Five sentence summary Projects requiring a narrow focus and a lot of depth, whether these are final class projects, or PhD dissertations, can be a serious source of struggle for ADHD brains. We are likely to get bored over time, we have trouble sorting our thoughts and organizing which is no small problem when the project requires depth. How you coach and adapt for your ADHD learners can make the process much easier. By questioning the learning goals for the work, allowing for increased creativity, and supporting your ADHD learners with check-ins and guidance on prioritizing, you stand a chance at some really successful work. Working on a singular project for an extended period of time often does not go well for ADHD folks. A narrow focus can exacerbate ADHD issues. Whether it's a master's thesis or an undergraduate independent research study, forcing and expecting ADHD folks to focus on one narrow topic often backfires. Our minds jump from idea to idea, we make creative connections, and how our brain focuses is different from those without ADHD. If you're really interested in making things more accessible for ADHD folks, you might have to check your ableism. Question your assumptions Yes, graduate school or a final term paper is supposed to be hard. I am not suggesting we remove rigor. Before we go any further, park those assumptions about rigor someplace else. Ask yourself, what ultimately is the point of this assignment? What is the learning objective? Will my student be any less prepared for the career they envision if they do a master's thesis with two sections that are related but maybe a little less closely than I would like? It might seem like giving your student some breathing room and flexibility is a recipe for disaster, but why? If they've expressed the need for something more general, something that allows them to follow their passion, there is likely a middle ground and you only have to find it. Is a ten to twenty page literature review on one narrow topic my only option for preparing this student to begin lab work, field work, analysis? If I know my student will get bored easily, will get frustrated quickly, and will find the level of detail needed tedious and overbearing (and their brain is structured in a way that makes these outcomes more likely), how can I help them? What options exist that will ensure my student is prepared to start research and yet also works with their brain and their needs? Am I asking my student to adhere to these standards because I think it will make them a better researcher or am I asking them because this is what the department expects? Find the middle ground So your student needs some more variation. Together, brainstorm ways to study the topic in depth, while introducing something that feels new and exciting. It's important to remember that what motivates most people will not motivate ADHD folks. You can explain the consequences of not completing the thesis as expected, but it likely won't scare them into complying (scaring as a mentoring tactic isn't exactly great teaching anyways). ADHD folks are motivated by novelty and what we find inherently interesting. Could they tackle the same topic using a different approach or method? Is there another perspective or angle they could explore? Try thinking of new technologies and theories that could be used. By lessening your grip a little on them and working with your student to identify a closely related question or hypothesis, you'll likely end up with a better result to assess. ADHD folks are typically pretty creative, so ask your ADHD student to think outside of the box. For graduate students, explain that finding the middle ground will likely be an ongoing conversation. Circle back often to help with focus ADHD brains struggle with prioritizing, sorting information, and general organizing. These are all types of executive functions that are inherent to the ADHD struggle. Giving your student flexibility to explore and be a bit more general in their study topic is great, but you also want to look out for them wandering off topic. The easiest way to do this is to identify the problems before they start with regular check-ins. They don't have to be in-person either. Remind them how much time they have left, where you roughly expect them to be in the overall process (data collection, writing up discussion, seeking peer feedback), and ask them what support they may need if they're falling behind. If your student feels comfortable, you could ask them to email you every two weeks giving a summary of their progress. Keep in mind that this might stress some students out, as they could feel like they're being micromanaged or they worry they aren't accomplishing enough. Other alternatives rather than a summary include emailing a mind-map of their project every week and telling the student it is completely fine if the mind map remains the same. You can get a general sense of where their project is heading, ask follow up questions if needed, and you're not putting a lot of pressure on the student. Regardless, decide together the best approach. ADHD is very heterogeneous and one ADHD graduate student will need a coffee chat every two weeks whereas another wants emails once a month. Folks with ADHD who are also autistic (the two commonly co-occur) may need none of the motivational advice in this post at all, as they happily explore an intense interest. You also may need to help ADHD learners prioritize and narrow their scope, as we often try to include everything and the kitchen sink. Helping ADHD folks prioritize can be as simple as asking your student to make a list of priorities or reminding them to reread the assignment instructions or rubric. You may find yourself asking your student to write up a game plan detailing how they are going to finish on time, or sitting down with the student and talking things out. This may force them to come face-to-face with the reality that they cannot actually include every topic of interest because there simply isn't enough time to do so. Shouldn't they know this? This type of thinking about ADHD folks is common, and ultimately it can be really hard to shift your perspective. If we see someone using crutches to help them walk, we know that a ramp would make things easier compared to a set of stairs. It's obvious what the barrier is, what the potential solutions are, and we don't for a second question why the person with the crutches is using the ramp. The barriers for ADHD are harder to directly observe: the chemistry in our brain is different or off. We have trouble with executive functions: task initiation, organizing, prioritizing, etc. The potential solutions can look like shortcuts or giving in to laziness but only if you don't respect that our brains don't function like yours, only if you don't trust that we are working hard. Regular check-ins are the ramp and leaving our brains to swim in an ocean of ideas, well that would be asking us to take the stairs. It's not as easy to understand as someone who use crutches for their mobility, but it is the same idea. Key points:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
AuthorThere's a reason theADHDAcademic is an anonymous account and there's a reason why this website will remain anonymous. That said, there are some basics it might be helpful to know about me: DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a lawyer of any kind. All text, graphics, and content on this website are for educational purposes only. Any and all content should not be substituted for medical or legal advice. Although I strive to provide the most accurate, current, and scientifically sound information, content should never be substituted for professional advice. Always consult a medical and/or legal professional before making any decisions. Links are provided only for reference and do not necessarily imply endorsement.
|