Teacher professional development guidance on educating students with Oppositional Defiance Disorder.

The American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, (DSM-IV) defines oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as a recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that persists for at leastsix months. Behaviors in thedefinition are losing one’s temper; arguing with adults; actively defying requests; refusing to go byrules; deliberately annoying many others; blaming others for one’s own mistakes or misbehavior; being touchy, easily annoyed or angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive.



ODD is normallydiagnosed when a child has a persistent or consistent pattern of disobedience and hostility toward parents, teachers, or other adults. The requirementsfor ODD are met only whenthe problem behaviors occur more frequently in the child than in other children of the same age and developmental level. These behaviors cause significant problems withfriends and family, and the oppositional behaviors are exactly the sameboth at home and in school. Sometimes, ODD may be a precursor of a conduct disorder. Co morbidity of ODD with ADHD has been reported to occur in 50%-65% of affected children. ODD is not diagnosed if the problematic behaviors occur exclusively with a mood or psychotic disorder.



Teacher professional development informationThe Don’ts of Communicating to a student with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)



DON’TS

• Use long lessons.

• Be oppositional yourself.

• Use a loud angry voice.

• Use negative body gestures.

• Revisit earlier problems.

• Blame yourself or other people.

• Make assumptions about a child’s behavior.

• Label a childwith negative names.



Teacher professional development recommendations onThe Do’s of Communicating to a student with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

DO’s

• Use short explanations of ten words or fewer.

• Say what exactlyyou choose.

• Speak calmly and clearly.

• Make eye contactand control yourfacial expression, posture, and gestures.

• Talk about what is happening right now.

• Focus on solutions, not problems.

• Ask questions to getfeedback.

• See the child as a whole person with strengths and weaknesses.



“Many of these methods can easily be utilized onan every day basis in my presentation for teachers, educators and administrators I show them easy to implement exercises they can use in the classroom,” says Jamahl Keyes, author, speaker and Teacher Professional development in service trainer. “It is very importantfor teachers to understand how to use these strategies so that you have the needed skills to resolve any conflict in the classroom large or small.”