adhd cluttered classroom work environment

[ascootergirl]

I work as a kdgn aide in a small K-8 Catholic school. I am struggling with my work environment being too cluttered. I met with my principal about this and was told “if the teacher is ok with the environment as it is and I (the principal) am ok with it then you( me) have to just deal with it. Ive worked with this teacher for years and nobody seems to get how a cluttered room impacts children and learning let a lone an adult with adhd. The stress alone just walking into the room is terrible. My principal won’t let me donate my time to de clutter it nor will he pay me outside my normal hours of 730-330. The teacher i work with told me i could change whatever I needed to. (She is ready to go on maternity leave) she supports my request but the principal does not understand having adhd/sensory issues and then

does not believe all the crap everywhere impacts kids.

how can i get them educated and to snap out of it?

[STEM_Dad]

(I'm a clutter bug by nature, so I'll reflect on the preschool my kids went to.)

Start basic. Start with categories for the clutter:

Everything needs to have a designated place. For example, a book area, a play food area, a building block area, etc. Contained clutter is much better than spread out clutter. (Improving the organization of it all can come later. You just need to start somewhere.

Get the kids involved. Be the leader. Give them direction and guidance. Give them encouragement and praise.

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MAKE CLUTTER CLEANUP A GAME-LIKE ACTIVITY (GAMIFICATION):

For example:

Put the class in teams of 4, and assign that team to go through the clutter and each put away 5 items that belong in their area. Then the next team's turn, rotating through each team until all the clutter is cleared. Lead the rest of the class in cheering on the team that's cleaning at that time. And when it's all done, enthusiastically exclaim, "We did it!" Then follow up with a planned reward (snack, book reading, whatever works for you and your class).

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ONGOING CLUTTER MANAGEMENT:

Give the kids responsibility, l like a week at a time, a new kid is responsible for each area. That means it's their responsibility to check their area, not to be little dictators, but to find things that don't belong and take them to the appropriate area... Or perhaps take them to that area's leader.

People like to feel like they are important, that they are doing something worthy of recognition. Give immediate complements and praise. Give understanding guidance.

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And have patience... With yourself, with the kids, and with the process. Um, probably even with the principal.

KEEP IN MIND:

A 5 year old child's brain is still going through the rapid growth period that begins at birth. Their personalities may be set or may still be forming at that age. Conditions like autism and ADHD may not yet be detectible, because due to age appropriate development, they might all seem to have some ADHD or be on the autism spectrum at age 5-6, even though the majority will turn out not to have these conditions.

But some kids who seem put together at 5 or 6 will turn out later on to actually have a neurodiversity (like my younger son, who at 5 seemed almost perfectly neurotypical, and now at 10 seems to have combined ADHD and anxiety traits...though he's still undiagnosed ).

And don't expect perfection from yourself. You do have ADHD after all, which has a constant learning curve.

[ServiceSloth in reply to STEM_Dad]

go Stem Dad! I was gonna say, if you involve the kids, its def noticeable that it was an issue, and a good sidestep! StemDad wins the award on how to get that done! And wow, Im taking notes for how to tackle my space!!!

The energy will feel different to all! And you will have so many young minds experience the value of how to do it - as a team - and help you maintain it.

And def take heart ScooterGirl - maybe the other teacher has undiagnosed adhd too, since clutter is a symptom 😅