CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT OF OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDERED (odd) STUDENTS Nancy Edwards

PART 1 BACKGROUND

What Is ODD? A persistent pattern of behavior different from other children of the same developmental level Behaviors occur frequently enough to affect child’s social, family, and academic life

SYMPTOMS Loses temper often Frequent arguing with adults Actively defies requests and refuses to follow rules Deliberately annoys people Blames others for own mistakes and misbehaviors Touchy and easily annoyed Often angry and resentful Spiteful and vindictive

ODD CHILDREN OFTEN SEEM PROUD OF THEIR MISBEHAVIORS

CAUSES Genetic Sometimes runs in families Nature Inborn temperament Nurture Sometimes precipitated by mental or physical trauma Brain Chemistry May be related to serotonin, cortisol, or other brain chemicals

DIAGNOSING Present in 5-15% of students Usually diagnosed by age 8 Many boys diagnosed by preschool Many girls diagnosed in middle school Occasionally develops into… Conduct disorder Passive Aggressive Personality Disorder Antisocial Personality Disorder

COMORBID CONDITIONS Depression ADD/ADHD Learning Disabilities Bipolar Disorder Anxiety Disorder Giftedness

TREATMENT Parent Training Programs Individual Psychotherapy Family Counseling Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Social Skills Training Medication used only for comorbid disorders

PART 2 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

TWO KEYS TO EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH ODD Escape for the child Affecting attitudes

THE TEACHER SHOULD NOT Respond quickly Try to “convince” Threaten Raise the stakes Create an audience Keep it going Use sarcasm, anger, or bribes

THE TEACHER SHOULD Give simple, direct, real choices Follow pre-determined behavior plan Listen Give brief, direct responses Maintain privacy Walk away from confrontation

AFFECTING ATTITUDES Most ODD students reject obvious positive reinforcements The trick is to sneak it in Whisper it as you pass them Leave a private note Use emotion flash cards visible only to the individual child

TWO RULES FOR SUCCESS When the ODD student is neutral or positive you should be positive and engaging, offering encouraging feedback and instruction When the ODD student is negative you should be emotionless and business like and follow through on pre-determined plans and consequences

THINGS NOT TO DO WITH AN ANGRY ODD CHILD Don’t touch the student Don’t raise your voice Don’t threaten consequences Don’t point your finger Don’t crowd the student Don’t feed the rage As long as the child is angry, it is NOT a “teachable moment.”

HOW TO DEAL WITH AN ANGRY ODD CHILD Use the student’s name Remove the audience Use humor (but never sarcasm) Double your physical distance Attempt to distract Minimize discussion

TIME OUT In order to work, time out MUST be creative Must involve being Reasonable Respectful Fair Use child’s strengths to find a way to let him/her cool off Example: If the child likes physical activity, send him to the gym to work it off.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS The Explosive Child Dr. Ross W. Green The Defiant Child: A Parent’s Guide to ODD Dr. Douglas Riley Parenting With Love and Logic Jim Faye and Foster Cline The Difficult Child Dr. Stanley Turecki

Nancy Edwards Thayer Central Schools Chester, NE 68327 RECOMMENDED LINKS Conduct Disorders For Parents and Teachers The Chandler Papers Explosive Kids American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Internet Mental Health Site Nancy Edwards Thayer Central Schools Chester, NE 68327