What is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. It is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children, and it can continue into adulthood.
That is how both the DSM-5 and ICD-11 (diagnostic manuals for medical professionals) define it, but for learning, we need to understand it in different terms.
Essentially, ADHD is dysregulation created by neurological differences. It can result in hyperactivity (the naughty boy falling out of his seat), but can equally be present in the quiet girl who seems focused but then does not understand what she has learnt. This shift between hyperactivity and inactivity, hyperfocus and inattention, is the dysregulation that we see in ADHD students, and what makes it so challenging to work with.
As teachers, we are faced with the fact that the ADHD student’s behaviour is not determined by choice but by physical differences in the brain. In the Cambridge study of 2013, Professor Trevor Robbins identified this as the main cause of ADHD.
To work better with ADHD learners, we must first come to terms with the fact that their behaviours may not be driven by choice but by physical differences. Telling an ADHD learner to “focus better” is as pointless as telling them to change their eye colour. What we need to do instead is understand the difference, allowing us to work with it. This is the purpose of Jackdaw Rooks.
Our Story
We started Jackdaw Rooks in East London, using the cockney rhyming slang for 'books' because we are educators at heart and we love language.
It was meant to be a teaching consultancy, since we had three decades of great ideas to share, but the old structure of consultants supporting teachers was a thing of the past. Then, a few late diagnoses later, our focus shifted to ADHD, and we realised that if we didn't have the condition, we were strong allies to those who did.
So here we are, experienced teachers and school leaders. We have worked in schools across the UK and internationally in virtually every capacity and witnessed the development of ADHD in our classrooms from when it was first named in 1987, first recognised in adults in 2008 to now. Throughout that time, we have developed our understanding of what this means, both for our students and ourselves.
What's with all the birds?
The other thing about Jackdaw Rooks is the corvids. We're obsessed.
The fact is that the ADHD label does not sit well with us. It is medical, reductive and something that belies the complex nature of the condition.
We love Jackdaw Rooks because the birds may all look alike, but they are distinctly different and very smart.
Different and smart. We like that definition of who we are much better.
