Are you a teacher with ADHD - how does your school support you?

[Cantthinkofabettername]

Just a quick one and would be very appreciative of any responses.

I have a crazy timetable (don’t we all) and I am struggling with it. I’m a year group class teacher mainly but also teach 3 other year groups a variety of subjects and this coming term the staffing has changed, so I am feeling even more pressure, which I’m not dealing with particularly well. I am currently trying to get a GP apt to kickstart an ADHD referral but I know that this will take time, so was wondering if there are any teachers on here with ADHD and how your school supports you with this so that I can be proactive with things at work.

Thank you.

With humour mostly! I am a science teacher and the lab tech knows I struggle with organisation so will remind me that I need to put practical requests in, will look at my planner to see if I have forgotten anything (I leave it open on my desk). She provides cups of tea during report writing.

It will depend on what support you need and how your ADHD affects you. I found life difficult when I was in multiple rooms, now I am in one room life is so much easier.

I’m in my first year of teaching having trained in the same college last year. I (and others who know me) are starting to suspect I have something going on. Ds was diagnosed with autism and I am seeing some of this in myself. Likely to be some ADHD too. I am self-supporting basically. For one thing I am lucky enough to work 0.5 so am just about coping to manage with the wiggle room. I feel pretty much full-time as I struggle with their complicated cumbersome unfathomable and pointless practices! But what I am mainly doing is identifying where my organisational structures are letting me down and making changes for myself. Really trying to write everything down - in one place not on endless post-its - to ensure I don’t miss or forget important stuff. I’m getting there. I’m also horrendously distracted and distracting in our busy office so I try to wear EarPods to block out the noise so I can focus. I don’t mention my problems to
my line manager. I point out solutions I have come up with.

I am likely ADHD but never diagnosed. I tick most the ADHD boxes. I didn't know adults could get a referral. My son is in the process of ADHD diagnosis.

I work part time to help with organisation and balance of life. It gives me two full days at home whilst the kids are at school to get my planning and marking done along with housework/meal planning etc...

My best coping strategy is my "to do" book. I write everything down on Monday mornings with tick boxes and due dates, and ONLY write things in this book, not on scraps of paper. I then restart my list on a new page every Monday, updating with stuff I didn't have time to do. I tick things off as I do them.

I am actually very organised because I plan everything so meticulously as my brain doesn't switch off until things are sorted. It can be quite exhausting being in my head, but I've always been like this and kind of used to it now. I do find it hard and stressful when things don't fit with the plan in my head.

The teaching I love as I don't have to sit down which I am really bad at. I feel I have so much energy/enthusiasm which helps when motivating teenagers. I try and use it to my advantage.

@ChickenDhansak82

Inspired by you I will try even harder to use my diary only to write stuff down! The flurry of luminous post-its is at times positively blinding!!
Now to locate said diary…

I have ADHD and I am very honest with HR and my line manager. No one else knows I have ADHD but it's the small things that make a difference. My line manager reminds me of upcoming deadlines, I write in the 'notes ' section of PowerPoint to support me in planning my lessons with timings, I give myself an extra 30 minutes to get to work, meetings are put on my sims timetable so I remember to attend, I ensure I clear out my inbox at the end of the day and the only thing that's allowed to sit there is a task with a deadline. I have my daily to do list, but I have an app on my ipad that I bring to school with me that I have my larger to do list on. I ensure it's updated regularly. I keep a book on my desk to write down names of students who I need to chase up and what I'm chasing them for.

I really struggle as only my HT knows. I am no longer a class teacher and, because I’m not class based, people expect me to be available for them at any time. This has a really negative effect on my time management and focus.
I need to have extended uninterrupted times with the door closed to get on with complex tasks, but other staff complain.
Disclosing my ADHD won’t help as some staff are vitriolic about children with ADHD, so would not be sympathetic or understanding.
Interesting to hear from others. Post it notes made me laugh as that is what I do, mostly ignoring them and throwing them away every now and then. I currently have four notebooks on the go and this is causing huge headaches.
Basically, I’m a mess! But hide it well as I always have. Medication makes a massive difference, but isn’t a cure!