Teacher professional development suggestions about 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 least half a year. Behaviors contained in thedefinition are losing one’s temper; arguing with adults; actively defying requests; refusing to go byrules; deliberately annoying many people; blaming others for one’s own mistakes or misbehavior; being touchy, easily annoyed or angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive.



ODD is generallydiagnosed when a child has a persistent or consistent pattern of disobedience and hostility toward parents, teachers, or other adults. The standardsfor 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 difficulty withfamily and friends, and the oppositional behaviors are identicalboth 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 useful information onThe Don’ts of Communicating to a student with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)



DON’TS

• Use long lectures.

• Be oppositional yourself.

• Use a loud angry voice.

• Use negative body gesture.

• Revisit earlier problems.

• Blame yourself or other people.

• Make assumptions about a child’s behavior.

• Label the youngsterwith negative names.



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

DO’s

• Use short explanations of ten words or fewer.

• Say precisely whatyou want.

• Speak calmly and clearly.

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

• Talk about what is happening right now.

• Focus on solutions, not problems.

• Ask questions and acquirefeedback.

• See the child as a whole person with good and bad points.



“Many of these methods can beused onevery day basisin 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 a mustfor 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.”