ADHD and Young Men
ADHD should not be an obstacle to success. Actor Will Smith, Gold Medalist Michael Phelps, Hall of Fame Football Player Terry Bradshaw, Political Consultant James Carville, Kinko’s Founder Paul Orfalea, Baseball Player Pete Rose and JetBlue Founder David Neeleman all have suffered from this condition but went on to achieve success and fame. Despite having ADHD, they learned how to deal with it and became stars in their fields.
ADHD Impact on Students
For young men with ADHD, it is very hard for them to sit still for the entire class period, to remain quiet and pay attention during a lecture, and generally, focus on a specific task for an extended period of time. The problem is compounded when the students need to complete their homework or prepare for an exam without the adult supervision they receive in the classroom.
It is not that these students do not want to succeed in school; it is that their neurological condition makes it extremely hard for them to do the things necessary to ensure academic success. These tasks, which many people find simple, become extremely difficult for the young man struggling with ADHD. The very part of the brain that is used for academic pursuits — planning, decision-making, prioritizing, self-monitoring, controlling impulses and considering consequences — is the part of the brain that is affected by ADHD. Between three and five percent of the population in the United States has been identified as ADHD, so it is a genuine concern.
Helping Young Men with ADHD
Young men with ADHD are fully capable of performing the tasks and exhibiting the behavior expected in the classroom. In order to do so, they must be provided with clear guidance as to what is expected and a system that supports them. It needs to be made clear to the students the behavior that is unacceptable (what they should not do), as well as the behavior that is acceptable.
At Marine Military Academy, the faculty is fully aware of the behavior that is a signal to this condition, and a support structure exists to guide the student. The faculty strives to ensure that lessons are carefully structured and important points are clearly identified. For example, providing a lecture outline is a helpful note-taking aid that increases memory of main ideas.
Students with ADHD perform better on memory tasks when material is meaningfully structured for them. Beth Kaplanek, president of the Board of Directors for Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) states, “Teachers can make all the difference with how a child feels about himself or herself.” Some of the suggestions that CHADD recommends for teachers are routinely applied in Marine Military Academy’s focus on young men with ADHD and they include:
- Classroom rules that are clear and concise
- Clear instruction for assignments
- Helping students develop organizational skills
- Posting assignments
- Plan academics classes for the morning
- Maintain communications between teacher and parent (and drill instructor)
How does MMA Help Young Men with ADHD?
Help for students with ADHD does not end when they finish their classes each day. At Marine Military Academy, this effort is continued by the drill instructors. Through two-way communication between the academic and military departments, the drill instructor is aware of those students displaying this condition. The drill instructors are also kept informed of how the students are performing in their classes and of daily assignments.
Mandatory study time each evening (Closed Call to Quarters) is a time when students are completing their assignments under the watchful eye of the drill instructor. For those students still having trouble with assignments, mandatory tutorials provide the extra help necessary to succeed.
At Marine Military Academy, the overall goal is to encourage young adults to recognize their full potential and their future possibilities, to develop the self-confidence to take on challenges and get back up when they get knocked down, and to realize that obstacles can be overcome and they can be successful.
Check out what Parents Universal Resource Experts say about how students with ADHD and ADD do in Military Schools and Academics.
Learn More about Marine Military Academy and How it Can Help with ADHD
If you have a son in high school with ADHD and struggling to keep his head above water in his academic pursuits, check out the Marine Military Academy or click on the image below to request information about enrollment.