Any teachers with adhd? (MNHQ I’ve also posted in ND but got no replies!)

[HappyBinosaur]

I hope it’s ok but no one replied on the ND board so I thought I’d post here as well.

I’m a teacher with ADHD. I manage ok most of the time but I struggle so much with paper work and can’t keep my desk or shelves organised no matter how hard I try.

My planner is covered in doodles as doodling helps me concentrate. I’m in a fairly senior role so in a lot of meetings which require focus and my hands need to be moving constantly in order to focus.

I’ve obviously never been NT so I don’t know if this is true but many every day things feel like they are harder work for me than my NT colleagues. Like starting a task and finishing it before starting another 10 tasks. Or going through a day without misplacing things constantly. It’s exhausting at times.

I am an excessive daydreamer but find I am much more ‘present’ when I’m at work. I have imposter syndrome a lot of the time although I’m open about the fact I’m
ND with many people and I think/ hope it’s not an issue.

There must be more like me so please do say hello!

I've done a similar role (facilitating with young people rather than teaching) and the admin is dreadful, the paperwork is soul-destroying and the meetings are crushing. However, I d believe ADHD is magical when you're actually teaching. You can manage all those squirrels, do 20 things at once, hold a room.

It gives and it takes is my theory.

@MrsTerryPratchett I absolutely agree! Teaching is the perfect job for me and I love it so much. I teach Maths and students and parents have often told me how creative and engaging my lessons and I’m sure my adhd is actually helpful when I’m in the classroom.
Of course they don’t see the preparation process and the chaos inside my head at times!

My son with adhd wants to be a teacher too and I think he’ll be great in the classroom but he struggles so much with organisation even on medication so I’m trying to help him develop strategies for dealing with time management, paper, deadlines etc.

Not sure if I should be posting on here. I've long suspected I have adhd but have never had the courage to pursue a diagnosis - mainly because if I don't have adhd, then lazy and disorganised is just my personality and I'm not ready to accept that yet.

I find report writing time (ie now) absolute hell. Our format is fairly long and I just can't focus long enough to get it done. It turns a fairly onerous task into something akin to writing a dissertation. I've tried so many different ways of tackling it but I haven't cracked it yet.

I also began to find teaching much harder once I had kids and all of a sudden time management became crucial.

I don’t have a diagnosis but the more I learn about ADHD, the more I think I have it.

I’m currently late for school (typical?) so I’ll post more later…

I was only diagnosed a few years ago in my late 30s after my then 11 and 12 year olds were diagnosed (one has both hyperactive and inattentive adhd and the other mostly just inattentive). I think I’d known for years but when they were being assessed it was obvious to me and them that I had it too! They’d be looking at the questionnaires and saying “mum that sounds like you too!”

I didn’t tell my employer at the time but my new employer know and I still got the job (and promotion) which I confess I was worried about.

I have been a classroom teacher in schools where the pupils required minimal classroom management.

I'm the classroom everything was great, out of the classroom, hell.

I couldn't remember meetings, pupils names, targets, homework's, I forgot marking etc etc. PGCE year was hell too!

It wasn't for me and although I got on well with the team, I think they were all pleased I made the decision to leave teaching today good.

Sorry, forgot to say I have a diagnosis of ADD which explains why I struggled with a lot of aspects of the job looking back.
I also suffer from fatigue when I've been 'performing' at work - so had no work/life balance at all while I was teaching. I used to mark the days til the holidays so I could recoup.

I so think managing with meds is one thing but managing with behaviour is another. I work on paperwork best with music playing, the TV on, multiple streams. Still sometimes it's very rough.

Sorry, forgot to say I have a diagnosis of ADD which explains why I struggled with a lot of aspects of the job looking back.

I think the H helps with teaching!

Hi - I’ve just posted a similar thread in Education. I have no ADHD diagnosis but have finally clicked as to realising I need to pursue one. If you’re still around feel free to drop me a pm!