To a teacher about a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Hi! You are my first teacher, and I want to tell you about myself. I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and now I will explain to you what it means.

I look like everyone else, and you wouldn't say that I have any peculiarities. However, ADHD is a reality that affects how I behave, how I react, and often how others treat me. I'm a little different from my classmates in that I'm more impulsive and will often do something without thinking about the consequences, I'm more active and more inattentive. It's not because I don't make efforts, it's because of the way my brain works: it accelerates better and brakes badly.

It is better to call ADHD a condition rather than a disease, and in the classroom, it can look like following:

I have already said that I look the same as the others, but inside I have a sports car engine, and you can see that I move more than other children, much more, and the break between lessons is just great!
I will often do something without listening to the instruction to the end and give answers without raising my hand.
I will play games without hearing the rules to the end.
I will be a "driver" of disobedience for other children and a generator of all kinds of pranks.
I will forget my notebooks, pens, clothes and toys.

I am very cheerful and do not hold a grudge for long.
I will change, but at school, I will still be very active, inattentive and impulsive!

I also love movement and I love being in the centre of attention. I should enjoy school, but I have some tips for you to make some situations easier:

To understand me better, remember following:

speak to me very clearly and simply, looking me in the eye
if the task is large, it is better not to wait until the end of the task, but to make sure I am working on it and remind me about it.
I get a lot of criticism because of my inattention, and it's very important for me to be praised!
It's hard for me to control myself, so please remind me of the rules, the daily routine, and just simply remind me about everything!

I don't just like to move a lot, I need to move a lot, so take care of my physical activity.

Help me develop:

My parents may already know how best to give me assignments, ask them about this.
It's very important for me to feel needed and effective: give me tasks and help me complete them. But this should be just enough to give me a sense of independence.
Encourage me more often than you criticize me: even for small things, it is very important to me!
Never say in front of the whole class that I failed at something.
Sometimes you will better understand what I want, tell me out loud, maybe I will understand, because sometimes actions do not keep up with thoughts.

Don't put me in the back row: you can see everyone there, and it's very distracting. I do best in the front desks.
I need to be close to the teacher, and the best place to be is on the first desk!
Sometimes, I need to rest alone, away from unnecessary stimuli, for this, you can give me a simple task: bring something from the neighbouring classroom, or take something to the teacher's room.
Sometimes it will seem that I am the cause of all the problems in the class, but often it is my reputation and not really my antics.

For other parents and teachers

Make friends with my parents, don't tell them that they should have brought me up at home, and ask them not to say such things about school, it is important that you are partners in my upbringing.
Help my parents to feel like a part of the community, organize joint outings and trips, school holidays in the classroom where I can show my good sides.

For classmates

You know for sure that you should not allow aggression or harassment on any grounds, and this applies to me as well.
Don't justify or blame me in front of other children, try to explain that everyone is different, and some people are different in speed and inattention.
Include me in group tasks and games, and give me my own responsibilities and tasks, but watch to see if I can handle them.
The way other children and parents will treat me depends largely on you. You are the authority and will be copied.

I want to be together with everyone and not think that I am different from others, and our class is the place where I can be shown this and taught this. School is one of the first places where I will hear about myself from other adults and children, and it's important for me to know that I am accepted no matter what. I will have many teachers in middle and high school, so teach me how to trust and communicate with you now, so that it will be easier for me later!