon as possible. Come up with specific concree strategies to address specifi behaviors and use them consistently (consistency is a huge key here). It'll take time as you set limits, his behaviors may worsen before they get better as he tries to get what he wants in the way he is used to doing it (extinction burst we call it)...it'll be your job to pesevere and cultivate patience with youself and the otehr kids.

Good luck.

Peace,
Erik

 

[Josh Oakley]

I've been noticing a lot of positive reinforcement seems to work. That's what WebMD was saying. Also, calming the mother down, since she's a nervous wreck herself. And I got him to take responsibility for a minor mistake he made and be happy about it. I know ODD kids tend to blame others for their outbursts. I figured if I start very small, I can gradually help him. Time will tell, of course. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[Deaf Smith]

You have a tough row to hoe Josh.

We have a student, I think around 14, who has ADD. You have to be on their case while they are in class but try not to look like a jirk in the process. Try to get them to be in the here-and-now mode as much as possible. If you ignore them and teach the others they will go into a world of their own and that is not good.

Deaf

 

[arnisador]

I'm glad people are willing to work with difficult situations like this, as I certainly believe martial arts training can be valuable for anyone. I've never had to do it in martial arts but frequently must at the college. Be patient and hold to your standards while making the obvious changes to them.

 

[Kacey]

As a special education teacher, I'd say that the ADD and the learning disability are the easiest to deal with - I've had both in my TKD class, and neither is particularly difficult. Kids with ADD (and adults, too) do best when you don't spend too long on any one thing - changing activities, or at least changing the activity itself (doing different techniques in line drills, changing forms, etc.) provide enough stimulation to help keep the student on task. Learning disabilities are often related to reading, writing, and math, and often aren't a problem in the dojang - when they are, multiple modality instruction is the most effective - do it, say it, show it, manipulate the student through it, etc.; the more ways you can present the information you want the student to learn, the more success he'll have, and the sooner you'll find out which learning styles work best for him. The developmental delay is most likely the cause of the learning disability - in which case, hands-on, concrete instruction will work best; theoretical information will be particularly hard for this student to pick up. Show him how, break movements into small steps and teach them separately, and then recombine them - that will be the most suited to his needs. How you break things down will be determined by his learning style - but I have a student with an IQ in the 60s and cerebral palsy as well, and small steps is what has worked best for him - for behavior as well as performance.

The bipolar disorder is something you can't do much about, except to acknowledge where he is in his cycle. People with bipolar disorder can be fast cyclers or slow cyclers - which means they can shift from depression to mania in anything from weeks (fast cycling - and occasionally hours for them, but it's rare) to years. Medication is intended to moderate the mood swings - but at 14, puberty and the hormonal shifts that accompany it will be wreaking havoc on his medication levels, and there's really nothing anyone can do about it except watch him closely. If you want the technical definitions for bipolar disorders, look here - but be aware that diagnosis of bipolar disorder in anyone under the age of 18 is suspect (as are diagnoses of similar biochemical mood disorders) because the predominant symptom in all biochemical mood disorders in children is fidgety behavior - which is why so many of them (80% or more) are diagnosed ADD/ADHD first, and then diagnosed something else later. I'm not saying this boy isn't bipolar - just be aware that as he progresses through puberty, the mood stabilizers for the bipolar disorder may interact with the stimulants for the ADD... and generally not well. I have a student at school who is ADHD and bipolar... and 14... and puberty is playing hell with his medications, his moods, and his behavior - we've had him for 2 years (6th and 7th grades - he's now in 8th grade) and still can't contain him on far too many occasions.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is often a precursor diagnosis for Conduct Disorder, which cannot technically be diagnosed until the age of 18. Given this boy's other diagnoses, I'd be cautious with this diagnosis - whether he is ADD and bipolar, or just one or the other, that biochemical disorder, along with the developmental delay, is impacting his ability to pick up on and react to social cues properly, and what is most likely being seen is frustration.

Now that I've nattered on far too long about the various diagnoses, my suggestions would be as follows:

- be consistent - consistency will be the key with this student. Don't ever make a promise or threat and not follow through on it, or you'll lose all control. He must believe that you will do as you say, or you won't be able to teach him the rules you want him to follow.

- be concrete - tie anything you possibly can into his own life experiences and/or experiences he may be anticipating, as this will provide the connections necessary for him to understand why as well as what - without those connections, you might as well be speaking French. For example, if you want him to speak politely to people, point out that this is a skill needed to hold a job - and he might as well start practicing now. If you want him to wait his turn in line or move on a certain side of the room, point out that this is a skill he'll need when he learns to drive. If you want him to perform a technique at a certain level, give him a specific target - not "low", but "belt knot". Abstractions of any type will be difficult for him because of the developmental delay, and will cause frustration, which will lead to behavior problems.

- provide lots of positive reinforcement, and as little negative reinforcement as you can. This will be hard, especially in the beginning - but try this exercise with your regular class: go the entire class without saying "no" or "don't"; instead, say "try this" or "change this" - and use positive reinforcing words like "good" instead of negative ones like "wrong". It has an amazing effect on nearly everyone - and will be particularly effective with this student.

- when you are ready to put him in your regular class, prepare your other students. If you think it won't freak them (or her) out too much, have his mother come to speak to the class - or, as Iceman suggested, talk to his school; maybe his special education teacher will have some ideas for you, and/or might be willing to talk to your class about what behaviors to ignore. I know that I, as a special education teacher, appreciate knowing what my students do outside of class; it gives me more things to connect new learning to. If your other students know what to expect, they can help you guide his behaviors - especially if they know what to ignore. Many negative behaviors are designed to gain attention - if everyone ignores those behaviors, and responds positively to desired behaviors, the negatives ones will be more readily replaced with the positive ones you desire. Without the help of my other students, the student I mentioned earlier would be a holy terror - but because the other students are so much help in guiding him through things, he does quite well... he's still a 7th gup after 6 years, where a student who started 3 months before him has been a black belt for 2 years, but he's taught me, and everyone else, quite a lot about perseverance along the way.

Also - if you do talk to his teacher, and he is in special ed (and I can't imagine that he's not) - make sure you get a release from his mother. Legally, the school can't talk to you without his mother's permission. If there's an occupational therapist who works with him, you might talk to that person as well.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[tshadowchaser]

Please be sure to keep us updated on how the training goes with this young person. Let us know what you find works and what defiantly did not work

 

[kaizasosei]

spend a few hours with his folks...

 

[Phoenix44]

Diagnoses have all kinds of purposes which may or may not have any bearing on his training. Maybe his diagnoses have more to do with criteria for classification for special ed or insurance reimbursement. I'm less concerned with his diagnoses and more interested in his behavior when he's with you.

For example, is he easily distracted? Short attention span? Is he belligerent? Easily frustrated? Does he cry? Does he refuse to cooperate? Does he run around the dojo when you're trying to teach? Is he likely to hit or kick other kids?

His behavior will dictate what you need to do. You may need to keep his lessons very short--as little as 15 minutes. He may need very simple instructions, lots of positive reinforcement. He may never be ready for group classes, or he may benefit from a one-on-one sempai when he's in class, particularly if he tends to disrupt the class or threaten other kids--otherwise the instructor will never be able to teach a class, and the other kids (and their parents) will be very VERY unhappy, and you'll see attendance drop.

We've had special needs kids at our dojo--some do very well. In some cases a problem arises when they're 14 years old, but they behave more like an 8 year old. You can't keep them in the younger kids' class, but they'll need a lot of attention in the older kids class.

One suggestion. Not to be mercenary about this, but charge appropriately. If you have to pay a sempai as a one-to-one assistant, I'd suggest you charge the parent for the sempai. If you need the parents to stay in the waiting area during class, then tell them you expect them to stay. If the child becomes disruptive, you may have to ask the parent to take him home that day. If he needs medication to participate in school, he may also need medication to participate in martial arts training.

And be honest with the parents if he is not benefiting from his training. Parents often have unrealistic expectations of martial arts training. They've heard it improves "discipline," but they may fail to realize that it requires a modicum of SELF-discipline.

Good luck.

 

[foggymorning162]

- provide lots of positive reinforcement, and as little negative reinforcement as you can. This will be hard, especially in the beginning - but try this exercise with your regular class: go the entire class without saying "no" or "don't"; instead, say "try this" or "change this" - and use positive reinforcing words like "good" instead of negative ones like "wrong". It has an amazing effect on nearly everyone - and will be particularly effective with this student.

When getting us ready to teach uor instructor tells us to think of your students as a bank account: you need to make a deposit before you can make a withdrawl, for example " That was a great kick but next time try loading it higher" "I like your stance try to show more intensity" etc.

 

[arnisador]

Ah, well put! Yes, leading with praise is a good idea. Why don't football coaches try it?

 

[Josh Oakley]

One thing my instructor taught me was to sandwich critiques inbetween compliments. That's been working pretty well. Also, I've had him take responsiblity for mistakes he makes in class. He has a tendancy to blame anything and anyone for any mistake he makes (which I found out is common in people with ODD), and I get him to take responsibility in a playful happy way where he sees that it empowers him. Also, lots of praise. I've been almost training this 14 year old like a 7 year old and it seems to be working so far. I'll keep posted. The honeymoon's not over, so it's hard to say I've figured the kid out. Time will tell.

 

[bluekey88]

You should also look at using a ratio of 2 or 3 to 1 praise to crticique. So intead of praise-critique...do something like praise-praise-critique-praise. The more you make your students feel good (via praise) the more motivated the will be to please you (by working harder).

peace,
Erik

 

[Josh Oakley]

You should also look at using a ratio of 2 or 3 to 1 praise to crticique. So intead of praise-critique...do something like praise-praise-critique-praise. The more you make your students feel good (via praise) the more motivated the will be to please you (by working harder).

peace,
Erik

That's actually what I meant by sandwiching. 1 piece of critique in between 2 slices of praise.

 

[tko4u]

I'd reccommend asking mom if you could talk to the child's teacher. That would be a great resource. The child most likely has an IEP (Indiviual Education Plan). Understanding & working with those same goals would help him a great deal & re-inforce what he is working on in school.

I agree with iceman here! The teacher sees him and has probably already learned how to deal with him best by now!

 

[Josh Oakley]

Unfortunately his old teacher is retired and his IEP teacher just met him a week after I did. But here's what's working pretty good so far:

Positive reinforcement

Making sure he learns why I use the pitch and tenor I use when I talk to him (so he doesn't think I'm mad at him when I am being serious)

Talking to him in terms of "If you want to be (martial artist, man, etc.) than you want to do (insert action here)"

Holding him to high standards. This one I didn't expect, but one thing I can tell is that his teachers, the neighbor kids, school kids, etc., don't see the kid, they see the diagnoses. I talk to him in terms of Self-reliance and honor and being a young man, and he responds very well. I don't this kid has been held to the standards he is capable of achieving. Even his mom admitted she doesn't.

Also, one thing I've ended up doing is life-coaching the mom. She works twelve hour days seven days a week, and has lived with the kid his whole life. I've had to tell her to breath and calm down more often than I have to tell the kid. She's also a neurotic perfectionist, which is odd because she admitted she hadn't been holding him up to very high standards.

 

[teekin]

Kacey had one piece of info that was glaced upon but is Very Very important. Sometimes being shown how to do a technique is just not enough. Not the 1st time not the 10th time, not the 100th time. The visual cues do not relay sufficeint information to the brain for the muscles to duplicate the movements. The same thing goes for hearing the technique or move explained. The words can not be translated to muscle movement. It does not matter how many times you use the same words or how loud you talk. The connection between the words and the way the muscles move isn't being made. Very, very frusterating for everyone.
One of the best ways I have found is physical manipulation. Take his arm and guide it through the movements slowly, explain why it moves as it does, what the end result is. Then have him move his arm through the technique with your arm on his, as his deviates and makes mistakes, stop the movement and correct. How far you can take this will depend on your and his comfort level and your creativity. This will make your life and his learning so, so much more enjoyable.:highfive:
One more quick note, do not take the inability to express himself for lack of intellegence. I'd err the opposite way.

I have been on both sides of this fence, as teacher and as student. Both with a instructor and a :highfive:instructor. The instructor who will guide me though the movements when I just can't "see" what to do with my body is a god send. The one who will not is an exercise in creative problem solving. Good luck, well done for taking on this young lad,
lori