Tonight marked my second lesson with my newest pupil, an 8 year old with ADHD.

After my first lesson I came to the conclusion that he was a bit of a character - he said some loony things, acted enthusiastic, slightly excitable, but joined in with basically everything I asked. He's good - has a natural sense of rhythm, and can pitch notes easily after playing them on the piano. He has musical awareness - If I ask him to hum a random tune off the top off his head it isn't random notes - it's in tune, with rhythm and ends on the tonic. He can play things by ear. I think he has potential.

Just to run down some details: I teach at his Gran's house, across the road, because they have a piano (plus side: no buttons like our clavinova, minus: No volume control like said clavinova).

However, (you could see this coming) this week's lesson descended into chaos. The lesson ended with him going "I've got your pen, you won't get it back," me saying calmly, "That belongs to me, it isn't yours, please give it back," and him insisting that he throw it and I pick it up. It took me refusing to pick it up and insisting he put it in my hand (politely).... something that took 5 minutes and me walking out with "Your Gran will give it me back anyway." He eventually put it in my hand after first shoving it in my face. I wasn't being horrible you understand - I would be like that with any pupil: It's manners and a question of respect.
My real issue is the way that I had to sit and wait for him to stop banging on the piano before I could speak - I won't talk over any pupil that's playing, again it's manners and they know this. I would breathe in to say something and the banging would start again. I think he could tell I was getting wound up as he was starting to laugh and do it more. I told him in front of his Gran and Mum "X, I know you could be so good at the piano, but you really need to listen to me without being silly. I know, I know it's fun to be silly sometimes, but sometimes you need to be sensible. If you are sensible, and listen for just a bit a week, you could be really good at the piano and I know you would really like it."

I'd just like to know if anyone has any ideas, or advice for me about what I could do with this boy? I don't want to give up on him, I really don't as I'm sure it wouldn't be the first or last time this would happen. I, and his Gran think that piano lessons could be the way forward to help him with his concentration, and give him something to channel all that energy into. That said, I'm only 17 and been teaching for a year and 4 months. I really do want to teach him, but I know it will be difficult. If anyone has any ideas they would be greatly appreciated.

Kate

It sounds like you are dong a great job... It sounds like hard work, but I think he will thank you for it one day. Theres a danger of just writing him off, and saying 'oh, he has ADHD, he can't do that!'. He can, but it will be harder work than with others. Stick at it: I think you will find its worth it.

You need infinite patience, and to stay very calm throughout (not easy, I know). You also need clear-cut "rules", or boundaries, and for both of you to know what to do when he oversteps them. You could discuss this with his mum, maybe. A rewards chart with special stickers often helps. But the key thing is you have to be completely consistent in how you treat him and never let it show that he is getting on your nerves.
And don't be too hard on yourself if things go badly - it won't be an easy ride. Good luck!

I have taught and still teach a great kid with ADHD.

At times he has been seriously scary. But I know I am helping him in a mega way.

I try to be consistently calm and positive. He knows that I like him, that helps.

He is VERY clever and manipulative. He has an amazing ear.

Often, I felt like I was in the dark with him but I kept going because I figure THIS kid needs all the security he can get, he has enough experience of rejection already.

You're a better person than me. I couldn't put myself through that. Well done for persevering. However, if things get too much I would advise you to recommend him to someone especially equipped to handle his type of case. Either that or insist that some relative sit in on the lesson - his Grandmother for example. That way she may realise just what a sterling good job you are doing and pay you danger money!

All the best!

LR

I don't know that I have anybody with this specific syndrome (or maybe I just haven't been told!) but I've certainly had two who have behaved like you describe. One is long gone; the behaviour was beside the point - he just didn't want to play the piano! The other, aged 8, is very musical and we're now motoring along fairly well after a few initial months of chaos. He did well in the LCM Pre-preparatory exam, and is now working for TG Initial. What I found worked with him was rigid structure and routine. Every lesson runs to a schedule and we do eveything in exactly the same order every week - scales, ear tests, simple sight-reading, pieces, with a few minutes in between each for a bit of a chat or a laugh about what happened in school and so on. But he knows now that by a quarter to the hour, for instance, we have to have got onto the pieces. If he's playing funny beggars, I just firmly say "STOP! Look at the clock. We'll relax again in a minute; we've got to get through this or we'll not get this done by five to." Constantly concentrating on the clock seems to keep him on the ball!

A totally non-scientific approach, and somebody will probably tell me I'm making him time-obsessive, but it gets us through the half hour and progress is made!

I think you are quite correct to expect respect, and I think that you have also identified what you need to help him with, i.e. concentration.
I would suggest keeping lessons very short, maybe two 15 min. lessons a week. I would also suggest talking to his parents in private and say how you might handle a situation when it becomes difficult, and that might mean cutting the lesson short.
To help with concentration I suggest keeping topics short and changing focus before you think there might be restlessness. Also extremely specific practice tasks, charts, rewards, and if possible, parental supervision of practice might help. A lesson is only as good as the practice that follows it.
I would also suggest becoming a student member of the European piano Teachers Association, or the Incorporated Society of Musicians. Through them, or your own teachers, try to find local teachers who are experienced in teaching the 3-6 age group, who might have a toolbox of ways for teaching pupils with short concertration spans. It does not really matter what instrument they teach . Also, because it is concentration you are trying to encourage, you can use concentration games away from the piano, which will also give an active child a chance to move.
If you can observe teachers for this age-group in your area, you can learn from their teaching strategies.
Good luck, it sounds as if you have a flair for teaching.

Thanks for your advice! It's kind of frustrating as I know he could be good! I'm more patient than many people, and other teachers I know and I am determined to help him. It's just such a shame I will go to uni/college next year, though If I'm in Manchester I might do one day a weekend and keep pupils on if they still want lessons as it's less than an hour on the train.

I've been thinking about it myself since posting last night, and one of my priorities was to phone his Gran to discuss what their rules and strategies are. I may as well be working with them, as it's something that his Gran sees as another thing to help him. I can't come in for half an hour a week and go against what his parents would do in the same situation as that would just be detrimental. I explained to her though that it may sometimes sound like I'm letting him go wild, but in a way, I have to find out about him and what he's like without him finding he can get one over on me. I'm going for the Mary Poppins approach....

Something that occurred to me later last night was that I had arrived late at their house last night. This wasn't my fault - the mum of the girl I teach before him is a DREADFUL time keeper. The lesson ended at 4:30 and Mum wasn't there till almost 4:45 - I'm a teacher, not a babysitter!. I was the only one in the house because my sister was at a rehearsal so I had to wait with her. I could see in their front window across the road that he was already at the piano. I got there and he was playing - not crashing, but playing middle C like we'd done last week. If he'd been there for 15minutes already then this could have been the simple reason why he was a bit loopy in the last half of the lesson.

Does anyone have any ideas of any activities we could do that appeals to the younger ones? Obviously I don't want to insult him by treating him younger than he is but I mean things that are short and attention-grabbing. We've done high and low, clapping rhythms, finding notes etc, but anything a bit more inspired would be welcome! I do a fingerprinting activity with the others to demonstrate that when you have good finger position you have small round fingerprints but I know that one would be a particular disaster!

I just wanted to tell you all... Monday's lesson with this pupil went really well! He acted disappointed at the end of the lesson! and said "I listened to everything you said today AND I didn't snatch your pen off you!" I think Gran and Mum had "had words" before the lesson! My faith has been restored!

Sounds like you're doing an amazing job Kate, well done